Responding to challenges: the training and educating of the information professional for the next millennium

"... in most fields the issue of the professional competence and qualificat ion of individuals is viewed as an integral parr of the quality assurance o f ol organisations and the services that they provide."(1) This view has long been embraced within the librarianship profession. Libra rians and information professionals have a strong culture of responding to new opportunities in professional development to ensure that their skills m eet the continually changing environments in which they work. This is illus trated by initiatives such as the Library Associations programme of Continu ing Professional Development (CPD), Masters programmes for librarians enter ing management positions, increased availability of qualifications and trai ning for paraprofessional staff and the adoption of the government institut ed system of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocatio nal Qualifications (SNVQs). Two further initiatives have been undertaken as a response to concern about the pace of change and the importance of susta ining an adequately skilled professional workforce. Firstly, the Library an d Information Studies Training and Education Network (LISTEN), is working w ith employers, the profession and educational institutions to identify, CPD and post-qualification competencies required when staff have been in post for several or more years. Secondly, the Electronic Libraries Programme (eL ib) which aims to accelerate the development and uptake of the the 'electro nic library' has recognised the need for CPD and has funded a number of tra ining and awareness projects including EduLib. This paper will examine the role, education and training of information professionals from two distinct points of view. First the paper will concentrate on initial undergraduate training which students receive at an established Department of Library and Information Studies - with particular regard to the training and education of business information in order to prepare students for the global busine ss world. The second part of the paper will deal with an aspect of continui ng professional development for which there is an increasing demand in acad emic libraries - teaching skills for librarians. The paper will focus on Ed uLib - a development project which aims to provide a nationally recognised and accredited network of trainers in academic libraries.