The emergent market for information professionals: educational opportunities and implications

Abstract

THE SCALE AND SCOPE of the emergent market for information professionals are outlined. National and state-level data are used to define employment opportunities and educational requirements. The data were derived from: (1) content analysis of job advertisements, (2) survey responses from library school graduates, and (3) field interviews with information specialists. Market opportunities and constraints are identified. Repositioning strategies for schools of library and information science are proposed. BACKGROUND Machlup’s (1962) and Porat’s (1977) landmark analyses of the U.S. economy highlighted the growing importance of the information and knowledge industries. Today, the primary and secondary information sectors account for a significant proportion of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and the GNP (Gross National Product) in many developed economies. The labor market implications of such rapid economic transformations are likely to be profound, and they raise a host of questions relating to educational strategy and responsiveness, not least for the library and information science (LIS) community (e.g., Angell, 1987; Brinberg, 1986; Brittain, 1989; Turner & Bray, 1989). Despite persistent terminological and scholarly