Job Openings for Library Professionals in Pakistan: A Content Analysis

Introduction Change is a natural phenomenon. We are in a period of rapid change. Library and Information Science is a rapidly changing and growing field. This profession began its journey when writing and reading materials were stone, dry leaves, leather, clay tablets, etc. With the passage of time, paper replaced other kinds of material and was shaped into books. Now, books and other printed material are in digital form. Libraries are transformed from their four walls and now exist in a networked environment. The application of Information and Communication Technology in libraries changes the working patterns of librarians as well as the traditional name "librarian." This change has brought new nomenclature including cybrarian, digital librarian, information scientist, digital library operations officer, library technologist, IT resource manager, knowledge manager, etc. Nomenclature has an impact on our minds. It also defines the status of a job. A new name makes an impression. According to Nicholas, Debrowolski, and Huntington (2000), "terminology drives our thinking and, most importantly, the perception of the people we serve." The success of an organization depends on qualified, energetic, and dynamic personnel. The selection of suitable professionals is an important and sensitive process. Professionals are invited through job advertisements in newspapers, professional journals, the Internet etc. In Pakistan, library professional positions are advertised in newspapers, although this practice is gradually changing. Jobs are now being announced via the Internet. Only two LIS journals are published in Pakistan, but jobs are not advertised in these journals. Newspapers are still the main source of job openings in Pakistan. Objectives The objectives of this study are to: 1. discover LIS job openings in Sindh province 2. identify job openings in different types of libraries 3. analyse trends in job titles for LIS professionals Scope of the Study The present study was limited to Sindh province of Pakistan. This study covers all types of jobs relevant to librarianship in all types of libraries, i.e., academic public, special, etc. in Sindh province. Professional librarian positions were included, while library science educators and non-professional library jobs were excluded from the study. This study covers jobs announced from 2004-2008. Literature Review A number of studies have been conducted which trace changes in the job market by examining advertisements. Yelinek (2009) determined the training needs and experience of temporary government documents librarians. The librarians tended to work in academic libraries and felt frustration regarding the inadequate training they received. Pamment (2008) explores the role of professional development in library information services. The author's investigations indicate employer expectations for a wide range of generic skills in addition to the specific skills. One of the research techniques used by researchers is content analysis of job advertisements. Kavulya (2007) conducted a descriptive study to review the status of the job market for library professionals in Kenya. Du, Stein, and Martin (2007) conducted research to construct a mechanism for employers to post jobs opportunities on the Web at no cost. Using content analysis, the researchers found similarity among job postings. The author's findings indicate that the volatility of electronic media creates difficulties for LIS job seekers. Deeken and Thomas (2006) analyzed technical job advertisements published in library science journals in 2001. This study replicates the research results of Beile and Adams (2000) that analyzed job advertisements from the mid-1990s. Results indicates large increase in LIS openings, increase in number of jobs reposted and in salaries. He found a major decrease in foreign language requirement. …