Contents  (Download Booklet)

1. Preface
2. History of Libraries
3. Types of Libraries
4. A Brief History of Libraries in The Bahamas
5. National Library and Information Services
6. Vision and Mission
7. Goals and Objectives
8. An Overview of Recruiting and Training
9. Academic Qualifications
10. Developing Skills for Future Careers in Librarianship
11. Activities to Reinforce Learning
12. Benefits of the RTLC Programme
13. Evaluation
14. Conclusion
15. References

Preface

This booklet provides information for library cadets and persons interested in the information technology and related professions. It contains pertinent subjects such as history of libraries, and more specifically, a brief history of libraries in The Bahamas along with the National Library and Information Services vision, mission, goals and objectives that serve as background information for future librarians in the Recruiting and Training Library Cadets (RTLC) Programme.

Knowledge of the institution of libraries and the profession of librarianship is essential not only for present employees but also for potential employees of the library and information field. This is especially true, since in recent years, libraries have been intermarrying traditional services with new technologies for more effective and efficient service.

History of Libraries

The history of libraries began approximately around 3000 B.C. in the areas of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers called the Fertile Crescent. The earliest libraries were found in Babylonia, Assyria, Greece, Egypt and Rome.

During 1500 to1800, there was an increase in literacy and libraries throughout Western Europe. For example, in Germany, town libraries were established providing popular reading for its citizens. Great Britain established municipal libraries in the 1600s and passed the first Public Libraries Act in 1850.

The first American public libraries were begun in 1803 in Salisbury, Connecticut. However, it was not until the 1850s that the Boston Public Library was established and publicly supported in the manner that we are familiar with today. American libraries mirrored the growth of those in Europe from 1500 to 1800. Like Europe, many private collections laid the foundation for university libraries such as Harvard and Yale and the national library, the Library of Congress.