DEFINING COMPETENCES FOR SPECIAL-LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS - MALAYSIAN EXPERIENCE

Special libraries are undergoing some fundamental changes which requir e redefinition of the competencies of information professionals. The c ontextual variables necessitate identification of competencies in rela tion to the peculiarities of a situation. Some methodological improvem ents were also attempted to arrive at a reliable body of knowledge and skill competencies. Fifty top and middle managers of the ten largest special libraries in Malaysia were interviewed to validate competencie s by using a scale indicative of the perceived extent of importance of each competency. The validated competencies have been presented in th e following six areas: foundation, cataloguing, circulation, informati on service, collection development and serial control. Capabilities to relate information facility to the organizational mission and profile , managerial competence, effective exploitation of information technol ogy, subject expertise, and a great deal of emphasis on service aspect figure as the most important arsenal for the future information profe ssionals.