Paraprofessional Essay

The Role of Paraprofessionals in the Field of Librarianship Today

Libraries have long attracted book lovers and individuals who are seeking a career in the information profession, yet becoming a paraprofessional takes more than having an interest in books, it requires an individual to be creative, driven and resourceful, these are just a few attributes that fuels a paraprofessional’s experience. Before you decide that librarianship is right for you, make sure that you understand what today librarians do and a good place to start is simply by doing your research. According to the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS), “a library paraprofessional is a member of the library support staff, usually someone who holds at least
What one needs to have is a general understanding of the experience, skills and education of the specific job. In today’s libraries most paraprofessionals include library assistants and library technicians. These paraprofessionals work under the supervision of librarians and help the library run smoother. Educational requirements for paraprofessionals differ. According to (Learn), as a library technician, you have more responsibilities and different educational requirements than a library assistant. To become a library technician, you should acquire either a certificate or an associate's degree in a library-related area. Working as a library assistant, you can acquire jobs with a high school education and receive on-the-job training”. In possession to having the education, today’s paraprofessionals also should require skills such as; computer literacy, an understanding of how to use databases, a knowledge of how information is organized
Specialized library assistants and technicians- works in government organizations, law firms, corporations, hospitals and private businesses and they assist with providing information on subjects of the organization and they also assist users in accessing resources.
In today’s society there are a number of factors affecting paraprofessionals in the field of librarianship. Firstly, budget cuts is the major cause, because of economic recessions budget for libraries are being slashed resulting in job loss. Secondly, the technological revolution in libraries, more persons are turning to digital resources such as eBooks and online databases for their information, because they find it easier to stay at home or access these resources on the go, therefore causing library staff to keep up with the education and specialization of online digital databases and resources . Certainly paraprofessionals have progressed from early libraries to today. But technology and financial factors will continue to affect the paraprofessionals in the future, “yet one thing is sure they will continue to play a vital role in the collection and maintenance of the records of humanities thoughts, deeds, and aspirations” (Martinez,