A Competency Index for Research Librarians in Kenya

Abstract

Discussion on competencies for librarians is not new. Several librarianship scholars and practitioners have proposed diverse skill-sets over the years. While some of these suggestions correspond, others contradict. Further, whereas specific skill-sets have been proposed for various types of libraries, only general job descriptions exist for research librarians. So far, there seems to be no in-depth competency specifications for any category of librarians in Kenya. Through documentary analysis, interviews, social network analysis and focus group discussions, this study investigated the essential skills, attitudes and personality traits that research librarians in Kenya should possess. The findings indicate that interpersonal, management, information communication technology, and research skills are increasingly becoming as important for research librarians as the traditional core librarianship competencies. The paper concludes that the development of such skills through training and retraining programmes should be prioritised.