Liberal arts in the education and training of LIS paraprofessionals: the cases of South Africa and Québec, Canada

Liberal arts education, also referred to as general education, provides students with knowledge, skills and values that enhance their ability to participate in society and to use their minds effectively. In most jurisdictions, however, paraprofessional education has not included any significant component of general education; programs remain, for the most part, focused on technical “know-how,” despite increasing complexities in the roles of library technicians. Such tasks as reference services, cataloguing, and systems maintenance require exactly the types of knowledge and abilities that general education fosters. Via a comparison of programs in South Africa and Québec, this paper invites discussion on the necessity for, and the modalities of, including substantial liberal arts components within LIS paraprofessional curricula. Introduction Liberal arts education, also referred to as general education, develops the mind. It provides students with knowledge, skills and values that enhance their ability to participate in society and to use their minds effectively in whatever they choose to do. For professional librarians, undergraduate degrees have provided this liberal arts orientation. In most jurisdictions, however, paraprofessional education has not included