SKILLS USED IN A RCHIVES AND PRESERVATION OF MATERIALS IN THE 21ST CENTURY LIBRARIES AND FOR LIBRARIANS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

This paper reviews the skills used in archives and preservation of materials in the 21st century libraries and for librarians in the digital age. Libraries and librarians must consider and comprehend numerous aspects of services that have emerged since the advent of information and communication technology (ICT). Librarians of this era are required to use digital tools to provide electronic service. Librarians should possess a diversity of internet skills. Amidst the skills is online skills and technology, which is a useful tool for identifying job titles, tasks, and talents (including technology knowledge).The paper highlighted the 21st century skills for archives and preservation in libraries and for librarians such as management systems, content curation, taxonomy creation, records preservation and management, competitive intelligence tracking, digital asset management, skills in scanning and filing digital formats, automated archival collections, management systems, encoded archival description (EAD), XML schemas and USMARC. The paper gave challenges of acquiring the skills such as inadequate training, non-challant attitude of librarians towards the utilization of modern technologies and lack of internet connectivity. The paper concluded that Librarians should want to grow by studying current skills that will allow them to compete with other librarians from around the world. The paper gave the way forward such as regular training and retooling especially with the changing in technology and vast growth of knowledge and the provision of superb internet.