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Librarian-Documentalist Training

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Education, Humanities and Social Sciences

Library Science

Librarian-Documentalist Training

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Librarian-Documentalist Training

Launch a professional career in library and documentation science with a comprehensive training program covering cataloging, records management, information retrieval, and library administration. You will master the tools, standards, and strategies that modern information professionals rely on every day. This program prepares you to serve diverse user communities and lead library services with confidence.

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What you will learn:

You will build a complete skill set across every core area of library and documentation practice. The program covers collection development, descriptive and subject cataloging, bibliographic metadata schemas, and integrated library system administration. You will learn to conduct reference interviews, design information literacy instruction, and manage archival and electronic records. Strategic planning, budgeting, and staff development prepare you for leadership roles. Supplementary modules address research data management, scholarly communication, emerging technologies, and digital humanities applications.

How you study in practice Librarian-Documentalist Training

How you practice Librarian-Documentalist Training

For companies looking to train their teams

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course Content

8 Chapters • 40 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Library and Documentation Science

Lesson 1 • Professional Ethics and Standards
Covers ethical obligations including confidentiality, intellectual freedom, and equitable access. Grounds professional conduct in internationally recognized codes.
Lesson 2 • Types of Libraries and Information Centers
Surveys public, academic, special, and digital library models. Clarifies how institutional context shapes collection and service priorities.
Lesson 3 • History and Evolution of Libraries
Traces libraries from ancient collections to modern digital repositories. Provides historical context that frames contemporary professional practice.
Lesson 4 • Core Concepts in Documentation
Defines documentation as systematic recording and organization of knowledge. Connects document theory to daily cataloging and retrieval tasks.
Lesson 5 • Information Needs and User Communities
Analyzes how different user groups define and express information needs. Prepares students to design services aligned with community requirements.

Chapter 2See details

Collection Development and Management

Lesson 1 • Collection Assessment and Weeding
Introduces quantitative and qualitative methods for evaluating collection strength. Ensures collections remain current, relevant, and physically accessible.
Lesson 2 • Digital and Electronic Resources
Addresses licensing, access models, and management of e-resources. Extends collection skills to databases, e-books, and open-access materials.
Lesson 3 • Collection Development Policy
Defines the purpose and components of a formal collection policy. Anchors all acquisition decisions in documented institutional priorities.
Lesson 4 • Selection and Acquisition Processes
Covers tools and workflows for identifying and procuring materials. Links selection decisions to user needs and collection gaps.
Lesson 5 • Preservation and Conservation Principles
Covers physical and digital preservation strategies to extend collection lifespan. Connects preservation planning to long-term institutional memory.

Chapter 3See details

Cataloging and Bibliographic Description

Lesson 1 • Subject Analysis and Classification
Develops skills in assigning subject headings and classification numbers. Enables users to browse and retrieve materials by topic effectively.
Lesson 2 • Descriptive Cataloging Standards
Applies current international descriptive cataloging rules to varied material types. Builds competency in creating compliant records for monographs, serials, and media.
Lesson 3 • Principles of Bibliographic Description
Introduces the logic of standardized description for consistent record creation. Establishes why uniform data elements improve interoperability across systems.
Lesson 4 • Thesaurus Construction and Use
Explains how thesauri structure relationships between terms for precise retrieval. Prepares students to apply and build domain-specific controlled vocabularies.
Lesson 5 • Metadata Schemas and Interoperability
Surveys Dublin Core, MODS, and linked-data models for resource description. Connects metadata choices to system interoperability and data exchange.

Chapter 4See details

Information Retrieval Systems and Search Strategies

Lesson 1 • Fundamentals of Information Retrieval
Explains indexing, query processing, and relevance ranking in retrieval systems. Provides the theoretical base for all subsequent search strategy work.
Lesson 2 • Evaluating and Presenting Search Results
Provides criteria for assessing source quality, currency, and authority. Prepares students to deliver organized, annotated results to users.
Lesson 3 • Reference Interview and Query Analysis
Teaches structured techniques for clarifying user queries before searching. Improves search relevance by translating vague requests into precise strategies.
Lesson 4 • Web and Deep Web Searching
Covers search engine mechanics, invisible web resources, and advanced web operators. Extends retrieval skills beyond library catalogs to open internet sources.
Lesson 5 • Database and Catalog Search Techniques
Builds practical skills for searching OPACs, bibliographic databases, and aggregators. Connects search syntax knowledge to real retrieval scenarios.

