What are the responsibilities of a librarian? What should be a librarian What does a librarian do in a library

For more than 4,500 years, libraries have been an indispensable part of the intellectual and social development humanity, and librarians have an impressive influence on the development of culture as individual groups population and the country as a whole. However, despite the considerable age and active participation in the formation of society, the profession of a librarian is still one of the most "closed" and "misunderstood".

For more than 4,500 years, libraries have been an indispensable part of the intellectual and social development of mankind, and librarians have an impressive impact on the development of the culture of both individual groups of the population and the country as a whole. However, despite the considerable age and active participation in the formation of society, the profession of a librarian is still one of the most "closed" and "misunderstood".

Ask any passer-by "What is the job of a librarian?" and you'll most likely hear "Lending books." To some extent, this is the correct answer, but it reflects only the "external" aspect of the professional activity of a librarian. In fact, the profession of a librarian is much more multifaceted and complex than it might seem at first glance, and a librarian is not just a "keeper of books", but a highly qualified and multifaceted specialist who must have a number of different qualities.

What is a librarian?

A librarian is a specialist who is responsible for the preservation and systematization of the library fund, and also serves library visitors (including by providing information and consulting services).

The name of the profession was formed from the word library, which in turn comes from the Greek βιβλίον (book) and θήκη (place of storage). The first librarians appeared simultaneously with the emergence of writing and the first "books" in the form of clay tablets. Initially, the duties of librarians included only a quick search for the right book. However, as the library fund increased, the sphere of activity of librarians also expanded.

A modern librarian is a specialist who not only can quickly find the book the reader needs, but also knows all the features of storage. printed publications(including ancient copies), organizes and manages the fund, provides information services to visitors and is fluent in modern information technologies.

The professional duties of a librarian include: servicing readers (filling out a subscription, searching and issuing literature, accounting for issued and returned materials, etc.), analyzing reader applications, ensuring the collection and preservation of the fund, processing incoming publications, compiling card indexes and catalogs, organizing thematic exhibitions, seminars, discussions, etc.

What personal qualities should a librarian have?

The profession of a librarian involves frequent and direct communication with the most different people, That's why library worker, first of all, should be polite, tolerant and sociable. Equally important in the work of a librarian is a neat appearance and literate speech. In addition, the specifics of the work require the librarian to have such personal qualities, as:

• good memory - helps to easily navigate the maze of shelving and bookshelves;
• attentiveness and painstakingness are indispensable in compiling catalogs and file cabinets;
• accuracy and responsibility are necessary when working with rare editions from library archives.

It should also be noted that since modern libraries actively implemented Computer techologies(including the digitization of library collections and catalogues) today a librarian must, in addition to everything else, have a penchant for self-development and mastering new skills and tools of librarianship.

Benefits of being a librarian

Main advantage librarian profession is the opportunity to communicate with many interesting people, as well as unlimited access to almost all sources of information, which allows library staff to develop not only in terms of professionalism, but also on a personal level.

It is also worth mentioning that despite the fact that this profession is not very popular with applicants, it is, as before, one of the most respected in society.

The advantages of this profession include the high erudition of library staff and their ability to work with a large amount of information, which allows them to be in demand both in their specialization and in other areas of activity.

Disadvantages of being a librarian

There is an opinion that librarian All day long he does nothing but sit and read books. In fact, sometimes the librarian cannot sit down even for a couple of minutes, especially if the library is located in a multi-storey building, and the library fund is "scattered" over different floors. Therefore, the first disadvantage of this profession can be called heavy physical exertion. The second drawback is book dust, which sooner or later becomes the cause of allergies.

As mentioned above, librarians have to communicate with a huge number of readers every day, and, unfortunately, not all of them are distinguished by adequate behavior. high emotional and nervous tension is the third disadvantage. The fourth disadvantage can be considered small opportunities for career growth.

And most importantly, in our country, librarians receive such a meager salary that it is hardly enough even for the most necessary. And this is perhaps the most significant drawback, which has a major impact on permanent decline popularity of this noble profession among applicants.

Where can you get a job as a librarian?

