LAS Competency Framework for Information Professionals

Overview

The LAS Competency Framework, endorsed in July 2025, is a strategic guide for professional development across the library and information sector. It supports lifelong learning, career progression, and alternative pathways into the profession—without being used for assessment.

Framework Structure

The framework is built around four key components:

  1. Foundational Competencies – Core knowledge and ethics essential for professional integrity and impact.
  2. Functional Competencies – Technical skills tailored to specific roles and service areas.
  3. Generic Competencies – Transferable skills for leadership, strategy, and collaboration.
  4. Proficiency Levels – Five stages of mastery, from beginner to master-level expertise.

Foundational Competencies

These competencies reflect the values and responsibilities of information professionals:

  • Information Ethics & Governance – Upholding privacy, intellectual property, and equitable access.
  • Information Impact on Society – Understanding how information shapes socioeconomic and environmental contexts.
  • Commitment to Professional Excellence – Pursuing continuous learning and contributing to the profession’s growth.

Functional Competencies

Role-specific skills that drive service innovation and operational excellence:

  • Information Organisation & Management
  • Service Design & Delivery
  • Digital Technologies
  • Information Literacy & Learning

Generic Competencies

Cross-cutting skills for strategic influence and stakeholder engagement:

  • Leadership & Advocacy
  • Strategic Planning & Management
  • Data Analytics
  • Project Management
  • Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach

Proficiency Levels

  1. Beginner
  2. Competent
  3. Proficient
  4. Expert
  5. Master

Download the Framework:

LAS Competency Framework for Information Professionals_July 2025

 

Developed by a cross-institutional team of professionals from:

  • Phoebe Lim, Nanyang Technological University Library
  • Gee Miaw Miin, National Library Board Singapore
  • Jonathan Pradusook, National University of Singapore Libraries
  • Jennifer Chor, NAFA Library, University of the Arts Singapore