LIS PROFESSIONALS AND THE GIG ECONOMY: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL COLLEGE LIBRARIES

The gig economy has significantly transformed various industries, including library and information science (LIS). As freelance, contract-based, and temporary work arrangements become more prevalent, LIS professionals are increasingly engaging in gig-based roles, particularly in specialized domains such as collection development in medical college libraries (Tian and Chen, 2024). This shift presents both opportunities and challenges in collection development, a crucial aspect of library management that ensures access to relevant, high-quality resources for medical education and research (Senthurvelmurugan, 2011). In the context of medical college libraries, the gig economy offers LIS professionals the flexibility to work on short-term projects such as digital curation, metadata management, and subscription negotiations (Gussek and Wiesche, 2023). Freelancers and contract librarians can contribute to resource acquisition, licensing, and the integration of digital tools without being tied to traditional full-time employment (Gaikwad and Bilawar, 2023). However, these opportunities also come with challenges, including job insecurity, inconsistent professional development, and difficulties in coordinating long-term collection strategies (Goswami and Biswas, 2011).