Professionals working in the field of biotechnology library science are smart, knowledgeable people with terrific interdisciplinary expertise. They are good at classification, organization, and content management. Biotech library science professionals are also people with great networks of colleagues and friends in biotechnology.
In library science perhaps the biggest challenge is the integration of data/ information. How different disciplines communicate and collaborate with each other, the knowledge of this is something that every biotech library science professional must have. The various disciplines that he/she must be aware of include: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, bioengineering, bioinformatics, biomaterials, biomechanics, biophysics, biotechnology, cell biology, clinical and research medicine, computer sciences, developmental and structural biology, electrochemistry, electronics, engineering, enzymology, epidemiology, imaging, immunology, mathematics, microbiology, molecular biology, optics, pharmacology, public health, statistics, toxicology, virology and aspects of business, chaos theory, ethics, and law.
Biotech library science professionals are good at assessing user needs and giving structure to an unstructured environment. They use user feedback, quantitative web metrics, and qualitative reviews to measure project progress. As a discipline, they need to stay firmly focused on emerging terms and new concepts in the field of Biotechnology.
Typically, biotech library science professionals help other biotech professionals locate information and use it proficiently. They direct the selection and organization of materials. They also direct staff and develop and design information programs and systems that will be used by biotech professionals, making sure that all information is displayed in a user friendly way.