Lifelong learning of the profession of librarian and information professional in health care in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The paper focuses on librarians and information professionals in health care within the context of lifelong learning. In 2017, a survey was conducted by questionnaire in 115 medical information institutions in which 160 respondents participated. The survey was focused on determining librarians’ lifelong learning needs. The survey confirmed the basic hypothesis that the education of medical librarians must be complemented with specialisation not only with regard to medical specialties, but also with regard to knowledge of information technologies, basic economics, pedagogy, legislation, communication, statistics, and other subjects.

Based on the interpretation of the survey results, a lifelong professional educational programme concept, entitled Competencies of a Medical Librarian for the Performance of Library and Information Activities, was laid out. Two areas of the educational programme were defined:

1. Basic professional knowledge (theoretical) and skills (practical) related to library and information activities; and
2. Specific professional knowledge (theoretical) and skills (practical) related to healthcare.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The objective of specialised education in the area of medical libraries is to give professionals the theoretical knowledge, practical skills and experience necessary to perform work in a specialised library. The contribution will present the results of the statistical survey, the further educational needs that were determined, and the content of both areas of the educational programme in more detail.