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Librarian

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AVG. SALARY

$51,990

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EDUCATION

Master's degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Career Video

Insider Info

As you might expect, librarians tend to love books. But that doesn't mean they spend their days reading!

"If the perception that librarians sit around reading all day persists, it's very, very wrong," says library director Ed Goyda. "The introverted stereotype has also been inverted -- people skills are among the most valuable things I look for when hiring."

Librarians have a wide range of duties. They develop, organize and maintain library collections and help library patrons. They perform manual and online reference searches, arrange inter-library loans and supervise other library employees, such as technicians, assistants and clerks.

"Modern librarianship is an exciting and dynamic career," says librarian Joanna Aegard. "Libraries are moving away from being static collections where people obtain knowledge to [being] dynamic community spaces where people get together to create new knowledge."

Some librarians specialize in particular collections. Others work in information management areas, where they maintain websites or provide training in Internet resources.

In smaller libraries, one or two librarians may have a wide range of duties. In larger libraries, librarians may specialize in one or more areas. These librarians often have different job titles, such as reference librarian, electronic services librarian or instruction librarian.

"An orientation towards public service is critical," says Goyda. "Other qualities can vary depending on where people are headed in the profession -- management skills for administration, abilities to work with children for children's services, attention to detail for technical services."

Sometimes books don't get returned, or come back damaged or destroyed. When this happens, librarians record the titles of the books and reorder the same title or a similar publication as a replacement.

Librarians also order newly published books. Before they complete the order, librarians read review journals or ask patrons what books they would like to see in the library. The librarian then has to choose which books the library can afford to buy according to its budget.

Librarians are in charge of a variety of other tasks, such as overseeing cataloging and re-shelving books. They also attend meetings where they decide on new orders, make category changes and organize literacy promotion events in the community.

There are challenging aspects to the job. Libraries have rules that need to be enforced.

"Public libraries are open to everyone, and occasionally someone's behavior requires me to confront them and enforce our behavior policy," says Aegard.

People skills are essential. "It doesn't matter how good you are at finding things or cataloguing books, you need to be able to interact with people," says Chris Taylor, a library director in Ohio.

Computers have become essential research tools, so librarians must keep up with advances in technology. They must know how to keep the computers running and be able to show patrons how to use them.

"I get a great deal of job satisfaction when I help someone learning something new," says Aegard. "For example, I spend a lot of time helping people download ebooks, and also provide Facebook coaching."

"The ability to provide the digital content our users expect is a major challenge for us," says Ryan Livergood, a library director in Arlington, Massachusetts.

"Technology is emerging at such a rapid pace that it is difficult to accurately predict future trends, but what is almost certain is that future librarians will need the skills necessary to deal with these rapid changes."

Experienced librarians often become library directors. This makes them responsible for managerial issues such as budgeting and staffing.

There are many types of libraries. Librarians might work in public, government, corporate, university or school libraries, or in private collections or bookmobiles. Some of these libraries are large enough to contain millions of books and miles of shelving. Others contain only a few stacks of books to serve a tiny community.

All of a librarian's work is done indoors. Library directors usually work in an office, while reference librarians usually work at the reference or information desk. Other librarians may oversee the circulation desk or work at a computer terminal.

Library directors, and others who don't work in the public service areas of the library, generally work from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday. Reference librarians usually work one evening per week and one weekend per month.

It is possible for a physically challenged person to work in a library.

Librarians should be good communicators. They need to be comfortable answering questions and helping people. They also need to be able to explain clearly where a patron can find certain information.

Aegard offers these suggestions for a young person considering a career in librarianship:

  • Get to know the staff at your local library.
  • Take a librarian out for lunch and ask them about their job.
  • Look into free educational opportunities offered by library associations -- there are a lot of free webinars and other online learning opportunities available.
  • Read blogs written by librarians, follow them on social media and join the conversation.

Just the Facts

Want a quick overview of what this career is about?Check out Just the Facts for simple lists of characteristics.

At a Glance

Develop, organize and maintain library collections

  • Librarians are becoming more familiar with online searching techniques
  • In larger libraries, librarians may specialize
  • You'll need a master's degree in library science

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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