employers need in the workplace and if LIS programmes are providing relevant and
appropriate training to LIS students. Stephens and Hamblin (2006) found that there is a
continuing need from employers for graduates with the core skills of the profession
such as collection management and organization of information. The study also found
that recent library graduates in the UK did not possess some skills required by some
employers, such as information retrieval, use of information for business and generic
skills, such as persuasion and how to apply theories learnt in class in a practical
situation. Gerolimos (2009) also studied what qualifications or skills are being taught in
LIS degrees in the US, Canada and the UK through analysis of their programmes. The
author concludes that a curriculum that incorporates courses that are traditional but
also focuses on issues pertaining to digital technologies gives LIS students the best
option to obtain suitable qualifications for the current library environment. The author
also found that there has been some effort to develop generic and social skills in LIS
programmes, an important issue as research seems to suggest that these skills are
valued by employers.