A Study of the Library Technical Assistant in Illinois.

Seeking a better understanding of the position of the Library Technical Assistant (LTA) in the library world, this study presents an overview of the LTA in Illinois, exploring problems related to their training and employment and providing a general description of the LTA. The first phase of this examination consists of an identification of the existing junior college and college programs in Illinois for LTA training and a description of these programs, covering such areas as curriculum, class scheduling, and composition of faculty. These programs are compared to each other and to standards recommended by the American Library Association (ALA). Phase two of the study, based on questionnaire responses, describes the LTA as a student and then as a library employee, including such factors as age, sex, experience education, and reasons for entering the program. Recommendations arising from the study include more formalized training programs in line with ALA standards, more formal delineation of job duties in job descriptions, and a better understanding on the part of library administrators of the proper realm of duties of the LTA. (Author/SL)