To become a librarian you don't have to go to university. Future librarians can learn this profession both in a specialized college or technical school, and in a higher educational institution that has an appropriate faculty. True, secondary specialized library education imposes certain restrictions on career advancement, since you can become the head of a department or the entire library only if you have higher education.

It is generally accepted that the very first library in Russia was founded by Yaroslav the Wise in 1037 at St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Despite such a venerable age of Russian libraries, librarians have had their professional holiday quite recently.

The Librarian's Day was established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin on May 27, 1995. And for the 17th time, on May 27, all librarians of the country accept congratulations from their readers. The professional holiday became a good occasion for a conversation with the Director of the Scientific Library of the PNU, Honored Worker of Culture, Candidate of Sociological Sciences Lyudmila Fedoreeva.

- Lyudmila Vasilievna, what does the profession of a librarian mean to you?

The librarian is a profession of unlimited possibilities. He owns and manages information, which is the key to understanding all the processes taking place in modern life. But the activities of libraries today are not limited only to the relationship "information - user". It is much broader and more multifaceted. In my opinion, a modern librarian is far from one-dimensional, he is like a universal formula: a literary critic, a teacher, a linguist, a psychologist, a politician, and an economist. As one of the scientists of the early twentieth century wrote: “It is enough for a professor to be a man of his science, a librarian should be a man of science in general, an encyclopedic scientist who is able to comprehend the spirit of all modern knowledge and orient in its countless and complex manifestations. The librarian of the university library should be on the same level with specialist professors in their general scientific development.

Digital technologies that have penetrated all areas human activity, changed the work of the librarian and in many ways transformed library structures. A modern librarian is required to master new information technologies, skills and knowledge of searching for information on the Web, a computer and other various radio and video equipment. It is no coincidence that such specialties as a librarian-programmer, a librarian-technologist, a database administrator, and others have appeared among librarians.

A real librarian should be able to switch from one thing to another, solve several issues at the same time, take the initiative. Reader service requires the utmost correctness and delicacy from the librarian in order to find a book in accordance with the tastes and interests of the reader, quickly and efficiently select the necessary information for a particular visitor. To work with students - the main readers of the university library - you need pedagogical abilities, the ability to interest, attract attention, make communication mutually enjoyable, and sometimes "set the right path." There is no place in the library profession without love for the book, love and respect for the reader.

To keep up with the changes taking place in our society, the librarian must constantly learn. Today, librarians feel the need not only for higher education, continuous professional development, but also for postgraduate studies. And it is right.

Historically, the profession of a librarian is a female one. Are there any changes in this matter in recent years?

The librarian profession is one of the oldest in the world. Even in antiquity, the so-called scribes and custodians of manuscripts appeared. Previously, well-known men were librarians - Krylov, Odoevsky, Goethe, Kant, the Grimm brothers. And in the history of foreign and Russian university libraries, there was a clear pattern: the library was headed by a scientist.

For example, the philosopher, mathematician, physicist and inventor G.V. Leibniz (1646-1716) directed the Ducal Library and the Court Library in Hanover in the 17th and 18th centuries; he developed a holistic concept of the scientific library. Rector of Kazan University N.I. Lobachevsky (1792-1856), an outstanding mathematician, was also the director of the university library. Professor of French and Greek philology J. Belen de Ballu at the beginning of the 19th century was appointed the first librarian of Kharkov University. And today, among the university libraries headed by men, one can name the libraries of Moscow, Tomsk State Universities, the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Universities, and many others. We have in the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region the libraries of the Far Eastern State Medical University (Khabarovsk), the Amur State Pedagogical University (Komsomolsk-on-Amur), the Amur University. Sholom Aleichem (Birobidzhan) is headed by young male directors. But in general, the representatives of the stronger sex in the library, in most cases, carry out technical support library processes of different levels: from deputy directors for informatization to programmers. We have only guys working in the department of computerization of library and information processes - graduates and students of PNU. Although they cannot be called librarians in the usual sense of the word, they also deal with the storage and processing of information. To date, this department serves about 200 library computers.

- What is the uniqueness of the library of the Pacific State University?

Pacific State University Science Library is one of the leading structural divisions University and the largest among the university libraries of the Far East. It belongs to the first category of Russian university libraries. The book fund has more than 1.5 million items.

