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Profiling the Caribbean Special Librarian: demography, skills and professional progress

Medical Sciences Library of The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies mgboodoo{at}library.uwi.tt

This study aims to construct an exploratory profile of Caribbean special librarians. Data was based on a survey of professional librarians conducted in 2004 (Gosine-Boodoo and McNish, 2005) from which responses by Caribbean special librarians were extracted and analyzed. Findings were used to build a professional profile highlighting the following aspects: (1) demographics – gender, library and information science qualifications, length of professional service and job function(s); (2) perception of skills – satisfaction with the acquisition of a set of desirable skills and characteristics for the librarian of the new millennium; and (3) opportunities for development – development and training areas of current emphasis by organizations and special librarians and the latter group's satisfaction with their professional progress. Findings are only indicative because of the sample size. Recommendations advocate partnering for continuing education and training, personal responsibility for professional development, the formation of ‘special interest’ groups, and the formulation and implementation of competency standards.

Key Words: Special librarians • Skills • Professional development • Caribbean

Information Development, Vol. 22, No. 4, 292-299 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0266666906072960


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