International guide to library and information science education

When IFLA was founded in 1927, library education and exchange of personnel and students already to its main purposes. Nearly 60 years later these questions still play a central role in the now world-spanning IFLA with over 1100 members in 120 countries. Nowadays modern technology as well as the new communication and transportation developments connect all the countries of the world. In the field of librarianship, the age of the independent, single library is long past;national and international cooperation, such as UAP, UBC, transborder data flow, electronic delivery, are the hallmark of the times. The best provision for a good functional information system is that the library education in individual countries will respond to the requirements of each society. For this reason, at the General Conferences of IFLA, the section of Library Schools has turned its attention to the handling of many kinds of questions dealing with the improvement of library education. In addition, it has also concentrated on comprehensive projects. In this connection, the section has developed standards for library schools in the middle of the 70s and published them in IFLA journal in 1976. A further step in this direction was taken in 1977, when the second under my chairmanship started the project equivalence and reciprocity between national professional qualifications. The aim of this guide is to offer an overview of the educational professional programs in the individual countries so that a basis for comparison and international recognition of professional qualifications will be possible. Of course, this guide cannot be expected to consider all relevant questions or offer precise answers, for instance, as to the content and quality of the programs, or examinisation requirements. For such information, further particular studies must be carried out. Nevertheless, this guide is an extremely useful reference work which should be continued in the future with the cooperation of FID and ICA in a perhaps expanded scope. It was a long and exhausting journey from the beginning to the end of this worldwide project. Many difficulties, both of factual and personal nature had to be dealt with. That we now have an important reference source to library and information science education throughout the world is due mainly to the efforts of the editors Josephine Riss Fang and Paul Nauta. They and the area coordinators deserve a sincere note of thanks. It is my hope that his guide will fin extensive use in our profession and will receive the recognition it deserves.