In 1991, our library was the first in the Far East to introduce and use information technologies: an electronic catalog has been created that is available to both library readers and remote users (currently it includes more than 600 thousand entries, of which more than 400 thousand are available on the Internet). The library has its own website.

The use of bar coding technology in fund processing made it possible to introduce automated book lending, and readers are serviced using a single library card. There are four information centers in the library, in the halls electronic information which have constant access to full-text Russian and foreign information resources and Internet resources, a database of educational and methodological electronic publications university teachers. 120 workstations have been organized for university users.
On February 25, 2011, at a meeting of the Academic Council of the PNU, a Cooperation Agreement was signed between the Presidential Library. B. Yeltsin and TOGU. The opening of the first electronic reading room in the Far East with access to the resources of the Presidential Library for 18 workstations provides access to the richest information resources, archival primary source documents on the history of the Russian state for students, teachers and for the widest readership in the region.

The PNU Scientific Library is a zonal methodological center for libraries of higher and secondary educational institutions of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Jewish Autonomous and Amur Regions. On the basis of our library, work is carried out to improve the skills of library personnel, scientific and practical conferences, training seminars are held.

It used to be said that the volume of a library is considered in units of storage. And today what indicators it is determined by?

Storage units are such a bureaucratic concept for designating quantitative indicators of library documents - books, magazines, abstracts, patents, and now also - audio books, electronic disks and more. The more various documents are presented, the richer the fund, the more extensive the information. Currently, much attention is paid to the acquisition of electronic resources: electronic library systems, individual bibliographic and full-text databases. If ten years ago our library had no more than 3-5 electronic databases, then in 2011 the library had access to 48 electronic databases in both Russian and foreign languages. It should be noted that such a wealth of electronic resources is available only in our library, so we provide students and teachers of all universities of Khabarovsk with the opportunity to access them in the halls of the PNU library.

- Can you say that sooner or later the paper media in the library will disappear?

In September 2011 federal agency for Press and Mass Communications, together with the analytical center of Yuri Levada, conducted a large-scale sociological study on electronic reading in Russia and genre preferences of readers e-books. Research was conducted on the basis of 12 largest cities Russian Federation(more than 1000 profiles). To the researchers' question "In what form do you read books?", The following answers were given: 3% of the respondents read only e-books, without resorting to paper ones; 72% of respondents answered that they still read only ordinary, paper books; 25% of respondents said that they read both regular books and e-books. Therefore, we can confidently state that there is a smooth transition from paper reading to electronic reading. But how long such a state of “smooth transition” will be observed, I cannot say.

According to the results of actually the first large-scale study characterizing electronic reading in Russia, a portrait of a modern e-book reader was drawn up. I think that such data will be of interest. It turned out that readers who combine regular and electronic reading are younger than those who read only from the “sheet”: the average age of the former is about 30 years old, and those who prefer regular books are 44 years old; they are more educated - more than half (53%) have already received or are receiving higher education (among the supporters of the regular book, the proportion of highly educated is 42%). The e-reader tends to have a high level of consumer opportunity: 49% can easily purchase durable goods, 60% have a car in the family, 70% have a computer, and 60% have a laptop.

- Today, replenishment of the PNU library collections is an expensive pleasure?

Yes, dear! If earlier on average we bought about 50,000 copies of books a year, today we are forced to “cut down our appetites” to 30,000. Prices are growing very quickly, especially for literature in the most popular areas: economics, history, psychology, computer technology. The cost of one copy of the textbook can reach up to 1000 rubles. But we need dozens of such textbooks. We pay special attention to the acquisition of literature for new specialties, which are opened at our university almost every year. It should be noted that the management of PNU understands that it is impossible to save on books. Annually for the purchase of books, periodicals, 12-13 million rubles are allocated for information support. In the future, these amounts will probably only increase.

We try to treat orders for book products in a balanced and economical way. Be sure to coordinate orders for educational literature with teachers of the departments. In addition, teachers can independently place an order for publications according to the price lists of the country's bookselling organizations, placed by the library on the university's network resource. We do not forget about the replenishment of the library collections with art publications. After all, for the third year now, journalists have been trained at PNU, and the future “sharks of the pen” cannot do without knowledge of classical works of art. Yes, and foreign students who study at PNU read Russian classics with great interest.

