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Law Librarians In the Federal Republic of Germany: Their Education and Prospects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2019

Hans-Peter Geh*
Affiliation:
Württembergische Landesbibliothek, D-7 Stuttgart 1, Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 8. Translated by Igor I. Kavass, Professor of Law and Law Librarian, Vanderbilt University Law-School, Nashville, Tenessee, U.S.A., at the very time Gastprofessor at the Freie Universität, Berlin

Abstract

Nearly all libraries in the Federal Republic of Germany are publicly owned, and their employees are placed in the same position as government servants. Library employees enjoy the same advantages and benefits as persons engaged in other branches of government, and their conditions of service are regulated in effect by the same or similar provisions of law. As the Federal Republic of Germany is a federation of several states (Länder), competence to make laws for the regulation of government employees rests concurrently in the federal legislature and the legislatures of the individual states. In this respect there are separate laws for the regulation of federal employees and the employees of the individual state governments, but for all practical purposes such federal and state laws are substantially similar. The respective laws establish systems of different ranks for government employees and prescribe educational qualifications as well as other requirements for the entry into employment at different service levels. There are no specific federal laws for the education and admission of library employees. According to the laws of the individual states, however, library employees are divided into four categories:

  1. (1) Senior library service (Höherer Bibliotheksdienst) which is open to persons with academic qualifications (preference being given to persons with doctoral degrees according to the laws of most states) upon completion of a prescribed period of practical library training and a formal educational course in librarianship.

  2. (2) Advanced library service (Gehobener Bibliotheksdienst) which is available to persons who undertake a formal course of study in librarianship (which is different in content from the course established for the senior library service) upon completion of high school education.

  3. (3) Intermediate library service (Mittlerer Bibliotheksdienst) which does not require high school education but in several states a formal training in librarianship.

  4. (4) Subordinate library service (Einfacher Bibliotheksdienst) which does not require an secondary educational or practical qualifications.

By way of a general guide to readers, who are not familiar with the German system of library positions, it should be added that this classification system does not have precise equivalents in the Anglo-American countries. The senior and to some extent the advanced library services may, however, be compared to professional library positions, and the intermediate and subordinate service levels to supporting staff positions in the United States libraries.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © International Association of Law Libraries 1975 

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