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The aim of this paper was to find out how knowledge and skills in demand by libraries compare with librarians' preoccupations and aspirations. Two sets of data were analysed using content analysis. A) 972 criteria in 127 Australian library-related job advertisements (from 2021) were coded against ALIA's Foundation knowledge for entry-level library and information professionals. B) 465 articles published in INCITE (an Australian professional LIS magazine) from 2018 to 2020 were mapped against the framework afforded by the IFLA Trend Report 2019 Update. From the ten domains in ALIA's foundation knowledge, behavioural skills were the most sought domain in the job advertisements (84.3% of advertisements), followed by those of leadership and management (58.3%), digital technologies (49.6%), and literacies and learning (22%). Professionalism (5.5%) and research (14.2%) were the least sought domains. Of the three key trends identified by IFLA, the top preoccupation in the professional literature was found to be 'dealing with uncertainty' (60.2% of articles). This is the first study to analyse both job advertisements and professional literature and map them against expected professional competencies and the sector's emerging trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on part one of a multi-part research project investigating Australian public library responses to the requirement to close their physical sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The aim was to examine how Australian public libraries responded to the crisis during their periods of closure in terms of services and resources, the challenges they faced, and the role locality played in their response. In total, 212 public library authority managers completed an online questionnaire survey in August 2020 representing 695 public library branch locations. The results showed that during their periods of closure of their physical sites, libraries established new services (e.g. wellbeing phone calls, delivery of craft kits to users) and expanded several existing ones, especially those related to e-resources. The biggest challenge reported was managing staff working arrangements. While most libraries kept permanent staff and fixed-term staff on full hours, most completely cut volunteers and casual staff hours. There were some geographic differences in the response of libraries to the crisis. Overall, however, whilst metropolitan, regional and remote public libraries faced immense challenges, especially regarding staffing and human resources, they were also able to respond rapidly and with agility to the challenges brought about by COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]