- Is the library of PNU not crowded today?

The area of ​​our library is 5500 square meters. At first glance, this figure is impressive. But when you get acquainted with the experience of work, the functioning of foreign libraries, where readers have open access to funds, have the opportunity to independently copy, scan, self-record publications, where systems for the protection of funds, Rfid technologies and more, then immediately there is a desire to have a new modern building under modern library.

In accordance with the capabilities of the university, we are trying to make our library more attractive and useful for readers. In recent years, two halls for storing funds have been equipped with mobile shelves, which made it possible to make book storage more rational and bring it closer to sanitary standards. We systematically write off old publications that have lost their relevance, releasing extra bed to hold funds.

- Has the number of readers in the PNU library decreased in recent years?

For recent years due to the demographic decline, there is a tendency to reduce the student body, which automatically entails a decrease in the readership. This situation is typical for most universities in the country. In addition, as I said, reader preferences have changed. In the youth environment, it is very popular to access Internet resources from a personal computer without leaving home. Books can now be downloaded from the World Wide Web or purchased independently from online stores.
It is a pity, of course, that readers no longer sit in our reading rooms from morning to evening, as they used to. But perhaps this is an indicator of consistent automation and computerization of library services and reader comfort.

Nevertheless, at the end of last year, more than 21,000 readers were covered by information and library services in various departments of our library. The library has received over 630,000 visits and visits to our website. More than 560 thousand publications were issued to readers.

- What would you wish your colleagues on their professional holiday?

Dear Colleagues! May this bright holiday help us once again realize the full significance of our profession, pride in belonging to the library community. Let creative inspiration, the desire for mutual understanding with readers and colleagues not dry out. Let the desire to give people a piece of their warmth does not disappear. May good luck accompany you, and comfort, warmth and love reign in your homes. All health, happiness, prosperity!

Interviewed by Sergei Khamzin.
Photo courtesy of Lyudmila Fedoreeva and
from the TOGU archive

Interviewed by Sergey Khamzin. Photo provided by Lyudmila Fedoreeva and from the PNU archive

Photo

Reference

Librarian - a very ancient profession, it is more than four and a half thousand years old! The first librarians were scribes who compiled collections of clay tablets. Note that this was an exclusively male profession.

Librarians at one time worked such famous personalities as the fabulist Ivan Krylov, mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky, writer Vladimir Odoevsky. In the 19th century, to get into the service of the main library of Russia - the Imperial Public Library - it was not enough to have a higher education alone. Knowledge of French, German, Latin, Greek was required. Even junior library staff had to speak three foreign languages.

Demand for the profession

Little in demand

Profession Librarian is considered not very in demand, as there is a decline in interest in this profession in the labor market. Librarians have lost their demand among employers either due to the fact that the field of activity is becoming obsolete, or there are too many specialists.

Description of activity

Working in a library is not only giving and receiving books. A librarian is a keeper of books, literally and figuratively. He knows the secrets of classifying books, compiling bibliographic reference books and catalogues. Over time, most of the materials from which a book is made (paper, fabrics, glue) age and wear out. The librarian knows perfectly well the conditions under which books should be stored, especially ancient copies, audio and video recordings.

A modern librarian is well versed in modern information technologies: he owns a computer, all types of office equipment, video equipment and other equipment.

But work with the library fund is only one direction of his activity. Another direction is work with readers. The librarian advises visitors, helps them in the search and selection of literature.

Wage

average for Russia:average in Moscow:average for St. Petersburg:

The uniqueness of the profession

Pretty common

The majority of respondents believe that the profession Librarian can not be called rare, in our country it is quite common. For several years, the labor market has seen a demand for representatives of the profession Librarian despite the fact that a lot of specialists graduate every year.

What kind of education is needed

Higher professional education

The survey data show that for work in the profession Librarian you must have a diploma of higher professional education in the relevant specialty or in a specialty that allows you to work Librarian(adjacent or similar specialty). Medium vocational education not enough to be Librarian.

