Role of Library Associations’ and LIS curriculum in uplifting the competencies of librarians

Abstract

Disruptive technologies, changing social and learning behaviours, and exponential growth of personalised services are changing the eco-system in which libraries operate. Being in the centre of this evolving eco-system, library professionals need 21st century skills and competencies to turn these challenges to opportunities, redefining and leading libraries with sustainable services into the future. Libraries successful in redefining themselves in the face of these challenges, have intrinsically tied their library’s transformation strategy to robust capacity building programmes. This has enabled them to be innovative in capitalising new opportunities, thus enhancing their value to the communities they serve. Against this background, how have library associations and institutions advocated for the redesign of library curriculums and continuous professional development (CPD) programmes to instill skills and competencies urgently needed to up-skill library professionals? This paper shares the initiatives of the Myanmar Library Association to engage key stakeholders to level up library curriculums to strengthen capacity building programmes for librarians through its proven model aimed to imbue master trainers with required skill-set and content knowledge to perpetuate development of librarians across the country. A case study of a recent capacity building programme based on the curriculum principle ‘Every librarian a leader’ and implemented through multiple partnerships will be shared; with the Myanmar Library Association, the Myanmar Book Aid and Preservation Foundation (a non-profit organisation) and KnowledgeDOT (Singapore), an organisation focusing on capacity building in the library field, and funded through a grant from the Head Foundation (Singapore). Key strategies incorporated to ensure success were the careful selection of master trainers, relevant modules reflecting global trends contextualised and aligned to current needs of Myanmar librarians, development of a dual language elearning platform in English and the Myanmar language to overcoming language barriers, and the use of adult learning methodologies to garner greater knowledge sharing during the sessions.