Library Science Courses in India

Library science is an interdisciplinary field which utilises the practices, perspectives and tools of management, information technology, education and other areas to maintain libraries. It's basic activities include collection, organization, preservation and dissemination of information resources and the political economy of information. Libraries contain books, periodicals, micro-films, videos, cassettes, slides etc., for education, research, reference and pleasure. Librarianship is a Library Science -Specific profession which concerns with organising, maintenance and storage of books etc. in a library.

A person involved in this field of occupation is called a Librarian. Librarians are further called information professionals.Librarians are the custodians of library. Librarians assist people in finding information and using it effectively in their personal and professional lives.

There are different kinds of libraries depending upon the institute it is catering. Most kinds of libraries are public, reference, children’s libraries and those attached to offices and institutions of both private and public. These could include a mobile lending library. There are also specialist libraries attached to the research and academic institutions that cater to specific readers in specific subjects such as medicine, engineering, art, music or types of books such as Braille or collections for children. Library science is constantly evolving, incorporating new topics like database management, information architecture and Knowledge Management.

Some of its specialized fields are -

1. Librarian
   
2. Archiving
   
3. Cataloguing
   
4. Computer, Data, and Information System
   
5. Curator
   
6. Indexing
   
7. Abstractors
   
8. Researchers
   
9. Information architecture
   
10. Information broker
    
11. Metadata Architecture
    
12. Metadata Management
    
13. Preservation Administration and Conservation

Content of Library Science Courses

The study of this field includes all or few of these –

• Collection management
• Information systems and technology
• Archives management
• Research methods
• Cataloging and classification
• Conservation of manuscript

Objectives 

1.  To prepare professionals for meeting the changing information needs of individuals and groups in a diverse and global society

2.  Providing knowledge of the principles and practices of classical Library Science including the current technologies applied to these processes

3.  To contribute to librarianship and allied fields through research, publication, grant seeking, and other creative activities

4.  To serve librarianship and allied fields through active participation in organizations 

5.  Sharing expert skills, knowledge, and abilities with communities and the profession as a whole

Basic Requirement

Minimum qualification required to take up a course in Library Science is graduation in any stream. Duration of Bachelors degree in library science is one year. Those with Bachelor degree in library science can go for Masters degree in library science. One can also go for M.Phil and Ph.D in this field. There are also some diploma and certificate courses. 

Job Perspectives

The growth in the number of institutions of learning and those imparting professional training all over, have increased the importance of libraries. Therefore, Librarianship is a growing field, which has attained the status of a separate discipline in the universe of knowledge. 

In the age of information revolution librarianship is a well paid job. However salaries of librarian vary depending upon their individual qualifications, experience, size and nature of the hiring institutes. Librarian employed in government museum, archives, galleries have higher earnings than those in collages and universities. Librarians working in private documentation centres and research institutes also have handsome earnings.

Employment opportunities also exist in areas like - News agencies and organisations, Foreign embassies and Photo/film libraries. Some library technicians are self-employed as researchers, consultants, cataloguers etc. on short term contracts.

Various Job Types 

1. Library Attendant - Takes care of inter-library loans shelving books, processing bills, subscription renewals and new memberships.
   
    
2. Library Assistant - Main duties involve accession, shelf arrangements, levying of fines, maintenance and binding of books and other materials, location of missing books, and related technical work.
   
    
3. Junior Librarian/Semi-Professional Assistant - Works at the counter to receive and issue books, sends out reminders on overdue loans, looks after accessioning.
   
    
4. Junior Librarian/Professional Assistant - Is responsible for accessioning, classification, cataloguing, ordering books, as well as handling computer data.
   
    
5. Junior Librarian/Assistant Librarian - Selects and acquires books and material, takes care of reference services and computer programming, as well as supervision of semi-professional assistants.
   
    
6. Deputy Librarian - Oversees administration, supervision, and computer programming.
   
    
7. Librarian - Is overall in charge of technical, administrative, and financial matters. Responsibilities include delegation of duties, library supervision and management, personnel administration, budgeting, classification and cataloguing, and recommendation of new acquisitions.
   
    
8. Director/Head Of Information Centre - Works at the policy and planning level, and is responsible for the center's organization, coordination, control, leadership, external relations, supervision and administration.
   
    
9. Senior Information Analyst - Activities include processing of information, indexing, documentation etc.
   
    
10. Junior Information Analyst - Assists senior analyst in all aspects of work.
    
     
11. Information Assistant - Information transfers, processing, storage and dissemination of information under supervision of senior staff are the main tasks in this position.