LIASA vacancies offer some of the most rewarding careers for highly dedicated South Africans. While it’s a non-profit organisation that focuses on representing all individuals working in the information sector, there is more to this association than meets the eye.
There are many different kinds of jobs at LIASA, from an academic librarian at a university library to a director. It is an excellent workplace for those with a love of learning. Check out these top LIASA jobs!
Photo: @sora-shimazaki on pexels.com
About the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA)
The Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) is a professional non-profit organisation representing all institutions and individuals in South Africa that work in libraries and information services. It was first released on 10 July 1997.
The launch signified the completion of the process of unifying all of South Africa’s current library organisations. The Conference on Libraries and Information Services in Developing South Africa (LISDESA) kicked off this process in January 1995.
The conference was organised by the South African Institute for Librarianship and Information Science (SAILIS) and the African Library Association of South Africa (ALASA), the two largest extant organisations.
LIASA promotes and supports practical, user-friendly, and high-quality library and information services that aim to provide equal access to information to all South African communities.
Individuals interested in or working in libraries and information services and institutions or organisations that maintain or are interested in libraries and information services make up its membership.
LIASA presently has approximately 1,600 members and is recognised as a professional association both nationally and globally. The LIASA National Office is located on the National Library of South Africa’s (NLSA) Pretoria campus.
LIASA Products and Services
LIASA takes pride in celebrating and supporting the following annual projects:
- LIASA Annual Conference
- South African Library Week
- LIASA Annual Seminar Series
- South African Librarian’s Day
- Open Access Week
Types of Positions Available on LIASA Vacancies
Not everyone who works at the LIASA is a librarian, just as not everyone who works in a hospital is a doctor! There are several tasks to be completed, each of which is critical.
Putting books on the shelf, paying bills, answering queries, and recruiting employees are all tasks that must be completed for the organisation to function.
The following LIASA jobs are ideal for those who enjoy working in a peaceful setting and are surrounded by books:
- Director
- Librarian
- Libraries Conservator
- Assistant Information Specialist
- Library Assistant
Let’s take a look at some of the most regularly listed LIASA job openings and the duties of each position.
1. Director
As a director, your key responsibilities will include:
- Maintain existing and generate new strategic partnerships within the political, educational, business and civil sectors.
- Raise funds and build partnerships that ensure the organisation’s financial sustainability.
- Maintain solid relationships with funders.
- Collaboratively set and drive organisational strategy, budget and culture.
- Participate in recruitment for key and senior roles.
2. Librarian
Your primary duties as a librarian are as follows:
- Complete a variety of tasks related to electronic and printed journals and overseeing and advising on these operations.
- Order e-books and make them accessible.
- Administer all financial tasks.
- Manage compact storage and the off-site storage facility.
- Assist with the training and supervision of staff in the division.
- Provide client service.
3. Libraries Conservator
As a libraries conservator, you will be responsible for:
- Providing technical and professional expertise in managing an in-house conservation laboratory, workflows and best practices in conservation.
- Determining the proper course of preventive conservation actions and conservation treatments that minimise chemical and physical deterioration of collections.
- Preventing loss of informational content of significant collections, setting goals and objectives within an environment of elevated responsibility, and in support of strategic plans and vision.
- Applying international standards and project management to ensure the integrity of UCT collections.
- Working collaboratively across several departments and units within the organisation.
- Developing disaster management and recovery plans according to international guidelines to protect collections against theft, vandalism, fire, flood, and other potential disasters.
4. Assistant Information Specialist
Assistant information specialists usually are tasked with:
- Assisting in running of circulation desk (issuing, renewal & returning of book loans).
- Handling newspapers and journals, including scanning and clippings.
5. Library Assistant
Library assistants generally:
- Answer staff’s queries face to face and online via library chat service.
- Work with the library faculty support team to support the organisation with information services.
- Help with the circulation of books.
- Provide information literacy training to the general public.
- Help with information retrieval at the information counter.
LIASA Employees Qualification
Most LIASA positions require its candidates to have a minimum degree of Bachelor of Library and Information Science. However, having a higher degree would be advantageous.
It’s best to have some experience working in a library before graduating. This can be as a volunteer, page, library assistant, or even as part of an internship or graduate school project.
The following is a list of essential skills for all LIASA employees:
- Analytical skills.
- Communication skills.
- Creativity
- Interest in research.
- Interpersonal skills.
- Organisational skills.
- Persuasion skills.
- Technological skills.
LIASA Vacancies Requirements
Essentially, you will be required to upload your latest CV to the LIASA database to apply for any available positions.
However, some jobs may ask you to provide additional documentation, such as an application form and cover letter. You can find information about the requirements for your selected role in its separate job advertisement, which can be found on the LIASA Career Centre page.
LIASA Vacancies Application
Please apply to the LIASA vacancies by visiting its Career Centre page here. There, you can search for a vacancy by clicking on the Search Openings button. On the other hand, to view uploaded resumes/CVs click on the Resume/CV Search button.
You can also subscribe to alerts when new vacancies are uploaded by clicking on the Subscribe button on the same webpage.
LIASA Vacancies Closing Date
The closing date for each position varies. Hence, we recommend you regularly check out LIASA’s official website at www.liasa.org.za to get the latest update on your desired career.