Professional paper

Professional Duties and Responsibilities of Librarians in Contemporary Special Libraries

Sunčica Markanović ; Državni arhiv Bjelovar

Abstract

This paper presents the professional identity of librarians within a contemporary context, examined through a combination of established practices and emerging professional demands. Particular attention is devoted to librarians employed in special libraries – environments where the library forms an integral part of a larger, parent institution, and where the daily duties and responsibilities of the staff often extend far beyond standard library work. The paper
analyses their cooperation and communication with the relevant central library, their relationship with superiors, and the expectations placed upon them by users, the institution, and professional standards. It particularly highlights the challenges they encounter and the ways they align tradition, professional norms, and the contemporary requirements
of the institution. This study aims to provide a vivid and dynamic depiction of librarians’ professional identity, emphasising their pivotal role in bridging information, institutions, and users.

Keywords

librarians; professional identity; special libraries

Hrčak ID:

347848

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/347848

Publication date:

29.5.2026.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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