The overall study visit experience provided me with an insightful view of information professional roles beyond librarians, varying from archives, collection manager, and program officer to client service coordinator. When I first started with the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) degree, I thought I could only be trained as a librarian if I was fortunate enough to have a history degree, and then I could work in a museum. After this experience, I have realised there are many different job opportunities. Moreover, I noticed that staff could move around in different information sectors, upskill to acquire different positions, and even be project managers. I believe enhancing the scope of position descriptions is essential to support the organisational structures which enable librarians to develop entrepreneurial skills and establish professional identities (Martin et al., 2018). Adaptability is crucial for my future as a librarian to thrive in the information sector, especially as new skill sets emerge that help me find my place and purpose in this field (Holst et al., 2009).

Through this study visit experience, I am no longer hesitant to take a leap of faith, moving around and learning different skill sets within this information environment. I know that everyone else has similar experiences in this field and is constantly moving from one role to another to acquire a variety of skills to excel in their roles. This has contributed to my journey as an information professional and allowed me to try new skills. This is not the end of a road, but a lifelong learning journey for each individual to contribute to and find their place in the information community (Imel et al., 2009).

References

Holst, R., Funk, C. J., Adams, H. S., Bandy, M., Boss, C. M., Hill, B., Joseph, C. B., & Lett, R. K. (2009). Vital pathways for hospital librarians: present and future roles. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 97(4), 285–292. https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.97.4.013

Imel, S., Duckett, K., & Jarvis, P. (2009). Libraries and lifelong learning. In The Routledge International Handbook of Lifelong Learning (1st ed., pp. 183–193). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203870549-20

Martin, E. A., Sheehan, L. A., Hines, S. S., & Fowler, G. J. (2018). The New “Jack of All”: The Evolution of the Functionality and Focus of the Academic Librarian in New Spaces and New Roles. In Challenging the Jacks of All Trades but Masters of None Librarian Syndrome (Vol. 39, pp. 67–90). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0732-067120180000039006