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In a climate of under‐employment and perceived lack of upward career opportunities for new graduates, the aim of this study is to explore the role of professional development (PD) in assisting established and new Library and Information Services' (LIS) practitioners to uPDate and extend their knowledge and skills.

Three methods of data collection have been used: literature review, content analysis of job descriptions, and interviews.

The literature identifies PD as an integral part of being professional and a review of job advertisements indicates an employer demand for a wide range of generic skills in addition to library‐specific skills. Interviews with LIS practitioners and graduates determines that PD is a useful tool in expanding knowledge and skills, with evidence of a generational difference in needs.

The study is limited to a research sample of ten persons and was conducted in the calendar year of 2006. Volunteers were recruited with the aim to discuss their PD activities, therefore it is a reasonable assumption that all participants would have some commitment to PD. Although this study has identified that some employers require generic skills at a high level, a study comparing job advertisement requirements with the skills of successful applicants may give a truer indication of the current skills level of the twenty‐first century LIS worker.

The study offers a snapshot of generic skills required in the twenty‐first century library and information services industry. It identifies how, in a depressed labour market, PD can be a useful tool to assist established practitioners and new graduates to remain current, competitive and to fulfil basic professional requirements. The generational approaches to PD offer a useful insight into meeting the wants and needs of work.