Job responsibilities

A librarian has many different responsibilities. The main ones are: serving library visitors and filling out library cards. He takes part in the creation of the library fund: he makes orders for the purchase of new literature, processes it, and compiles catalogs. Do not forget about the registration and filing of periodicals. Also, the direct duties of the library staff include monitoring compliance with the conditions for storing literature. In the rooms where books are stored, the air temperature is maintained from +15 to +18 ° C and relative humidity of 50-60%.

Periodically, the library holds public events, exhibitions, thematic meetings and discussions, literary evenings are organized. The scripts and plan for these events are written by the library staff.

Type of labor

Mostly mental work

Profession Librarian- this is a profession of predominantly mental work, which is more connected with the reception and processing of information. In work Librarian the results of his intellectual reflections are important. But, at the same time, physical labor is not excluded.

Features of career growth

The profession of a librarian is not a career one. There is an opportunity to become the head of the media library, the coordinator of the educational project, the editor of the site or the organizer of remote support educational process. You can reach the rank of head of any department or head of the entire library.

Career Opportunities

Minimum career opportunities

According to the results of the survey, Librarians have minimal career opportunities. It does not depend on the person at all, just a profession Librarian does not have a career path.

Librarians store and disseminate knowledge, organize information and create new, creative and technological ways to access it. Depending on the specialty chosen, librarians may be responsible for both running public education programs and conducting research, teaching children to read, or managing librarians. In this article, you will learn various facts related to the work of a librarian, including what it takes to become a representative of this wonderful profession.

Steps

Part 1

1. Know what librarianship is. This concept includes both the management of the library and the book fund, as well as the preservation, archiving and dissemination of information, the development of information technology and participation in research. Librarians can specialize in anything, and many specialize in everything at once. The tasks of librarians include:

   • Cataloging books in a database
   • Creating taxonomies to organize data
   • Applying new technologies to update the organization of old collections
   • Search for primary sources
   • Creation of student and public educational programs
   • Library Management
   • Keeping the library stock up to date

2. Know what librarians are like. Maybe you would be more interested in working in a library for children? Or, for example, in the university library? Libraries are different, and therefore librarians, depending on their duties, are of the following types:

   • Public libraries are open to anyone who wants to read. Often they conduct some kind of public educational activities with the aim of developing literacy among adults and children. Such libraries are an important element of free access to information for people. The task of librarians in this case is to monitor the state of the book fund and update it in a timely manner, share experience with other libraries and conduct educational activities.
   • School libraries are an important part of elementary and high school. Their task is to give children the books necessary for their comprehensive development. School librarians help children develop a love of reading and are also responsible for running the library.
   • Libraries in higher educational institutions keep serious collections of books that meet the needs of students. Often such educational libraries are specialized, have separate thematic collections for certain areas of knowledge. The task of the librarian in this case is to compile lists of references, catalog new materials, help students in the selection of literature for projects, archive special books and update the book fund. Often, a degree is required to work in specialized libraries.

3. Consider whether you are ready to become a librarian. Many of those who love to read sometimes think about the work of a librarian. However, this requires much more than just a love of books. A good librarian not only wants knowledge, but also seeks to organize it in the best possible way, to preserve information and make it available to as many people as possible.

   Part 2

   educational requirements

   Part 3

   becoming a librarian

   1. Don't wait for the end of the course. You can get experience in the library even before graduation from the course, during your studies. Try to get a job at your university library or, say, at your local municipal library. Many libraries welcome students - you can push routine work onto them. For students, this is a great chance to feel the spirit of libraries and understand whether this is the soul.

      • Many libraries invite students to practice. Some pay for it, some don't, but it's still a great opportunity to get some real work experience. If the library of your educational institution does not offer anything like this, talk to the librarian, maybe he will help.
      • In many educational institutions student library associations. Join one of them!
      • Become a volunteer and help libraries. Well, or earn extra money there from time to time, do an internship and so on. In general, use every opportunity to plunge into the world of libraries and librarianship. Be enthusiastic, ask questions and don't get lost after the practice is over!

   2. Find ways to make your resume more impressive. Unfortunately, library budgets are being cut, so becoming a librarian takes a lot of work (at least in the US). Experience in the library and certificates will definitely help you with this.

