Enrolments in library and information management courses

There are a number of different pathways into library and information work. Courses leading to librarian qualifications are offered through universities at graduate and undergraduate level. Students seeking a library technician qualification most frequently enrol in a course offered through a TAFE college.

The Association receives information about enrolments from the institutions offering library and information management courses. These courses are often taught as a stream within a larger school or faculty and for this reason, figures supplied are indicative only of total enrolments.

Enrolments in courses leading to a librarian qualification

Graduate level courses 1996 - 2005

1999. low point in enrolments coincides with introduction of full-fee payment for courses which impacted on graduate enrolment generally.
2005. graduate enrolments now number approximately 1600 having gradually increased from about 1370 graduate students in 1999 to approximately 1600

In the period since 1997, a number of universities have discontinued courses, particularly courses in teacher-librarianship, making it unlikely that enrolments will again reach the 1997 peak. Library and information management courses are in the main offered by Australian universities as a stream within a broader discipline area. While course closures have at times been economically motivated they may also result from decisions that deem particular streams within a broad course as no longer viable.

Enrolments in Undergraduate courses 1996 - 2005

1998. a number of teacher-librarian courses were being phased out during the 1990s as institutions were forced to respond to changes in funding allocations which impacted heavily on courses identified as specialty courses.
2005. the number of bachelor level courses now offered has been reduced in the past three years. There are a number of reasons for this ranging from economically based decisions by institutions about the ongoing viability of courses to a reduction in staff numbers so that it is no longer possible to offer the courses.

Enrolments in undergraduate courses follow a similar pattern to those in graduate courses although the introduction of full-fee paying places only partially explains the fall in numbers from a peak of some 1750 in 1997 to around 950 today. While some students, including overseas students, are offered full-fee paying places in undergraduate courses, many do qualify for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs, formerly HECs places). Lower enrolment numbers reflects the loss of a number of undergraduate courses, again especially in teacher-librarianship, since 1997 - a trend which is still continuing.

Enrolments in Library Technician courses 1996-2005
It is important to note that figures for enrolments in library technician courses are indicative only. Since the introduction of the diploma course based on the National Museum and LIS Training Package in 2001, some institutions have moved to different methods for recording student enrolments. Pre-2001 students were counted as diploma students from the time of first enrolment in the course. Since 2001 students may have been regarded as enrolled in the diploma only after completing requirements for Certificate IV that is only in the last semester of the course.

Approximately 2000 students were enrolled in library technician courses in 2005. This figure is comparable with 2004 (about 2150) but it is difficult to draw exact comparisons over a number of years because fluctuating enrolments may be related to funding and staff resources rather than actual demand for the course.