Librarians

Librarians Earnings

Salaries of librarians vary according to the individualŐs qualifications and the type, size, and location of the library. Librarians with primarily administrative duties often have greater earnings. Median annual earnings of librarians in 2002 were $43,090. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,560 and $54,250. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $66,590. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of librarians in 2002 were as follows:

Elementary and secondary schools $45,660
Colleges, universities, and professional schools 45,600
Local government 37,970
Other information services 37,770

The average annual salary for all librarians in the Federal Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $70,238 in 2003.

Nearly one in three librarians is a member of a union or is covered under a union contract.

Librarians Nature of Work

The traditional concept of a library is being redefined from a place to access paper records or books to one that also houses the most advanced media, including CD-ROM, the Internet, virtual libraries, and remote access to a wide range of resources. Consequently, librarians, or information professionals, increasingly are combining traditional duties with tasks involving quickly changing technology. Librarians assist people in finding information and using it effectively for personal and professional purposes. Librarians must have knowledge of a wide variety of scholarly and public information sources and must follow trends related to publishing, computers, and the media in order to oversee the selection and organization of library materials. Librarians manage staff and develop and direct information programs and systems for the public, to ensure that information is organized in a manner that meets usersŐ needs.

Most librarian positions incorporate three aspects of library work: User services, technical services, and administrative services. Still, even librarians specializing in one of these areas have other responsibilities. Librarians in user services, such as reference and childrenŐs librarians, work with patrons to help them find the information they need. The job involves analyzing usersŐ needs to determine what information is appropriate, as well as searching for, acquiring, and providing the information. For example, librarians commonly help users navigate the Internet so they can search for relevant information efficiently. Librarians in technical services, such as acquisitions and cataloguing, acquire and prepare materials for use and often do not deal directly with the public. Librarians in administrative services oversee the management and planning of libraries: negotiate contracts for services, materials, and equipment; supervise library employees; perform public-relations and fundraising duties: prepare budgets; and direct activities to ensure that everything functions properly.

In small libraries or information centers, librarians usually handle all aspects of the work. They read book reviews, publishersŐ announcements, and catalogues to keep up with current literature and other available resources, and they select and purchase materials from publishers, wholesalers, and distributors. Librarians prepare new materials by classifying them by subject matter and describe books and other library materials to make them easy to find. In large libraries, librarians often specialize in a single area, such as acquisitions, cataloguing, bibliography, reference, special collections, or administration. Teamwork is increasingly important to ensure quality service to the public.

Librarians also compile lists of books, periodicals, articles, and audiovisual materials on particular subjects; analyze collections; and recommend materials. They collect and organize books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and other materials in a specific field, such as rare books, genealogy, or music. In addition, they coordinate programs such as storytelling for children and literacy skills and book talks for adults; conduct classes; publicize services; provide reference help; write grants; and oversee other administrative matters.

Librarians are classified according to the type of library in which they work: A public library; school library media center; college, university, or other academic library; or special library. Some librarians work with specific groups, such as children, young adults, adults, or the disadvantaged. In school library media centers, librarians—often called school media specialists—help teachers develop curricula, acquire materials for classroom instruction, and sometimes team teach.

Librarians also work in information centers or libraries maintained by government agencies, corporations, law firms, advertising agencies, museums, professional associations, medical centers, hospitals, religious organizations, and research laboratories. They acquire and arrange an organizationŐs information resources, which usually are limited to subjects of special interest to the organization. These special librarians can provide vital information services by preparing abstracts and indexes of current periodicals, organizing bibliographies, or analyzing background information and preparing reports on areas of particular interest. For example, a special librarian working for a corporation could provide the sales department with information on competitors or new developments affecting the field. A medical librarian may provide information about new medical treatments, clinical trials, and standard procedures to health professionals, patients, consumers, and corporations.

Many libraries have access to remote databases and maintain their own computerized databases. This practice allows patrons to submit information requests to several libraries simultaneously. Librarians must be aware of how to use these resources in order to locate information.

Librarians with computer and information systems skills can work as automated-systems librarians, planning and operating computer systems, and information architect librarians, designing information storage and retrieval systems and developing procedures for collecting, organizing, interpreting, and classifying information. (See the statements on computer support specialists and systems administrators; and systems analysts, computer scientists, and database administrators elsewhere in the Handbook.) The increasing use of automated information systems is enabling librarians to focus on administrative and budgeting responsibilities, grant writing, and specialized research requests, while delegating more technical and user services responsibilities to technicians.

