Key skills and competencies of LIS professionals in the digital library environment: a content analysis of job advertisements

Abstract

PurposeThe main purpose of this research study is to identify the essential skills and competencies sought by prospective employers for library and information science (LIS) positions in India. The research study aims to find out various designated positions in job advertisements.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from a major weekly job journal “Employment News” in India over five years from 2016 to 2020. The Employment News provides the latest job vacancies of central/state governments, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies in India. Each issue of Employment News was carefully scanned and searched for job advertisements in the field of LIS. The researcher analyzed various posts on permanent, deputation and short-term contracts to gain insights into the job’s skills.FindingsThe findings highlight that public sector academic and school libraries are the top employers of LIS professionals. One of the most frequent demands of employers is profession-related work experience. Results show that employers place the strongest emphasis on library administration, computer knowledge, technical skills, managerial skills and soft skills. Library management, library supervision and procurement of journals and books are the primary job responsibilities for top-level positions.Research limitations/implicationsThe weekly job journal, Employment News, is the largest source of LIS jobs in publicly funded organizations and institutions in India. It does not cover private educational institutes, industries and corporates. Job-related data were collected solely from this journal for the duration of 2016–2020. Therefore, this research study does not fully represent the LIS job market with regard to private educational institutes and corporate organizations.Practical implicationsThe research findings can help LIS professionals prepare themselves according to market needs and demands. The LIS school should integrate these required skills and competencies into the course curriculum for preparing professionals in the digital age.Originality/valueThe results are benchmarked to guide and evaluate LIS course curricula in India. LIS schools may emphasize soft skills in future curriculum design, which employers frequently seek.