There is no substitute for learning on the job. Concentrate on the value-added tasks and train your users to do the basic research. Study SLA's Competencies for Special Librarians of the 21st Century. A person who chooses special librarianship for a profession should have an intense curiosity and act on that curiosity by constantly seeking causes, explanations or just information. The information specialist should be a generalist with mastery in a few areas of personal interest.
Information has many forms.
The librarian may be called on to gather and assimilate all types of data and repackage it. Never assume information credibility without trusting the source, and remember the computer is a tool and should be used as one. The field is changing all the time as organizations merge, morph, or shut down their libraries all together. Today s information professional should continually be updating a resume and keeping an eye out for the next assignment. In addition to giving you greater control over your future, working in different library settings make you a more valuable employee as you bring different experiences to each new assignment.