ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the education and training of both junior and professional staff for cataloguing at the University of Botswana Library and examines the formal library school education at the University of Botswana offered by the Department of Library and Information Studies (LIS). It focuses on education for cataloguing and classification with emphasis on descriptive cataloguing; subject access; classification; and bibliographic control for books and other library materials. The paper also discusses on-the-job training and continuing education for librarians and junior library staff. This paper shows the relationship that existed between the Cataloguing Unit and Subject Librarians before the restructuring of the Cataloguing and Acquisitions 6units in the late 1990s. That restructuring changed the relationship that existed between the Cataloguing Unit and Subject Librarians regarding the cataloguing and classification of materials and the training activities organized by the Cataloguing Unit for Subject Librarians in an attempt to ensure quality records. It touches on training conducted outside the country. The paper draws information from official documents and the author’s long experience in various levels and units of the University of Botswana Library, starting in 1982.