Education for Cataloging and Classification in Austria and Germany

This article discusses the training of catalog librarians in Germany and Austria. First, the various library careers and degrees are described; then the various types of library schools and the varying educational content of different degree programs are described, along with continuing education programs in both countries. Typical job categories in German and Austrian libraries are described in terms of the qualification levels required in each category. Since the question of whether to retain the current official cataloging code is now a subject of intensedebate (with a potentially significant impact on library education), the main points of that debate are outlined here. Mention is made of the manuals and textbooks currently used in cataloging courses.