The document discusses the need to provide training for lower level staff ("assistants") at Tunisian Public Libraries. It notes that while the libraries have grown significantly, reaching over 300 locations, the conditions remain unsatisfactory with low subscription rates. Specifically, it highlights that around 1/3 of staff lack proper qualifications as librarians and the socio-economic status of librarians is low. The document advocates for developing a training program for the 500 library assistants to improve services through establishing needs, objectives, curriculum, resources and evaluation criteria.

1. Training for
librarian"assistants"
in Tunisian Public
Libraries(TPL)
Ahmed Ksibi
Institut Supérieur de
Documentation, Tunis

2. Motivations
 The bottom of the hierarchy (librarian
Class B, C, D) and workers Tunisian Public
Library seem to be left out
 No studies, no report ,in administrative or
academic level, were devoted.
 The formation of these categories of staff is one
component of the promotion and enhancement of
Public Libraries(TPL) and reading
because they holds a majority position

3. Context of training
 After 50 years of independence,
 the statistics of the Directorate of public reading
"DPR", determines policy
 TPL have reached a stage of maturation.
 The configuration has become the most important for
Africa and the Arab world = 362 libraries for 10 million
inhabitants, making it one of 5 millions
 1 thousand staff and regional libraries with significant
resources
 23 Friends of library and books associations
 it emerge cultural and reading development.

5. The conditions of TPL remain
unsatisfactory
 The conditions of BPT remain unsatisfactory,
because even their audience favorite,
 school young which represents 90.5% of users,
turning away.
 The rate of subscription to BPT, valid criterion
Evaluation, remains very low, not exceeding 6%.
 They are lagging behind developed countries
whose inclusion in BP, for all categories of
age, represents more than half the population
(in many Nordic and Anglo-Saxon Ex: 68% in
Britain, Canada

6. Lack of qualified librarian
Since 2007 = Staff are increasingly expanded 1211
in which 703 officials civil servant ( Librarian,
teacher …) and 507 workers,
 The lack of qualified librarian remains : 1/3
 24% of reading of the public library who have
obtained librarian university degree
 The guide lines of IFLA is seeking a full-time
employee for a population of 2 500 inhabitants:
4000 employees and 1300 librarians).
 When non-professionalization of libraries is
dominant, services are not adequate.
.

8. The socio-economic status of the
librarian is down
 Depreciation resulting primarily by the low
level of wages, the specialty and
technicality of the library profession are not
recognized.
 They do not receive allowances
corresponding to their qualification as other
technical and pedagogical (scientists,
teachers ..).

9. Assistants training :500
workers,
 the elements of training must include
5 elements:
 Study of needs ( PL+Assistants )
scientifically valid ???
 -Clear Policy and objectives (Standard,
law)
 - Define courses and programs,
 Resources – Logistic /Human (lecturers,
learners)
 Evaluation criteria.

10. The duties Library
assistants
 The Public library service: IFLA/UNESCO
guidelines for development 2001
 include : routine circulation functions and
operational library tasks such as shelving,
shelf-checking, processing library
materials, data entry, filing, secretarial
support and basic level reader enquiry
work.

11. they should have a high
level
 Library assistants are the staff the
public will come into contact with
most frequently. It is essential,
therefore,
 that they should have a high level
of interpersonal and communication
skills and receive appropriate
training.