Identifying the Job Titles and Competencies of the Public Library Librarians Based on the Content Analysis of Job Advertisements

Saki, Sahereh, Zerehsaz, Mohammad and Haseli, Davoud Identifying the Job Titles and Competencies of the Public Library Librarians Based on the Content Analysis of Job Advertisements. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 2024, vol. 30, n. 3, pp. 370-352. [Journal article (Paginated)]

[thumbnail of Identifying the Job Titles and Competenciesof the Public Library Librarians Based on theContent Analysis of Job Advertisements.pdf]
Preview
 Text
Identifying the Job Titles and Competenciesof the Public Library Librarians Based on theContent Analysis of Job Advertisements.pdf - Published version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial.
Download (765kB) | Preview

English abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify and determine the job titles and professional competencies of the publiclibrary librarians.Method:Adopting a descriptive approach, the study employed the content analysis and the Delphi method involving expert opinions. The research population included job advertisements for public library positions on prominentglobal employment websites, as well as experts in the field of public libraries in Iran. Data collection tools included achecklist and coding in MAXQDA software for content analysis and questionnaires for the Delphi panels.Results: Based on the content analysis of job advertisements, public library job titles worldwide were categorizedinto four groups, including management and administrative roles, public services, technical services, and technologyrelated roles, with 54 items. Subsequently, new and contextually relevant job titles for the context of Iran were identified in consultation with experts, leading to four categories and 35 items. Additionally, 81 job competencies wereextracted for the public library librarians, organized into six categories: customer and social services, marketing andpromotion, education and reading promotion, library-specific expertise, management and planning, and technical andtechnological skills.Conclusions: This study analyzed the job titles and competencies required for the librarians working in the publiclibraries in the Iranian context, being informed by global experiences. The findings reveal the significant diversity andappeal of public library activities worldwide and highlight the potential for Iranian public libraries to expand their jobtitles and competencies. These results can assist policymakers and public library managers in redefining new rolesand competencies and may

Persian abstract

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Job advertisements,job titles,job competencies,public library librarians
Subjects: D. Libraries as physical collections. > DC. Public libraries.
Depositing user: rispl journal Journal
Date deposited: 30 Jan 2026 17:55
Last modified: 30 Jan 2026 17:55
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/47497

References

12. Chan, D., (2006). Core competencies and performance management in Canadian public libraries. Library Management, 27(3), 144-153. [DOI:10.1108/01435120610652897]

13. Chehregani, L., & karimi, R., (2022). A study of the skills required by librarians in public libraries in the children and adolescents sector. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 28(4), 504-520. 10.52547/publij.28.4.504

14. Dinu, S. (2018). Career paths and leadership skills of public library CEOs. MPA Major Research Papers, 179, 1-45.

15. Freet, B., & Marcinek, M. (2005). The future of the academic library and the academic librarian: A delphi study reloaded. Routledge, 11(1), 37-63. [DOI:10.1080/13614570500268381]

16. Gonzalez, M. E. (2010). Workforce competencies: Focus on urban public libraries. Library Trends, 59(1), 269-287. [DOI:10.1353/lib.2010.a407818]

17. Hayati, Z. (2008). Competency definition for Iranian library and information professionals in public libraries. International Journal of Information Science and Technology, 6(1), 73-86.

18. Jones, R. (2003). Competencies for information professionals of the 21st century. Information Outlook, 7(10), 11-21.

19. Lopatovska, I., & Baribeau, H. (2017). What information professionals need to know: Job ads analysis. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 5 (1), 747-749. [DOI:10.1002/pra2.2017.14505401141]

20. McClure, R.M. (2005). Developing core job Competencies for payment service roles and associating them with Personality traits using the Workplace big five profile, A Dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree doctor of philosophy.

21. Moen, M. H., Mandel, L. H., & Karno, V. (2020). Continuing education for public library staff: Valued competencies and preferred delivery format. Education for Information, 36(2), 177-198. [DOI:10.3233/EFI-190311]

22. Momoh, E. O., & Folorunso, A. L. (2019). The evolving roles of libraries and librarians in the 21st century. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 2867.

23. Norlander, R. J., Barchas-Lichtenstein, J., Fraser, J., Davis Fournier, M., Voiklis, J., & Danter, E. (2020). Getting consensus about competencies: What's needed for effective library programs. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 61(2), 188-211. [DOI:10.3138/jelis.2019-0052]

24. Peng, Y. P. (2019). A competency model of children's librarians in public libraries. The Library Quarterly, 89(2), 99-115. [DOI:10.1086/702194]

25. Rice Sullivan, J. (2021). Child Development Knowledge among New Children's Librarians in US Public Libraries. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 63(1), 19-37. [DOI:10.3138/jelis.2020-0033]

26. Shahbazi, R., Fahimnia, F., & Hakimzadeh, R. (2016). Confirmatory Factor Analysis of IT-based Competency Questionnaire in Information Science & Knowledge Studies, Based on Job Market Analysis. Iranian Journal of Information Processing and Management, 31(2), 483-511. (in Persian) [DOI:10.35050/JIPM010.2016.043]

27. Shahbazi, R., Fahimnia, F., & Khoshemehr, A. H. (2016). Analyzing the Market of Newly Emerging IT-Based Jobs in Library and Information Science and Identifying IT Librarian Competencies. International Journal of Information Science & Management, 14(2).

28. Sutton, S., & Davis, S. (2011). Core competencies for electronic resources librarians. The Serials Librarian, 60(1-4), 147-152. [DOI:10.1080/0361526X.2011.556025]

29. Syed, M. (2014). Developing the Culturally Competent Public Librarian: An investigation of Diversity Training for Public Libraries to support empathic service provision to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities (Doctoral dissertation, University of Sheffield).

30. Wilkins Jordan, M. (2015). Competencies for public library managers: diversity in practice. Library Management, 36(6/7), 462-475. [DOI:10.1108/LM-12-2014-0139]

31. Williams, R. D., & Ogden, L. P. (2021). What knowledge and attitudes inform public librarians' interactions with library patrons in crisis?. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 53(1), 62-74. [DOI:10.1177/0961000620917720]

32. Williams, R. D., & Saunders, L. (2020). What the field needs: Core knowledge, skills, and abilities for public librarianship. The Library Quarterly, 90(3), 283-297. [DOI:10.1086/708958]


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Contact us
Send email Sponsors
Sponsor: AIMS Sponsor: D&P Sponsor: UniNa CAB Get connected
Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Linkedin LinkedIn RSS RSS