Librarians

Summary

Librarians help patrons find the information they need.

Quick Facts: Librarians
2010 Median Pay	$54,500 per year $26.20 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Master’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	156,100
Job Outlook, 2010-20	7% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	10,800

What Librarians Do

Librarians help people find information from many sources. They maintain library collections and do other work as needed to keep the library running.

Work Environment

Most librarians work in schools, colleges, or public libraries. Most work full time.

How to Become a Librarian

Most librarians need a master’s degree in library science. Some positions have additional requirements, such as a teaching certificate or a degree in another field.

Pay

The median annual wage of librarians was $54,500 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of librarians is expected to grow by 7 percent from 2010 to 2020, which is slower than average for all occupations. There may be competition for librarian positions, but those with library science training may be able to use those skills in other settings.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of librarians with similar occupations.

O*NET

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about librarians by contacting these additional resources.

What Librarians Do

Librarians organize library materials so they are easy to find.

Librarians help people find information from many sources. Most librarians, such as those in public and academic libraries, maintain library collections and do other work as needed to keep the library running.

Duties

Librarians typically do the following:

• Help library patrons find the information they need
• Organize library materials so they are easy to find
• Plan programs for different groups, such as storytelling for young children
• Develop and index databases of library materials
• Read book reviews, publishers' announcements, and catalogs to see what is available
• Choose new books, audio books, videos, and other materials for the library
• Research and buy new computers and other equipment as needed for the library
• Train and direct library technicians, assistants, and other support staff
• Prepare library budgets

In small libraries, librarians are often responsible for many or all aspects of library operations. They may manage a staff of library assistants and technicians. In larger libraries, librarians usually focus on a specific area, such as user services, technical services, or administrative services.

Librarians working in user services help patrons find the information they need. They listen to what patrons are looking for and help them research the subject using both electronic and print resources. User services librarians also teach patrons how to use library resources to find information on their own. This may include familiarizing patrons with catalogs of print materials, helping them access and search digital libraries, or educating them on Internet search techniques.

Technical services librarians get, prepare, and classify library materials. They organize materials to make it easy for patrons to find information. These librarians are less likely to work directly with the public.

Librarians in administrative services manage libraries. They hire and supervise staff, prepare budgets, and negotiate contracts for library materials and equipment. Some conduct public relations or fundraising for the library.

Librarians who work in different settings sometimes have different job duties. The following are examples of types of librarians:

School librarians, sometimes called school media specialists, work in elementary, middle, and high school libraries and teach students how to use library resources. They also help teachers develop lesson plans and find materials for classroom instruction.

Special librarians work in settings other than school or public libraries. They are sometimes called information professionals. Law firms, hospitals, businesses, museums, government agencies, and many other groups have their own libraries with special librarians. The main purpose of these libraries and information centers is to serve the information needs of the organization that houses the library. Therefore, special librarians collect and organize materials focused on those subjects. The following are examples of special librarians:

• Government librarians provide research services and access to information for government staff and the public.
• Law librarians help lawyers, law students, judges, and law clerks locate and organize legal resources.
• Medical librarians help health professionals, patients, and researchers find health and science information. They may provide information about new clinical trials and medical treatments and procedures, teach medical students how to locate medical information, or answer consumers' health questions.  

Work Environment

Librarians plan outreach programs targeted toward different groups, such as story time for children.

Librarians held about 156,100 jobs in 2010. About 60 percent were employed by public and private educational institutions. Another 28 percent were employed by local government.

Librarians work indoors. Some have private offices, but those in smaller libraries may share work space with others.

The following industries employed the most librarians in 2010:

Work Schedules

Most librarians work full time, although opportunities exist for part-time work. In 2010, 26 percent of librarians worked part time. Public and academic librarians often work on weekends and evenings and may work on some holidays. School librarians usually have the same work and vacation schedules as teachers, including summers off. Librarians in special libraries, such as law or corporate libraries, typically work normal business hours but may need to work longer hours to help meet deadlines.

How to Become a Librarian

Some librarians assist patrons with research.

Most librarians need a master’s degree in library science. Some positions have additional requirements, such as a teaching certificate or a degree in another field.

Education

A bachelor’s degree is needed to enter a graduate program in library science, but any undergraduate major is accepted. Colleges and universities have different names for their library science programs. They are often called Master’s in Library Science (MLS) programs but sometimes have other names, such as Master of Information Studies or Master of Library and Information Studies. Many colleges offer library science programs, but, as of 2011, only 56 programs in the United States were accredited by the American Library Association. A degree from an accredited program may lead to better job opportunities.

A master’s degree in library science usually takes 1 to 2 years to complete. The coursework usually covers selecting and processing library materials, organizing information, research methods and strategies, online reference systems, and Internet search methods.

Librarians working in a special library, such as a law or corporate library, usually supplement a master’s degree in library science with knowledge of their specialized field. They may earn a master's or professional degree or a Ph.D. in that subject.

Licenses and Certification

Most states require certification or licensure for librarians in public schools. This often includes being certified as a teacher in that state. Many states also require certification for librarians in public libraries. Requirements vary by state. Contact your state’s licensing board for specific requirements.

Important Qualities

Active learning. New information, technology, and resources constantly change the details of what librarians do. They must be able and willing to continually update their knowledge on these changes to be effective at their jobs in the varying circumstances.

Communication skills. Librarians need to be strong communicators. They need to be able to understand other people’s written and spoken thoughts and to respond clearly.

Computer skills. Librarians use computers to help patrons research topics. They also use computers to classify resources, create databases, and perform administrative duties.

Interpersonal skills. Librarians must be able to work both as part of a team and with the public or with researchers.

Problem-solving skills. Librarians conduct and assist with research. This requires being able to identify a problem, figure out where to find information, and draw conclusions based on the information found.

Reading comprehension. All librarians must be excellent readers. Those working in special libraries continually read the latest literature in their field of specialization.

Pay

The median annual wage of librarians was $54,500 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half of the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,590, and the top 10 percent earned more than $83,510.

Most librarians work full time, although opportunities exist for part-time work. In 2010, 26 percent of librarians worked part time. Public and academic librarians often work on weekends and evenings and may work on some holidays. School librarians usually have the same work and vacation schedules as teachers, including summers off. Librarians in special libraries, such as law or corporate libraries, typically work normal business hours but may need to work longer hours to help meet deadlines.

Job Outlook

Employment of librarians is expected to grow by 7 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations.

There will continue to be a need for librarians to manage libraries and staff and help patrons find information. As electronic resources become more common, patrons and support staff will be more comfortable using them, so fewer librarians will be needed for assistance. However, the increased availability of electronic information is also expected to increase the demand for librarians in research and special libraries, where they will be needed to help sort through the large amount of available information.

Budget limitations, especially in local government and educational services, may slow demand for librarians. Some libraries may close, reduce the size of their staff, or focus on hiring library technicians and assistants, who can fulfill some librarian duties at a lower cost.

Job Prospects

Jobseekers may face strong competition for jobs, especially early in the decade, as many people with master’s degrees in library science compete for a limited number of available positions. Later in the decade, prospects should be better as older library workers retire and population growth generates openings.

Even though people with a master’s in library science may have trouble finding a job as a librarian, their research and analytical skills are valuable for jobs in a variety of other fields, such as market researchers or computer and information systems managers.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about librarians, including accredited library education programs, visit

American Library Association

For information about medical librarians, visit

Medical Library Association

For information about law librarians, visit

American Association of Law Libraries

For information about many different types of special librarians, visit

Special Libraries Association