      • It is not necessary to make an emphasis on the fact that you love books in your resume. 9 out of 10 applicants focus on this! You need bigger cards, so focus on the qualities that make you a born librarian!
      • Always tailor and modify your resume for the job you are applying for. Focus on your qualities that are suitable for work in a particular place. And, most importantly, do not forget to show enthusiasm!
      • Dating is a useful thing. If your familiar librarians know that you are looking for a job in this profile, then there is every chance that they will be able to help you.

The lack of prestige, the common perception of librarians as deeply introverted, "out of this world" personalities - professional associations of librarians in different countries. The specifics of library work remains a mystery to the public consciousness as a whole.

A librarian is a specialist with a special library education who organizes library collections and provides library services to users. The librarian is the link between information and users.

The function of a modern librarian working in an information-saturated society is to create conditions, organize the information environment of the library in such a way that, with the greatest savings in the mental strength and time of the user, reader, it is internalized (i.e., was deeply assimilated) by him. Librarian. First of all, the organizer of access to information, knowledge of library users, the public. Providing access to information, knowledge, organizing the informational comfort of the library environment, the librarian contributes to education. Librarians are a profession specifically dedicated to protecting intellectual freedom and freedom of access to information. They have a special duty to ensure the free flow of information and ideas in present and future generations.

The library is a necessary element of civil society, because is called upon to provide a documented form of intergenerational and ethical connection of individual consciousnesses. And the librarian, to the extent of his intelligence, becomes either a conductor or a filter in this most important form of human communication.

Librarians are called upon not only to preserve cultural values, but also to promote and bring professional consciousnesses closer to everyday ones.

The problem of the library profession is that the level of intellectual culture of Russian librarians causes serious public concern. So, in the course of the all-Union study “Library Profession: state of the art and perspectives”, it was found that only a relatively small part of library workers is inclined to innovative thinking, is the initiator of new undertakings, adequately responds to changes in society, and is capable of mastering the latest information technologies. The process of active entry of young professionals into professional life drags on for many years. It is no accident, apparently, that the peak of labor activity falls mainly on the mature and pre-retirement age. The intellectual culture of a librarian is understood as a conditional combination of such professionally significant qualities as: broad erudition based on a historical and cultural foundation, professional competence based on the necessary stock of general professional and special knowledge, skills and abilities, methodological equipment, flexibility and adaptability of thinking, causing innovativeness of professional behavior and the ability to understand the conventionality of existing theoretical knowledge and to acquire new knowledge, to acquire new practical skills and abilities.

The librarian should not only recommend interesting novelties to the reader in accordance with the genre and thematic preferences of each, but also set himself the task of familiarizing readers with high examples of fine literature, helping him to penetrate the fabric of a complex text.

The library profession is one of the most interesting and exciting in the sense that every day brings acquaintance with new books, fresh numbers newspapers and magazines, new people, there are unique specific situations.

Serving others - you grow yourself. Academician D. Likhachev called the librarian a scientist who works not on one “own” topic, but on many “foreign” topics. This is a scientist who gives himself entirely to others.

The profession of a librarian requires an active position, connection with life. Everything that is done in the country is the vital business of librarians.

High pedagogical skill is a professional feature of a librarian. As a teacher, he must, first of all, love people, help readers develop a system of knowledge, differentiate various categories readers, take into account the peculiarities of their information requests, help navigate the reference and bibliographic apparatus, clearly explain and check the quality of assimilation of the material. And this requires tact and at the same time perseverance from a specialist.

People of this profession are characterized by sensitivity, responsiveness, politeness, attentiveness. The principle "Everything for the reader" is the main one for the librarian. But if the librarian is an indifferent person, if in the process of communicating with the reader he has a feeling of irritation, boredom, apathy, then the profession was chosen by mistake.

For a real librarian, a reader is not a statistical unit, but a person with individual characteristics and needs.

A specific feature of a library specialist is knowledge of the book. He must perceive the book in its interrelationships, and most importantly, imagine to whom it is intended. Therefore, the librarian must constantly work on himself. Systematic, organized, consistent reading is a professional feature of a librarian. The profession also requires the development of organizational qualities. The librarian needs to know the basics of management, forecasting.

