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Careers in Library Science
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Overview
Careers in library science are more varied than ever before. Librarians and information specialists work in a variety of settings from public libraries to corporations.
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Types of Libraries
There are basically four types of libraries: academic, public, school, and special. Academic libraries are found at colleges and universities. Public libraries are open to the public and are supported by local governments. School libraries are found in K-12 schools. Special libraries include corporate libraries, medical libraries, law libraries, music libraries, and others found in museums, hospitals, the government, and more.
Librarians usually have training specific to their type of library. Law librarians, for example, sometimes have a law degree in addition to a Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) degree, while school librarians often are required to have a teaching certificate as well as their M.L.S. degree.
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Types of Jobs
There are several types of jobs within a library. Library pages shelve books and may check books back into the library. These are usually part-time jobs that pay $5 to $8 an hour. Library assistants perform clerical tasks, such as checking materials in and out, collecting fines, answering phones, and issuing library cards. Library assistants typically earn from $8 to $15 an hour.
Professional librarians usually have a master's degree in library science . They assist patrons with research questions, make evaluations about which items in the library collection to buy or discard, teach patrons how to use computers and databases, as well as perform specialized tasks. Some librarians are reference librarians, for example, while others specialize in child and young-adult literature. Any job within a library will depend on the type of library, its size, and its use.
Salaries depend on the librarian's qualifications and responsibilities and on the size and location of the library. In general, professional full-time librarians earn anywhere between $30,000 and $60,000 per year. Library directors or managers can earn up to $175,000 per year.
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Other Library Specialties
There are other types of library specializations as well. Archivists, for example, are librarians who establish and maintain control over valuable records. They may work in libraries, museums, governments, and other settings. Archivists usually receive training in both library science and history. Catalogers, on the other hand, specialize in organizing, marking, and classifying information within a library. Catalogers work with all types of materials, from books to videos to CDs to periodicals.
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Information Careers
Careers in library science also include careers in information science. Some careers available in information science include Web designers, digital asset managers, information architects, and knowledge managers. Visit www.asis.org for more information on information science.
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Career Outlook
According to The Occupational Outlook Handbook (2008-09), employment of librarians is expected to grow by 4 percent between 2006 and 2016. The handbook also notes that more than 2 out of 3 librarians are aged 45 or older, which will result in many job openings due to retirements in the next decade.