Librarians Job Outlook

Employment of librarians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations over the 2002ř12 period. However, job opportunities are expected to be very good because a large number of librarians are expected to retire in the coming decade, creating many job openings. Also, the number of people going into this profession has fallen in recent years, resulting in more jobs than applicants in some cases. Colleges and universities report the greatest difficulty in hiring librarians, because the pay is often less than the prospective employees can get elsewhere.

Offsetting the need for librarians are government budget cuts and the increasing use of computerized information storage and retrieval systems. Both will result in the hiring of fewer librarians and the replacement of librarians with less costly library technicians. Computerized systems make cataloguing easier, allowing library technicians to perform the work. In addition, many libraries are equipped for users to access library computers directly from their homes or offices. That way, users can bypass librarians altogether and conduct research on their own. However, librarians will still be needed to manage staff, help users develop database-searching techniques, address complicated reference requests, and define usersŐ needs.

Jobs for librarians outside traditional settings will grow the fastest over the decade. Nontraditional librarian jobs include working as information brokers and working for private corporations, nonprofit organizations, and consulting firms. Many companies are turning to librarians because of their research and organizational skills and their knowledge of computer databases and library automation systems. Librarians can review vast amounts of information and analyze, evaluate, and organize it according to a companyŐs specific needs. Librarians also are hired by organizations to set up information on the Internet. Librarians working in these settings may be classified as systems analysts, database specialists and trainers, webmasters or web developers, or local area network (LAN) coordinators.

.

Librarians Significant Points

Librarians Training

A masterŐs degree in library science (MLS) is necessary for librarian positions in most public, academic, and special libraries and in some school libraries. The Federal Government requires an MLS or the equivalent in education and experience. Many colleges and universities offer MLS programs, but employers often prefer graduates of the approximately 56 schools accredited by the American Library Association. Most MLS programs require a bachelorŐs degree; any liberal arts major is appropriate.

Most MLS programs take 1 year to complete; some take 2. A typical graduate program includes courses in the foundations of library and information science, including the history of books and printing, intellectual freedom and censorship, and the role of libraries and information in society. Other basic courses cover the selection and processing of materials, the organization of information, reference tools and strategies, and user services. Courses are adapted to educate librarians to use new resources brought about by advancing technology, such as online reference systems, Internet search methods, and automated circulation systems. Course options can include resources for children or young adults; classification, cataloguing, indexing, and abstracting; library administration; and library automation. Computer-related course work is an increasingly important part of an MLS degree. Some programs offer interdisciplinary degrees combining technical courses in information science with traditional training in library science.

The MLS degree provides general preparation for library work, but some individuals specialize in a particular area, such as reference, technical services, or childrenŐs services. degree in library and information science is advantageous for a college teaching position or for a top administrative job in a college or university library or large library system.

Usually, an MLS also is required of librarians working in special libraries. In addition, most special librarians supplement their education with knowledge of the subject in which they are specializing, sometimes earning a masterŐs, doctoral, or professional degree in the subject. Areas of specialization include medicine, law, business, engineering, and the natural and social sciences. For example, a librarian working for a law firm may also be a licensed attorney, holding both library science and law degrees. In some jobs, knowledge of a foreign language is needed.

State certification requirements for public school librarians vary widely. Most States require school librarians, often called library media specialists, to be certified as teachers and to have had courses in library science. An MLS is needed in some cases, perhaps with a library media specialization, or a masterŐs in education with a specialty in school library media or educational media. Some States require certification of public librarians employed in municipal, county, or regional library systems.

Librarians participate in continuing education and training once they are on the job, in order to keep abreast of new information systems brought about by changing technology.

Experienced librarians can advance to administrative positions, such as department head, library director, or chief information officer.

.

Librarians Employment

Librarians Related Occupations

Librarians play an important role in the transfer of knowledge and ideas by providing people with access to the information they need and want. Jobs requiring similar analytical, organizational, and communicative skills include archivists, curators, and museum technicians; and computer and information scientists, research. School librarians have many duties similar to those of schoolteachers. Librarians are increasingly storing, cataloguing, and accessing information with computers. Other jobs that use similar computer skills include systems analysts, computer scientists, and database administrators.

