Documentation technicians are documentary information specialists who use rigorous methods to organize and manage all categories of documents kept in different documentary facilities in the public, parapublic and private sectors.
Documentation technicians are trained to work in various settings (documentation centre, administrative document management centres, bookstores and libraries) where they are entrusted with responsibilities that vary depending on the size of the establishment. In extremely hierarchical work environments, library technicians are exclusively mandated with technical tasks since they work under the supervision of a documentation professional. In environments that are only somewhat hierarchical, they can be given the responsibility of overseeing a department such as the loans, serials or audiovisual department. In small settings, they are often required to carry out all tasks related to their profession in addition to taking on other responsibilities entrusted to them by the documentation professional. In this particular situation, they must effectively manage the collection they are responsible for; they must also manage their time and the different resources available to them.
Documentation technicians are involved in every stage of the documentation process: acquisitions, document description (indexation and classification), filing, material processing of documents and, lastly, circulation of documents (including loans, reference, activity hosting and promotion of services).
These tasks are performed in both manual and computerized work environments. Good computer skills are a requirement since technicians must use document management software for daily management activities and search databases of all types, whether bibliographic, factual, textual or multimedia. Documentation technicians must also manage active, semi-active and historical documents. Specialized skills acquired as part of the program give them the ability to implement systems, manage administrative documents, apply timetables and process historical archives.