International librarianship (IL) in one sense of comparative librarianship at international level and in yet another sense it aims at international level understanding and co-operation in librarianship

In other words, international librarianship also has two aspects normally.

(A) Comparison of Library Practice and

(B) Evolving means of Library Co-operation and understanding at the International Level.

Definition of International Librarianship:

International librarianship consists of activities carried out among or between governmental or non-governmental institutions, organizations, groups or individuals of two or more nations, to promote, establish, develop, maintain and evaluate library, documentation and allied services, and librarianship and the library profession generally, in any part of the world.

According to Parker’s (1974) “International librarianship consists of activities carried out among or between governmental or non-governmental institutions, organizations, groups or individuals of two or more nations, to promote, establish, develop, maintain and evaluate library, documentation and allied services, and librarianship and the library profession generally, in any part of the world”

Objectives of International Librarianship:

IL focuses on the role of information in society, and the methods of its acquisition, processing, retrieval, and dissemination across national boundaries by means of international library cooperation through the formulation and development of common standards, policies, and practices. This will highlight national differences in library and information science philosophy, objectives, practices, and policies as well as local endeavors that led to the growth of librarianship in its global dimensions in the past two centuries. The objectives of international librarianship are given below:

  • To introduce students to the current literature, research, and studies involving IL.
  • To recognize the vital need for international communication and cooperation in our global profession.
  • To become acquainted with current developments in the area of worldwide library cooperation.
  • To enable students to acquire an understanding of library and information services in other countries.
  • To acquaint students with the major issues and problems impacting the development and management of libraries worldwide.
  • To provide students with a knowledge of outstanding and famous world libraries and library leaders.
  • To provide international students with an opportunity to share library service experiences in their homelands.
  • To enable students to analyze library and information services and systems and specific problems in the other national, cultural, and societal environments.
  • To become familiar with the activities and contributions of professional organizations, inter-governmental agencies.

Benefits of International Librarianship:

The benefits are given below:

  • Provides background information for use in foreign visits or services.
  • Exchanging to ideas information and knowledge.
  • To develop useful policy principles or laws and understand them thoroughly.
  • Provides guidelines for a proposed new library program in one’s own country or in a foreign country.
  • To acquire knowledge about the relationship between the phenomena.

Finally, we can say that from the exploration it seemed that IL can result in expanding the library market hence result in the economy of scale, as well as resource sharing and under information and knowledge sharing.

Related Article: Comparative Librarianship