Librarians, computer scientists, specialist in media and information services, master’s graduates in library and information science (MALIS), information scientists, data librarians, data stewards, software developers and many more professions besides, all belong to modern-day library workforces. The responsibilities and challenges faced by our institutions are more diverse than ever before. We respond to this development with a variety of training pathways and job profiles.

Not only do library staff have a variety of professions, they are also diverse in every way: nationality and origin, gender and gender identity, age and world view, physical conditions and cultural background, to name a few. This rich diversity in our institutions makes collaboration exciting and fruitful. It brings us one step further every day.

We call for this diversity to be reflected in the name of the largest (further training) event for all employees involved in the library and information sector in the German-speaking world. To achieve this, we believe it is necessary to find a new title that addresses all people in libraries equally and inclusively, rather than merely assuming that all others are deemed to be included in the term, a title that recognises the different qualifications and that diverse personalities can identify with.

For this reason, TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences endorse the petition “Zeitgemäßer Name für den “Bibliothekar”tag” (Contemporary name for the “Bibliothekar”tag – Bibliothekar is the male form of the German term for librarian)!

Go to petition

Statement (pdf)