PKSB image from CILIP website
The Professional Knowledge and Skills Base (PKSB) has just been launched by CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals), replacing their previous Body of Professional Knowledge.
The new PKSB “aims to reflect the breadth of the library, information and knowledge profession” and brings together the areas of professional and technical expertise required across these areas.
So what’s in it? It covers professional expertise (e.g. organising information), generic skills (e.g. leadership), the wider organisation and environmental context, and has ethics & values at its core.
Why’s it relevant to you? Well, if you currently work in a library you can use it as a self-assessment tool to think about your professional development; employers could use it to undertake a skills audit of the staff to identify areas for future training and CPD, and if you are interested in working in the library and information profession you could use it to see what sort of skills and expertise you need and what additional training you might need.
A summary document is available on the CILIP website, or the full version is available if you are a CILIP member as a benefit of membership, or can be purchased from CILIP if you’re not a member of CILIP.