Librarians Additional Sources

For information on a career as a librarian and information on accredited library education programs and scholarships, contact:

For information on a career as a special librarian, write to:

Information on graduate schools of library and information science can be obtained from:

For information on a career as a law librarian, scholarship information, and a list of ALA-accredited schools offering programs in law librarianship, contact:

For information on employment opportunities for health sciences librarians and for scholarship information, credentialing information, and a list of MLA-accredited schools offering programs in health sciences librarianship, contact:

Information on acquiring a job as a librarian with the Federal Government may be obtained from the Office of Personnel Management through a telephone-based system. Consult your telephone directory under "U.S. GovernmentÓ for a local number, or call (703) 724-1850 (Federal Relay Service (800) 877-8339). The first number is not toll free, and charges may result. Information also is available on the Internet at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov.

Information concerning requirements and application procedures for positions in the Library of Congress can be obtained directly from:

State library agencies can furnish information on scholarships available through their offices, requirements for certification, and general information about career prospects in the particular State of interest. Several of these agencies maintain job hot lines reporting openings for librarians.

State departments of education can furnish information on certification requirements and job opportunities for school librarians.

Librarians Summaries of Related Webpages

We are an independent umbrella association of national library, information, documentation and archive associations and institutions in Europe. We promote unhindered access to information in the digital age and the role of archives and libraries in achieving this goal.
Summary of: http://www.eblida.org/

American Library Association American Society for Information Science - Improving access to information since 1937. Company information includes telephone, address, email and Web address. LibWeb - Updated daily at midnight, Pacific Time. Libweb currently lists over 6600 pages from libraries in over 115 countries. Mentor (Ohio) Public Library Michigan Electronic Library - provides access and organization to thousands of information resources.
Summary of: http://www.refdesk.com/factlib.html

The currently available (old) edition nevertheless still has useful links. Electronic Journals Electronic Journals Links to electronic journals in all subjects. Evaluation of Information Resources Evaluation of Information Resources This page contains pointers to criteria for evaluating information resources, particularly those on the Internet. General Reference General Reference This is an outdated Virtual Library that nevertheless still has useful links. History Journals Guide History Journals Guide The History Journals Guide is an international directory for journals and discussion lists in the fields of history and archaeology.
Summary of: http://vlib.org/InformationManagement

Library and Information Science, Librarianship. Clearinghouse approved LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, LIBRARIANSHIP FINDING INTERNET RESOURCES IN THIS SUBJECT AREA TRAUGOTT KOCH, LUND UNIV. They are searchable in a WAIS-fulltext-database. WAIS The best starting point to search WAIS-databases in a subject area is to use the groups produced by the "Experiment with automatic classification of WAIS databases" (Lund Univ. List, archive, searchable) Job vacancies - Library and Librarianship (NISS) Library Association Record (UK), Vacancies Supplement Aslib Professional Recruitment (commerce, law and industry.
Summary of: http://www.lub.lu.se/netlab/documents/lisres.html

The University of Texas System Digital Library. This material may be reproduced, distributed, or incorporated only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the TILT Open Publication License.
Summary of: http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu/

Austin Public Library's 2005 Summer Reading Program. University Hills Branch hosts an afternoon of art, music, and poetry on Saturday, June 11. Be a part of the MayorŐs Book Club with "East Austin StoriesÓŃa celebration of East Austin stories and storytellers. New book lists for teens are available, prepared by Wired for Youth librarians. Human Rights Video Project series completed, videos are available for checkout.
Summary of: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/

Click Here for More Information and to Register . This new online library staff training and development resource offers FLA members an extensive selection of online learning opportunities at a significant discount. FLA e-Learning Services are available from Element Kĺ¨, a nationally recognized business and technology educational resource, through a partnership agreement with SEFLIN Inc. SEFLIN Library Card Program is Now Online Library Card Issues and Uses Will Now Be Recorded Online The SEFLIN Library Card Program is now administered through a new Web site. SEFLIN Logos Available for Linking and Print Use Members are Encouraged to Display the Logos SEFLIN provides logos for use by member libraries on Web sites and on print materials.
Summary of: http://www.seflin.org/

Anonymous Patron writes "A neat Report On Google Maps. The objective is to ensure that the digital collection is available, in the public domain, for no-fee permanent public access through the FDLP. Vikas Kamat writes "Library and Open Access leader Dr. King will turn 80 on September 16th. King Museum in his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi.
Summary of: http://www.lisnews.com/

Back to Index