How to Become a Librarian

Library Science and Information Management is aOften in schools, librarians will set up attractive displays
growing field that needs enthusiastic employees whofocused on a theme pertinent to their students'
are dedicated to preserving and protecting data in alleducation. You may find yourself working on a
its forms. You may not think of a High Schoolselection of literature appropriate for Black History
Librarian's job as a highly specialized, challenging career,Month, or arranging a display of poetry to honor Emily
but you're wrong.Dickinson.
All schools employ librarians who select and orderOf course, all this takes training, and attending a
books appropriate for their school's student body anduniversity accredited by the American Library
their current collection. As a High School librarian, youAssociation is your first step. Earn a Master's Degree
may find yourself requisitioning audio-visual equipment,in Library Science or Information Management, and pick
new computers, or other materials pertinent to youra specialty. You may decide that elementary schools
school's educational program. Your day to day dutiesattract you more than a traditional library or other
may change with the size of the library you work in. Inacademic environment, and many ALA certified
very large libraries, you may work with a sizable staffcolleges and universities have special programs to
that includes clerks or technical assistants. In moreprepare interested students for Elementary
modest libraries, a head librarian man work alone. InLibrarianship.
High School, students begin to learn researchIf you have a Bachelor's with a strong concentration in
techniques and as their librarian you are ana specific field, like Art History, or Media Studies, there
indispensable resource.are also programs which offer Master's degrees that
You may hold orientation sessions for individual classestrain you for work as a Media Librarian, or as a head
that explain the myriad of technical and traditionalof a museum's special collections. You can take
library resources available to students, or help individualadditional courses in conservation to help preserve
students by suggesting specific sources. Most librariesrare books, or sometimes earn a dual Master's degree
have a selection of Audio-Visual and multimediain Art to aid your career.
materials. Some are educational in nature, others,A librarian doesn't have to sit behind a desk and read
recreational. Perhaps a faculty member wishes toall day - librarianship is an exciting career choice that
show a biopic on Vincent Van Gogh - it's your job toprovides opportunities for growth financially,
ensure that film is available for check out, and inintellectually, and bibliophilic-ally!
working order.