Continuing Education in the Professions

Abstract

THESE COMMENTS are shaped in such a way that they may be helpful as you consider what you are going to do in stimulating continuing education for librarians. It may not be easy. I have been struck by the sweep of your thought and the seriousness of your purpose as you have defined your intent and suggested appropriate methods in the proposal on which your discussions have centered today. Both the proposal and the discussions foretell a significant future for continuing education in your profession. Perhaps, however, a capsule review of the concepts and practices of other professions may confirm your decisions or suggest modifications. We shall see. The Requirement of Competence. Let me start with the concept of a profession. I will not try to define one, for too many people before me have found that phrasing a definition of a which admits some occupations but excludes others is virtually impossible. Furthermore, students of professions have concluded that it is a fruitless game to try to name which occupations are true professions and which are imposters. Instead, they suggest that we decide which characteristics of an occupational group are professional, and look at the process by which these characteristics may be enhanced. The concept of profession changes under this way of thinking to a dynamic movement, a process of change toward some ideal goal. Progress toward that goal is the process of professionalization. In defining that goal let me

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