Librarian Schools and Career Info

Things you need to know, but nobody tells you

I was surprised by how much more goes on in a library other than books just being on shelves and people checking books in and out. There is a...[full comment]

I was surprised to find out how enjoyable working in a library setting could be. I may not be a genius in every topic in the world, but I love...[full comment]

I'm most surprised by the fact that there is no formal training for this job. It helps to have a vast knowledge of music and be fluent in at least...[full comment]

The best part of my career is being surrounded by information and enthusiastic coworkers who enjoy being in a library as much as I do. I love learning new pieces...[full comment]

1. If you are interested in pursuing a MLIS, work in a library as a student or volunteer some time before deciding, and learn as much as you can. Decide...[full comment]

The best part of my job is helping people and knowing that I am supporting the scholarship of art history and meeting people from all over the world. The worst...[full comment]

Join a professional organization related to libraries and/or archives. There are lots of these, but the most popular is the American Library Association. If you cannot find a job in...[full comment]

 
 

School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Each comment from a librarian includes their career and school satisfaction ratings.

Career: "I was surprised by how much more goes on in a library other than books just being on shelves and people checking books in and out. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes like processing new materials, budgeting the collection and weeding out older materials."

School: Studied Criminal Justice at Cleveland State University in Ohio; completed Bachelor degree in 2005.
Career: Library Circulation Supervisor, male, 11 years of experience, currently based in Ohio.

Career: "I was surprised to find out how enjoyable working in a library setting could be. I may not be a genius in every topic in the world, but I love helping students find and gather information for their various papers and assignments."

School: Studied Theology at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee; completed Bachelor degree in 2011.
Career: Library Supervisor, male, 1 years of experience, currently based in Tennessee.

Career: "I'm most surprised by the fact that there is no formal training for this job. It helps to have a vast knowledge of music and be fluent in at least one musical instrument."

School: Studied Music Performance (Piano) at Indiana University Jacobs School Of Music in Indiana; completed Master degree in 2000.
Career: Orchestra Librarian, female, 15 years of experience, currently based in Washington.

Best & Worst Things About This Career

As reported by people currently doing the job

"The best part of my job is helping people and knowing that I am supporting the scholarship of art history and meeting people from all over the world. The worst part of my job is that not everyone I help says "thank you" and it can be frustrating to do so much work without receiving any acknowledgment! Another bad part of my job is that people want information in a hurry and we cannot always provide them what they need very fast, even when we try."

School : BA, Art History, San Diego State University MLIS, University of California, Los Angeles
Career: Librarian, currently based in California.;

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

Helpful Info From Insiders

"Join a professional organization related to libraries and/or archives. There are lots of these, but the most popular is the American Library Association. If you cannot find a job in the library you would like to work in, ask if you can volunteer. The more people you meet in the profession the better, but many fields of endeavor are small worlds of their own and you will learn that many people know each other. Therefore always be nice to EVERYONE you meet. You never know who you may have to work with in the future or who might help you get a job."

School : BA, Art History, San Diego State University MLIS, University of California, Los Angeles
Career: Librarian, currently based in California.;