Today, working with readers imposes certain communicative requirements on a specialist: contact, sociability, emotionality, the ability to understand and listen, to find the right tone in a conversation. Work on the subscription, in the reading room allows you to show these qualities.

What ethical features should a librarian working on a loan have, and what should he know? First of all, he must promote the best literature, find an approach to each reader, understand his needs and interests, be able to talk about books, give comparative analysis sources. In addition, the subscription worker must hold various public events; well navigate the flow of literature; promptly conduct bibliographic searches; know funds and catalogs; organize information work; conduct bibliographic reviews, informant days; arrange exhibitions.

To do all this, a specialist needs the methods of propaganda, reference, bibliographic and information work; methods of studying readers (individual and mass work with them); methodology of library research; technical means.

One of the important forms of individual work is a conversation: about the rules for using the library, about catalogs, about new arrivals, etc. The librarian should be the first to start the conversation, or discreetly encourage the reader to do so, i.e. act as a psychologist, try to understand the psychology of the reader. Respond promptly and kindly to the reader's requests; choose an effective method of influence in relation to each of them.

A person's personality, there is a culture, general erudition, the ability to express one's thoughts well, to lead a discussion ... Often these features of a librarian have a decisive impact on the interests of readers, contribute to a deeper perception of the meaning of communication.

Contact with the reader should be informal, confidential. It is no coincidence that the reader prefers to turn to the same librarian for advice in choosing books. A positive attitude towards a specialist arises not only because he is well versed in the fund, but also because of his benevolence, ability to have conversations at ease and excitingly, and willingly help in choosing books. therefore, a real librarian is characterized by empathy, awareness of the individual uniqueness of another person. Even the choice of literature should correspond to the mood of the reader. To give the reader the book he needs at the right time is the task of the librarian. Sometimes you need advice and guidance. Therefore, a certain degree of intimacy and mutual understanding with the reader is required.

How to achieve this? Differently. You can talk about the book, and then about the health of loved ones and relatives. The main thing is to make a person feel that he is not indifferent to you. And then education begins with a book.

The problems of the culture of communication are especially significant, because contacts with people of different ages, tastes, professions should occupy most of the librarian's time. So, for example, in a conversation with a prepared reader, a quick reaction is required. It is better to address older people by their first name and patronymic.

A trusting style, mutual understanding is very important. It’s not news to librarians that during “rush hours” you get tired and not always in control of your emotions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the skills of critical analysis of psychological situations that arise in library everyday life.

Communication with the reader is an exchange of information. Not many people know that 40% of information is conveyed by intonation of speech. And how many remember that in addition to the text there is a subtext? Sometimes the "discovery" of these truths comes in conflict situations.

The tone of the conversation plays a huge role. In the refusal "no" readers sometimes feel the subtext ... "How tired I am of you all."

It is important to remember that communication with the reader is not limited to observing certain rules of etiquette. Contacts presuppose the possession of a psychological culture. It begins with the comprehension of a person, the world of his feelings and thoughts. This knowledge helps the librarian to accurately determine the role positions of the reader and, in accordance with this, build his communication tactics.

Haven't you met "erudite" who have already read everything on a topic of interest? But you subtly and with great tact make it clear to him that there is also a novelty in the library, the existence of which the reader does not know.

Here it fits the stand old man. He is visibly tense, choosing a book. The situation is difficult for a librarian, but one must patiently talk with the reader, help him find the right book, and be extremely attentive to him. Look, in the end the reader calmed down, perked up. Entered into conversation. You must be able to listen to a person, take into account his needs, interests, moods. Emotional contacts bring satisfaction, thicken the working day and at the same time from monotony and boredom. Communication devoid of emotional contacts turns into irritation, boredom, and sometimes disappointment in the chosen profession. We should rejoice when the reader "talked out." In the course of communication with him, such qualities of a librarian as poise, tolerance, emotional stability are constantly tested.

Every librarian needs to develop a culture of communication. It should be remembered that without a willingness to work for people, communication will be meaningless. Meaningful communication is always creativity, in which moral and pedagogical aspects intertwine and interpenetrate.

Which of the strings of the complex spiritual world of a person will sound in the process of communication depends on the approach, on respect for the original personality, and therefore, without self-education, without overcoming inertia, the librarian cannot count on success. The culture of communication is developed in the process of independent spiritual work on oneself.

