• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.59-78
• /
• 2014

Since 2010, the itinerant librarian project has aimed to support small libraries and to establish cooperative systems between public libraries and small libraries. However, the project has been criticized for several issues, although there are some positive evaluations. In this context this study aims to analyze various issues of the project and to provide alternative strategies. Based on analyzing previous studies the study discusses the concept and social background of itinerant librarians. Furthermore, it explores the issues of the project, including low awareness and employment instability of itinerant librarians through the interviews with participants of the project. As a result, the study provides six alternative strategies to improve the project.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.73-94
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of staff in school libraries and to provide suggestions for the development of these facilities through the job satisfaction of itinerant librarians, who act as support for schools which lack permanent staff. For employees in the South Korean provinces of South Jeolla, North Gyeongsan and South Gyeonsan, regions which currently operate using systems of itinerant librarians, the general status, work characteristics and systems were identified, and job satisfaction was surveyed. As a result of the survey, librarians may be in charge of anywhere from ten to two hundred schools, with approximately 30% of them being affiliated with public libraries in various municipalities. The overall job satisfaction averaged out to a score of 3.45 out of 5, with the categories of duties (4.15), a feeling of accomplishment (3.89) and communication (3.70) showing above average results, while opportunities for promotion (2.08) and job training (1.96) were on the lower end of the scale. For better job satisfaction, this study suggests an increase in the number of itinerant librarians, more job training, and having these professionals be affiliated with school boards rather than public libraries.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.71-94
• /
• 2022

While small libraries have steadily increased in quantity, parts of qualitative growth such as lack of manpower and poor operation have been pointed out as problems. Accordingly, with the aim of establishing a foundation for linkage and cooperation between public libraries and small libraries, the small library itinerant librarians project has been promoted since 2010, and its scale has been continuously expanding. However, the lack of manpower and poor operation still remain tasks to be solved, and the poor treatment and job environment of itinerant librarians have not improved. In this context, this study aims to examine the problems of small libraries and job problems experienced by itinerant librarians and to find ways to improve the job environment of itinerant librarians based on this. Through the analysis of previous studies, small libraries and net companies were investigated, and in-depth interviews were conducted with participants related to itinerant librarians and small libraries. Through interview data analysis, a total of 17 meaning topics were extracted, including 'lack of work authority', 'lack of work manual', 'lack of communication, community', 'lack of integrated operating system', 'poor treatment and working environment', 'malicious user', and 'lack of belonging'. Based on this, four improvement measures were proposed, including the improvement of the job authority and standard regulations of itinerant librarians, the establishment of a community organization, job security guarantees, and job education reinforcement.