Related Career Categories

• Assistant Teacher
• Child Care Provider
• Coach
• College Administrator
• College Librarian
• College Professor
• Curriculum Developer
• Elementary Teacher
• High School Teacher
• Independent Teacher
• Kindergarten Teacher
• Librarian
• Library Assistant
• Middle-School Teacher
• Preschool Administrator
• Preschool Teacher
• Principal
• Program Administrator
• School Administrator
• School Counselor
• School Librarian
• Special Education Teacher

School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Career: "I was surprised to find that I could get a career in library science with just a B.A. in English. A degree in English is a gateway to a lot of other career areas, such as law and education. Also, it is a good foundation for going into graduate studies."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"the best part of my job? I love the story times. I work with infants to 5 year olds at story times and it is so great to watch them grow up and enjoy silly rhymes, books, and music. It's like being a children's celebrity for local pre-schoolers. If I go to the store, I always see kids I know who are so excited to see me! It's so rewarding to me. I also love the variety of people, working with diverse races, religions, people who all come together around books and reading. Plus, everything is free to everyone...and there just aren't that many places that can say that. The worst part of my job is the vigilance it requires. Because we serve the public, anyone is allowed to use the library, which is great, except on occasion when you have some criminals, especially former child sex offenders, using the library during story time. That can get creepy. Occasionally we have to kick people off of computers or out of the library for illicit activities: looking at pornography in a place where minors have access, belligerent and aggressive behavior, gang-related tagging -- of graffiti -- in the bathrooms, etc."

"I simply love working with the children, preparing and especially presenting the storytime programs for their education and enjoyment. It is a true delight to watch a child get turned onto reading and the world of books. Of course the love of reading results in lots of books being checked out (hurrah!) and later returned in a massive pile that needs to be collected, checked in, sorted, and then replaced on the shelves. While the sheer number of books circulated each day is massive, after a holiday weekend, it is absolutely daunting!"

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"1. Read what you like, and read a lot .... people love a personal recommendation. 2. If possible, get an ALA certified Master's degree (there are no bachelor's degrees for Library Science) and become a librarian. Librarian's get paid about 25% more for the same work as Library Assistants. 3. Volunteer at a library or ask to do an internship, even though it's unpaid. You will get a great idea of the work, and it looks great on college applications and resumes even if you decide it's not for you!"

"1. 99% of the public library workers' tasks are simple customer service. If you are not a people person, or do not have people skills, consider another aspect of librarianship. Researcher. Cataloger. 2. Librarians, especially those desiring to work with young children, should understand the developmental stages of children and what capabilities they have. Take early childhood development classes as part of your undergraduate electives. Or if you prefer to work with teens, take classes in understanding an adolescent's mental and physical growth processes. 3. Enjoy books and love reading!"