For librarians who are in constant contact with readers, the ability to communicate in a businesslike manner becomes not only important, but also professional. necessary quality Therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the librarian's speech. The librarian must constantly work on his diction, figurativeness and expressiveness of speech. Of particular importance is the frequency and clarity of pronunciation, coherence, consistency, richness of vocabulary, clarity in the delivery of questions and answers, optimal speech speed for perception.

Observation is extremely important for a librarian. Without it, he will not notice whether the reader is comfortable in the library, how he works with catalogs, how he reacts to the manner of communicating with him, whether he pays attention to exhibitions, stands, whether he spoils books, etc.

The librarian must be internally assembled. Ability to long work without deteriorating its quality and reducing the pace - not only a strong-willed quality, but also a sign of endurance, physical health. A librarian must be able to maintain steady attention for a long time, despite fatigue.

Sociability, personal charm, good looks - these traits are also necessary for a librarian. A good psychological climate in the library is created by cheerfulness, a sense of humor, emotionality, and a sense of collectivism.

A high level of work with readers, a creative atmosphere in the library are directly dependent on such qualities of a librarian as discipline, accuracy, efficiency, and a creative approach to business.

So, what qualities should a reader service librarian have? First, the ability to critically analyze phenomena, facts; be able to choose the necessary information from the total volume, grasp the essence of the problem; secondly, to be attentive, to be able to quickly switch from one type of activity to another; thirdly, to have business qualities, force yourself to do any necessary work; fourthly, to have communicative qualities: to be able to conduct a business conversation, clearly communicate your thoughts to the reader, find the right tone, an appropriate form of communication depending on the individual characteristics of the readers, and, finally, fifthly, to speak competently, coherently and logically express your thoughts.

Thus, a librarian is a highly educated person who owns the basics of the psychology of readers, pedagogical skills, orients himself in the variety of publishing products, knows how to use technical means in his work, knows the basics of computer science, propagandist, and organizer.

The librarian has no right to be indifferent, arrogant, vindictive, too hot, familiar, quarrelsome, conservative, sloppy, too extravagant.

In the library press, the idea of ​​the influence of the personal qualities of a librarian on reader satisfaction and, consequently, on the image of the library in the public mind, is becoming more and more pronounced. Thus, one philologist from the United States, working in many libraries and archives in France, came to a rather, perhaps banal, but very important conclusion: the poor quality of service and especially the poor availability of documents in the collections are most often associated solely with arbitrariness and dishonesty. library staff.

Attitude towards work is a problem that exists in many areas of activity. The American Library Association has paid systematic attention to the professional ethics of the librarian since 1939. The 1981 code of ethics enshrines the principles that oblige librarians to provide a high level of service, to resist attempts to censor library materials, to protect the right of users to maintain the privacy of the information received, to prevent profit from users, colleagues or libraries. Russian specialists are also aware of Sh. Ranganathan's five library postulates, which to a certain extent can be considered a code of professional ethics. The ethical side of library work is associated with the rights to intellectual freedom and access to information, which is noted in many publications. Ethical and professional level of librarians is often quite low: they are not always helpful, tolerant and attentive to visitors and users, they value readers' time less than their own, reference and bibliographic services lag behind modern requirements, minimal knowledge foreign languages sometimes there is a lack of knowledge in the field of librarianship.

Interestingly, the professional ethics of a librarian is viewed in a broad social and moral context. For example, a general decline in the level of labor morality has been noted. Which came from the unambiguously formulated worldview positions. Ethical values ​​have shifted towards moral indifference. Indifference to the consumer, the reader has become, unfortunately, the norm, resulting in largely social lack of demand for libraries.

The code of professional ethics should consolidate the changes in social status libraries and librarians. The ethical norms of the library profession today should be formed with the understanding that in the current difficult life situation, people come to the library not only for books, but also for the sake of communication in order to restore spiritual comfort.

Thus, it is quite obvious that not only readers, funds, material and technical base of libraries, but also librarians should change. They will have to soberly and self-critically evaluate their personal capabilities, personal influence on the formation of an atmosphere that makes the library attractive to the reader and, therefore, necessary to society.