Why take up Library and Information Science?

Still undecided about what college course to take? Thinking of a change in career? Why not consider Library and Information Science? Librarianship is a profession in the Philippines and its regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission.

"Librarian? Don't librarians do anything?" you may think, but librarians are in-demand in the country. Schools, colleges, universities, public libraries, organizations, and companies need librarians. Colleges and universities are required by CHED to have licensed and professional librarians.

Don't think that librarians are old-fashioned. The library field has had many technological improvements over the years and if you're a techie, you can find your place here. Library and Information Science as a field of study is defined as: "an interdisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources."

You need to pass a national board examination to practice librarianship. LIS also deals with the following:

• Management. In LIS, we also study management of organizations and people. We don't only deal with books, but management is also an important part of the work of a library.
• Reference and Information Services. The library serves the information needs of its parent organization. We try our best to help the clientele find the information they need. We build a useful collection and develop good services. This is the part of librarianship that I enjoy the most. Every day brings new questions and finding knowledge that you didn't know before is always exciting.
• Collection Management. We select and acquire information sources to serve the needs of the organization. We organize these in the best way possible to ensure that we have a good collection.
• Organizing Information Sources. Information sources are useless if not organized in the proper manner. Librarians have studied and developed many systems for organizing information. The numbers in books are not just mere numbers, its a reliable system for organizing information that libraries have used. Librarians make the most of a good collection by making it accessible through effective organization.
• Information Technology. 

What I like about librarianship is it is a very broad field and there are many possible specializations. Librarians can work in varied settings: research institutions, museums, archives, schools, and other organizations. 

For a comprehensive list of possible careers in LIS, check out this useful article: "What Can I Do with an Information/Library Sciences Degree?" by the University of Tennessee - School of Information Sciences. 

If you are planning to shift careers, you can opt to take Masters in Library and Information Science and then take the board exam if you are in the Philippines. If you're planning to go to college, you can take Bachelor of Library and Information Science. In Iloilo City, the schools that offer the course are Central Philippine University, University of San Agustin, and West Visayas State University.

Here's an informative video with about LIS: