The work at Swedish public libraries today is multifaceted and covers many conceivable areas. As a librarian, you are expected to take on many different roles. To look for a job is a complicated process which is not facilitated by the complex picture and difficulty in defining the professional role of a librarian. The purpose of this thesis is to reach new knowledge about the competence requirements that library managers have for job-seeking librarians, both for the recently graduated librarians but also for those who already have work experience within the profession.

To answer these questions 154 job ads were analyzed by quantitative content analysis and five library managers were interviewed. The results of the interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis and also by using Annika Lundmark´s(1998) definition of competence. The hope is that this study can contribute to creating a clearer understanding for what is demanded of public librarians today. The study concluded that a librarian should be able to work independently as well as in a group, must be aware of the mission of the library operations but also be able to innovate the library operations. To be structured and at the same time flexible, have an academic competence as well as a social competence are all important parts of what the library managers sees as relevant competencies for librarians at public libraries.