Chapter 5See details

Reference Services and Information Literacy

Lesson 1 • Information Literacy Frameworks
Introduces major frameworks defining information literacy competencies for learners. Grounds instructional design in recognized professional standards.
Lesson 2 • Instructional Design for Library Sessions
Applies instructional design principles to one-shot and embedded library instruction. Produces learning objectives, activities, and assessments for library sessions.
Lesson 3 • Models of Reference Service
Surveys traditional, virtual, and roving reference service models. Establishes service design principles applicable across physical and digital environments.
Lesson 4 • Outreach and Community Engagement
Covers strategies for promoting library services to underserved and new user groups. Connects outreach planning to institutional equity and access goals.
Lesson 5 • Specialized Reference for Diverse Populations
Addresses reference service adaptations for children, seniors, researchers, and people with disabilities. Builds inclusive service competencies across user demographics.

Chapter 6See details

Library Automation and Integrated Systems

Lesson 1 • Integrated Library System Architecture
Explains the modular structure of ILS platforms and data flow between components. Provides the technical foundation for all subsequent system administration tasks.
Lesson 2 • System Evaluation and Migration
Provides criteria and processes for evaluating, selecting, and migrating library systems. Prepares students to lead or support technology transitions effectively.
Lesson 3 • Serials and Acquisitions Management
Addresses subscription tracking, claiming, and fund accounting within the ILS. Ensures continuity of serial access and accurate budget reporting.
Lesson 4 • Circulation and Patron Management
Covers borrowing rules, holds, fines, and patron record administration. Connects circulation policy to system configuration and user experience.
Lesson 5 • Digital Repository and Institutional Platforms
Introduces open-source and commercial repository platforms for managing digital assets. Extends ILS skills to institutional repositories and digital collections.

Chapter 7See details

Records Management and Archival Practice

Lesson 1 • Archival Arrangement and Description
Applies provenance and original order principles to processing archival collections. Produces finding aids that enable researcher access to primary sources.
Lesson 2 • Reference Services in Archives
Covers researcher registration, access policies, and handling procedures for archival materials. Balances open access with preservation and privacy obligations.
Lesson 3 • Electronic Records and Digital Preservation
Addresses challenges of managing born-digital records over time. Connects electronic records management to long-term digital preservation strategies.
Lesson 4 • Classification and Retention Scheduling
Teaches functional classification schemes and legally defensible retention periods. Enables students to build and maintain institutional retention schedules.
Lesson 5 • Records Management Fundamentals
Defines records, their lifecycle, and organizational accountability requirements. Establishes the conceptual base for all records and archival work.

Chapter 8See details

Library Management and Strategic Planning

Lesson 1 • Service Quality and Performance Measurement
Introduces quantitative and qualitative metrics for evaluating library services. Enables data-driven decisions to improve user satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Lesson 2 • Human Resources and Staff Development
Addresses hiring, supervision, performance evaluation, and continuing education. Connects staff development to service quality and organizational resilience.
Lesson 3 • Strategic Planning for Libraries
Applies environmental scanning and goal-setting frameworks to library contexts. Produces actionable strategic plans aligned with institutional mission.
Lesson 4 • Financial Management and Budgeting
Covers budget types, preparation processes, and financial reporting for libraries. Builds fiscal accountability skills essential for department leadership.
Lesson 5 • Advocacy and Stakeholder Communication
Builds skills for communicating library value to funders, administrators, and communities. Prepares students to lead advocacy campaigns and secure institutional support.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Library assistants: ready to formalize their experience and advance professionally.
Career changers: drawn to information management from unrelated fields.
Records clerks: seeking broader credentials beyond their current administrative role.
School staff: responsible for managing a library without specialized training.
Archivists in training: building foundational knowledge before specializing further.
Documentation officers: working in corporate or NGO settings without formal qualifications.

What our students say

Your classes are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to switch platforms... I thank you for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...