An overview of the ongoing training of information and documentation professionals in Spain through SEDIC training program (translated by O.A. Zheravina)

This work identifies some of the most noteworthy changes that have occurred in the ongoing training of information and documentation professionals in Spain (librarians, documentalists and other sector professionals working in the diverse information units between 2004 and 2014, through the training program of the Spanish Association for Documentation and Information (SEDIC, for its initials in Spanish). Information analysis has been used, provided by the website of this professional association as well as other data offered by the association. Examination of the programmed course offerings from this period reveals the following changes: 1. From presential to virtual training. Over the 10 year period, courses have changed from being programmed in both presential and virtual manners, to becoming exclusively virtual by 2014. 2. From formal learning to self-training. Training outside of educational institutions has become a vital and ongoing personal improvement process in which new participants are currently appearing, including learning communities and participation spaces such as social networks, etc. Along these lines, SEDIC offers on-line self-training units covering the essential ideas related to a topic along with diverse support materials. 3. From macro to micro training. Long term courses, one of which ran for half a year, were offered by the association until 2004, being eliminated to make way for highly specialized courses with very specific contents and limited durations. 4. From techniques and tools for traditional and hybrid environments to those linked mainly to the digital ones. Course topics reveal the effect of technological advances in services, processes and tasks of the different information units, as well as the evolution of our changing environment and the appearance of new professional profiles. These courses have been directed primarily at those working in libraries and documentation centres, although some have also been held for archive workers, although the number of the same is quite insignificant overall. Based upon the number of course editions held, a strong focus on technology, virtualisation, digitalisa-tion and the use of Web 2.0 was observed. 5. Decrease in demand due to the economic crisis. Repercussions of the economic crisis have also been noted during this period. In 2009, a change of trend occurred in course demand due to institutional budgetary cuts leading to decreases in investment in training. Finally, the article also includes some data related to the teaching staff, assistants and course quality.

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