Other duties:

• plan the arrangement and cataloguing of records. Some records might need to be transferred to a different medium to avoid damage from repeated handling
• need to stay abreast of technological advances in electronic information storage
• be up-to-date on preservation methods, the elimination of hazards such as fire and water, and storage area pest control
• sometimes archivists need to restore damaged records themselves – they therefore need to be qualified in this aspect of their work as well

• advise or assist users on how to use resources such as references such as reference books (e.g. bibliographies, encyclopaedias, atlas), catalogues, indexes, CD-ROM databases, on-line information services and the Internet to compile their research
• ensure library users find the correct information from the correct source by asking questions about certain aspects of the information they require

• check books in and out, answer routine questions and sort and shelve library materials
• repair damaged books, and keep files of special materials such as career information or newspapers up to date
• help purchasing and cataloguing library materials
• some assistants help library users find reference materials, maintain loan records and send out overdue notices
• may also operate audio-visual equipment or work on special projects, and assist in arranging book exhibitions

Librarian jobs are found most commonly in academic, public and school libraries.

Librarians are ‘information professionals’ who collect, organise and distribute of all kinds of material and in different formats and in different settings.

In the school and university settings, Librarians provide materials for the academic staff and students, as well assist both bodies with research. In public libraries, Librarians help to meet the educational, recreational and information needs of local communities. 

What does a Librarian do?

• instructing patrons, students, teachers, etc. how to research information on software programs & databases and on the internet
• assisting people on how to find useful information in books, articles, newspapers, and dvds
• maintaining catalogues of library materials
• teaching students how to properly cite information
• managing staff and budgets
• categorizing books and articles and keeping them in order
• researching and buying new material and books for the library

Are you … ?

• an avid reader?
• computer literate?
• a person who loves research?
• someone with good oral and written comprehension?
• creative?
• friendly?
• someone who likes teaching?

How do I become a Librarian?

A degree in Library Science can be found in the department of Information Science/Studies.

• UNISA:

Bachelor of Information Science (Blnf), a specialized degree with a minimum of three years and major subjects are Information Science and Applied Information Science.

• DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY:

MIS with a specialization in Library Science.

• STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
• UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
• UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND

Bachelor in Library and Information Science (BLIS); Diploma in Specialised Education: School Library Science (open to candidates with at least a 3 year Teachers Diploma or BEd)

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Copywriter or Childrens’ Book Illustrator

Is becoming a Librarian the right career choice for me?

See below for more info.

• responsible for the organising, maintaining, co-ordinating, cataloguing, filing and storage of these tapes
• The tapes come in various forms such as large spools or cartridges of magnetic tape. The main functions of tape librarians are to classify, file and retrieve tapes containing the back-ups, maintaining the documentation relating to the tapes and keeping an inventory of software and stock.
• set up the classification system for storage tapes that includes data such as user, department, program, kind of data and date run