The Education of Librarians at Public Libraries in Austria

Compared to other German-speaking countries, the public library system in Austria is characterised by several special characteristics, which are reflected not least in the curricula of the educational courses for public library staff; on the one hand, there is the very high proportion of volunteer librarians and on the other, there are hardly any points of contact with academic libraries. As a result, there are separate educational courses for both volunteers and librarians already employed at public libraries, which are clearly differentiated from the training offered to staff of academic libraries. Through the courses, which are specifically oriented towards the target audience and the framework conditions of public libraries, a remarkably high degree of professionalisation can be achieved in an intensive and comparatively short time.