What did you do after you got
your bachelor`s degree?
What did you do after you got
your bachelor`s degree?
Was or is your job linked to
the library sector?
Was or is your job linked to
the library sector?
The salary of employees working in the
sector of library science. (Total revenue after tax.)
The salary of employees working in the
sector of library science. (Total revenue after tax.)
Do you consider your salary to be
satisfactory? (Only the answers of the employees working in
the library sector full time job.)
Do you consider your salary to be
satisfactory? (Only the answers of the employees working in the library sector.)
With my education, I can get a job not only
in a library.
With my education, I can get a job not only
in a library.
Librarian - Information specialist is a
perspective profession.
Librarian - Information specialist is a
perspective profession.
INTRODUCTION
This research reflects results about the career possibilities and work opportunities for students who have graduated from the Information Management (IM) bachelor programme and the choices they have made. The conducted research was based on comparision of the opinions both of graduates of the former bachelor programme „Library Science and Information” (LI) and the present bachelor programme „Information Management” (IM). The methods used: Questionnaire: Questionnaire; respondents - graduates from the IM bachelor programme – 46 (68%);Questionnaire; respondents - graduates from the
bachelor programme „Library Science and Information” – 114 (52%); (research done by K.Mavrina, 2013); Comparison of results of both the questionnaires.
Interviews with Baiba Holma, associate profesor, the head of the Department of Information and Library Studies of the University of Latvia, director of the bachelor programme „Information Management” and with Iveta Gudakovska, director, the Library of the University of Latvia.
INTERVIEW
with Iveta Gudakovska, director of the Library of the University of Latvia.
Up to now, I have not noticed a great difference between the graduates of the LI programme and the graduates of the IM programme, as the people who have graduated from the IM programme are just beginning their work at the Library of the University of Latvia. Students are different - the curriculum is not always completely mastered and it is not always adequately used at work.
Theoretically, graduates of the IM programme should have more work possibilities in the job market if compared with graduates of the LI programme, but in practice it might not be that way. It relies greatly on the amount of knowledge the potiential employer has on the study programme and on the way graduates demonstrate their skills.
CONCLUSIONS
The number of graduates from the IM bachelor programme, who continue to study in the IM master's programme, is 15% bigger than that from the LI bachelor programme. It can be concluded that more recent graduates from the IM programme chose to continue their studies than those from the LI programme.
From 56% respondents who do not work in the field, it is possible to conclude the main reason why graduates did not choose to continue their studies in the same field: they have been offered a better job or they were not satisfied with the low income in the field.
Both the interviewed field experts agree that the information managment field is rapidly evolving, thus creating new opportunities in the electronic environment.
The graduates who made the survey also consider their profession perspetive and long-range.
INTERVIEW
with Baiba Holma, associate profesor, the head of the Department of Information
and Library Studies of the University of Latvia, director of the bachelor
programme „Information Management”.
IM programme was created improving LI programme and supplementing it with courses on records and information management.
IM is based on studies of technologies and the electronic environment. Different kinds of literature studies are no longer included in this programme.
Nowadays, many novelties have appeared that ensure possibilities of achieving the same goals with new methods.
Electronic environment, which goes on improving and evolving, is dominant. The information field is integrating within other fields, especially social media
and publishing, aggregating, managing information in the electronic environment.
by Lelde Petrovska and Toms Buņķis, University of Latvia
Photo of National Library of Latvia by Artūrs Sokolovs
Graduates
2010—2013
Graduates
before 2010
48%
24%
22%
6%
Started working/ continued to work
Continued my studies in the Library Science andInformation program to get my master's degreeContinued my studies in another program to getanother master's degreeDidn`t work/ didn`t study
74%
26%
Yes No
72%
28%
Yes No
<285 € 285-425 €
425-570 €
570-710 €
>710 € Noanswer
0
55%
30%
05%
10%
Graduates of the bachelor programme “Information Management”: job market and satisfaction
(Case of Latvia)
Completelyagree
Agree Disagree Completelydisagree
Don`tknow/ noanswer
26%
48%
4%7%
15%
48%
30%
7%
9% 6%
Started working/ continued to work
Continued my studies in LI program to get my master`s degree.
Continued my studies in another program to get another master`s degree.
Continued my studies in LI program to get my master`s degree + startedworking/ continued to workOther
60% 20%
20%
Yes No Don`t know/ no answer
Completelyagree
Agree Disagree Completelydisagree
Don`t know/No answer
12%
50%
21%
6% 11%
Completelyagree
Agree Disagree Completelydisagree
Don`tknow/ noanswer
17%
50%
11%
4%
17%
Completelyagree
Agree Disagree Completelydisagree
Don`tknow/Noanswer
12%
53%
20%
4% 11%
<285 € 285-425 €
425-570 €
570-710 €
>710 €
7%
34%
41%
9% 9%
33%
57%
10%
Yes No Don`t know/ no answer