Library jobs in Zimbabwe

Library jobs in Zimbabwe

Library jobs have been advertised since time immemorial. Libraries require trained personnel to mann them for effective service delivery. Library jobs in Zimbabwe are frequently advertised in the local newspapers particularly in The Sunday Mail, The Herald and The Financial Gazette.

A good number of library jobs are advertised by universities requiring to fill post in the university library structure. Several other library jobs require to be filled in the public service and the Government chief recruiting office - Public Service Commission (PSC) work towards the recuitment process. The PSC recruit for Government departments and agencies. Recruitment for colleges and polytechnics is also done through the PSC. The other sector that has library jobs is non-governmental organisation (NGO). However NGOs are more of specialised information centres that provide services to a minority clientele. Public libraries also provide jobs for librarians and their remuneration is well above what most government agencies are paying.  The university library structure absorb more personnel as compared to other institutions due to the wide range of services they offer to the diverse university clientele. Public libraries also require library personnel who are encyclopedic in nature because of the community they serve which is diverse.

The remuneration of librarians is still a challenge for a number of institutions since the change to multi-currency system that was effected around 2009 by the government of Zimbabwe. The major contributing to that effect has been the failure to realise the significance of the librarian in information management function. Several other factors has influenced the poor salary scales of librarians over the past years in Zimbabwe among them the economic downturn, operational costs of libraries and a lack of association that accredit qualifying librarians and set standards of operation. The Zimbabwe library Association (ZimLA) way back did pave way to put measures and  lobby for librarians recognition. However the association could not stand the economic situation that bedeviled the nation and died a sad death. As the librarians work towards resuscitation of the association the issue of salaries and remuneration is on the top of the agenda. NGOs and embassies are among the top paying institutions for librarians and recognise the importance of the librarian.

University librarians are well paid too; however, as the structure decent to low level jobs, remuneration tend to dwindle due to the technicality of the positions. The structures tend to fail to recognise technical responsibilities of the librarian. Jobs in universities cover a wide range of activities that are departmentalised to effectively meet the mission of the library. Library jobs cover positions such as Sub-librarian, Cataloguer, Classifier, Reference librarian, Systems librarian, Acquisitions librarian, Senior Library Assistant and Library assistants among other posts. A reveal of the website http://www.zimbabwehumancapital.org for library jobs in Zimbabwe yield 13 positions, a number of them available for university libraries. The majority of the positions required degrees in library and information science and post graduate diplomas in library studies for senior positions. Low ranking positions of library assistants require National certificate in library and information science.

The work experience requirements differ with positions as more senior positions require more post experience on similar positions. Sub-librarian post require up to five years working experience and the assistant librarian jobs require at least 3 years working experience. The technical jobs of senior library assistant require at least two years of working experience. The library jobs extend to personal assistant to librarians, library IT support and library door guard as well as data capture clerk. New trends of library jobs now require information technology education to incorporate ICT strategies in information handling.

All the jobs found at the website were also simultaneously published in the local newspapers – The Sunday Mail and The Herald. Online announcement are prevalent in the developed world such that in third world countries the majority will fail to access the vacancies.