Librarian Job Description
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 electronic resources, including the Internet, digital libraries, and remote access to a wide range of information sources. Consequently, librarians, often called information professionals, increasingly combine traditional duties with tasks involving quickly changing technology. Librarians help people find information and use it effectively for personal and professional purposes. They 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 and ensure that information is organized in a manner that meets users’ needs.

Most librarian positions focus on one of three aspects of library work: user services, technical services, and administrative services. Still, even librarians specializing in one of these areas have other responsibilities, too. Librarians in user services, such as reference and children’s librarians, work with patrons to help them find the information they need. The job involves analyzing users’ needs to determine what information is appropriate and searching for, acquiring, and providing the information. The job also includes an instructional role, such as showing users how to find information. For example, librarians commonly help users navigate the Internet so they can search for and evaluate information efficiently. Librarians in technical services, such as acquisitions and cataloguing, acquire, prepare, and classify materials so that patrons can find it easily. Some write abstracts and summaries. Often, these librarians do not deal directly with the public. Librarians in administrative services oversee the management and planning of libraries: they 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.

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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. Librarians in special libraries work in information centers or libraries maintained by government agencies or corporations, law firms, advertising agencies, museums, professional associations, unions, medical centers, hospitals, religious organizations, and research laboratories. They acquire and arrange an organization’s information resources, which usually are limited to subjects of special interest to the organization. They 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. Government document librarians, who work for government agencies and depository libraries in each of the States, preserve government publications, records, and other documents that make up a historical record of government actions.

More and more, librarians apply their information management and research skills to arenas outside of libraries—for example, database development, reference tool development, information systems, publishing, Internet coordination, marketing, Web content management and design, and training of database users. Entrepreneurial librarians sometimes start their own consulting practices, acting as freelance librarians or information brokers and providing services to other libraries, businesses, or government agencies.

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Librarianship Education and Training
The requirements for a career in librarianship vary according to your career path. Librarians, Library Managers, and Library Directors generally require a Master of library science degree, preferable ALA accredited. School librarians will also need a teaching certificate. Librarian candidates should have work experience prior to graduating from the MLS program. This can be either paid or volunteer work. Library Managers are typically required to have 4 to 10 years of experience as a librarian and a couple of years of supervisory experience. Library Directors are typically required to have 10 years of experience as a librarian and 5 years of managerial or administrative experience. Specific requirements vary based on employers.

Skills required of a library professional include but are not limited to:

Ability to think analytically and to develop new or revised systems, procedures, and work flow
Knowledge of computers, the internet, and commercially available library software
Knowledge of a foreign language for communities with non-English speaking populations
Creativity to develop and implement library programs and services
Ability to motivate, establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, supervisors, volunteers, other community agencies and the public

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Librarian Career Outlook
Employment of librarians is expected to grow by 4 percent between 2006 and 2016, but job opportunities are still expected to be favorable because a large number of librarians are expected to retire in the coming decade. In fact, more than 2 out of 3 librarians are aged 45 or older.

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 company’s 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.

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Librarian Salary
Salaries of librarians vary according to the individual’s qualifications and the type, size, and location of the library. Librarians with primarily administrative duties often have greater earnings. According to a 2008 salary survey conducted by the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), librarian salaries ranged from $22,000 to $331,200. The mean salary for librarians was $58,960.

Librarian Professional Organizations

American Library Association (ALA)