Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies ISSN: 2321-8819 (Online) 2348-7186 (Print) Impact Factor: 1.498 Vol.4, Issue 10, September 2016 Available online at www.ajms.co.in 87 Factors Hindering Career Growth and Prospects of Library and Information Science (Lis) Professionals William Kipngetich Siele Kisii University, Nairobi Campus – Kenya Abstract: Previous researches reveal that job satisfaction is a tool by which LIS employees get a chance to achieve institutional goals, develop their own capabilities and strengthen themselves in the same field. Hence continuing professional development is an essential part of the modern library information professional’s successful career planning & prospects. The LIS Professionals with better personal, professional and technological competencies have great opportunities and bright future in the modern libraries. Application of new ICT in to the libraries immediately requires improvement of different kinds of skills and knowledge in library information science professionals. Continuous staff training on emerging technologies is essential to learn, improve and develop various kinds of professional skills, knowledge and competencies. Professional competencies can be thought of as flexible knowledge and skills that allow the librarian to function in a variety of environments and to produce a continuum of value-added, customized information services that cannot be easily duplicated by others. They relate to the librarian’s knowledge in the areas of information resources, information access, technology, management and research, and the ability to use these areas of knowledge as a basis for providing library and information services. The technology is complex and librarians have not developed the skills to understand it, exploit it or create it. Those few who do have such skills find they have a very marketable commodity and can make a better living elsewhere. There is an urgent necessity to learn a great variety of professional competencies to accomplish the role of professional librarian in the constantly changing challenging web environment. Professional competences enable librarians to respond effectively and efficiently to the constant development of new technologies. A number of challenges LIS professionals are facing basically relate to: nature of work, supervision, benefits, promotion policies, academic qualification and advance training. Consequently, LIS educators and information professionals have to persistently learn and incessantly upgrade their competencies and skills to quickly step into new roles created by the service gaps in the growing knowledge intensive society. Key Words: Career Growth and Prospects, Factors, Job Satisfaction, New Skills, Training Trends 1.0 Introduction Professional competencies can be thought of as flexible knowledge and skills that allow the librarian to function in a variety of environments and to produce a continuum of value-added, customized information services that cannot be easily duplicated by others. They relate to the librarian’s knowledge in the areas of information resources, information access, technology, management and research, and the ability to use these areas of knowledge as a basis for providing library and information services. The technology is complex and librarians have not developed the skills to understand it, exploit it or create it. Those few who do have such skills find they have a very marketable commodity and can make a better living elsewhere. There is an urgent necessity to learn a great variety of professional competencies to accomplish the role of professional librarian in the constantly changing challenging web environment. Professional competences enable librarians to respond effectively and efficiently to the constant development of new technologies. Some of the unique competencies of the LIS Professionals are discussed in the following sections. Based on generational change, what exert more problem of replacement for libraries is the constant slow trickle of Library professionals leaving Libraries for more attractive prospects in allied fields such as Knowledge management and Records Administration. Recruiting new and retaining existing Library workers are equally critical process if the profession has to secure the future for the Librarians. Library and Information Science (LIS) profession is faced with numerous challenges, and in order to keep stride with the changing trends, transformational strategies need to be devised. In this respect, LIS educators and information professionals have a great task of persistently learning and upgrading their competencies and skills to quickly step into new roles created by the service gaps in the growing knowledge intensive society ( Singh & Malhan, 2012). Job is an important aspect of an individual’s life; it occupi es a lot of personal time compared to any other single activity and provides the financial basis for a person’s lifestyle. However, it is common knowledge that satisfaction at work influences many aspects of work such as efficiency, productivity, absenteeism, turnovers rates, and intention to quit (Horenstein, 1993). Farley, Broad-Preston, and Hayward, (1998) state that job CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (AJMS)