How much do librarians make? What’s the national average salary for librarians? A librarian is a person who has received training in the field of information science. A librarian assists individuals in need of useful articles and services while also maintaining and arranging such resources, whether at a school, a neighborhood library, or even for the government.
What is a librarian?
Librarians are in charge of a huge quantity of material, ranging from the traditional administration of books and periodicals to more current tasks such as audio and video recordings and digital resources.
Public service librarians, reference and research librarians, technical service librarians, collections development librarians, archivists, systems librarians, electronic resources librarians, outreach librarians, and school librarians are all types of librarians in today’s world. The main responsibilities of each class are listed below.
From the traditional administration of books and periodicals to more current responsibilities including audio and video recordings and digital resources, librarians are in charge of a large quantity of information.
Public Service Librarians
Work with the public in a variety of local libraries across the world. They provide appropriate material for every age group, from children to adults. A public service librarian promotes reading proficiency, and many libraries provide early learning programs for children. Often seen in public libraries. They often catalog, index and classify library materials.
Reference and Research Librarians
Librarians who specialize in assisting with research are known as reference and research librarians. An interview with the person requesting research assistance is frequently conducted in order to help arrange the materials and services that will be required for the study. A reference and research librarian will lead you to the appropriate database and how to utilize it, as well as where to find and organize any specialist items you’ll need.
Technical Service Librarians
Technical Support Librarians are the people in charge of ordering materials, subscriptions, and any other equipment the library requires. New materials will be supervised by librarians in this section, who will oversee their processing and categorization. This role requires excellent organizational abilities, as well as good communication skills and a keen interest in research.
Archivists
Often, archivists are specialist librarians. They deal with a wide range of manuscripts, papers, and records, depending on the nation or location. There are various ways to get into this field, and the responsibilities differ by country.
Systems Librarians
Systems Librarians are in charge of maintaining the library’s various systems. They frequently debug and build library cataloging systems, as well as resolve any difficulties that emerge. Systems librarians should have a strong computer background because they are in charge of maintaining the computer systems that are utilized for record keeping.
Electronic Resources Librarians
Resources on the Internet Librarians are in charge of the databases that are licensed from third-party providers. Licensing experience for electronic resources such as individual journals, databases, and e-books will be required by librarians in this sector. They’ll also require excellent troubleshooting abilities and a thorough understanding of how to use these tools. Given the huge number of resources to be managed in this sector, the capacity to acquire, assemble, and evaluate use statistics is highly needed. Sometimes found in law school libraries and law firms.
Outreach Librarians
Outreach Librarians are in charge of marketing library resources and services, as well as striving to improve students’ research skills. This group of librarians will participate in campus social networking forums, visit resident halls, and even construct real and virtual exhibits. Because this class of librarians will be working directly with students to assist them to advance their education, excellent communication skills are definitely recommended.
School Librarians
Directly assist students with their educational requirements, using cutting-edge information technology as well as conventional resources. This group of librarians will work with students, instructing them on how to utilize the library’s systems and selecting appropriate items for study and learning. School librarians aid in the promotion of student education by assisting instructors in the development of curricula and the acquisition of classroom resources. Can be seen in elementary and secondary schools.
Medical Librarians
Medical librarians are responsible for assisting people in gaining access to information related to medical sciences and health care. They work in places like hospitals, insurance firms, medical colleges, and other places that deal with medical data. Sometimes referred to as administrative services librarians in other business settings.
Catalog Librarians
Maintain track of all serials in the library, such as magazines, journals, and periodicals, as well as all of the library’s subscriptions to these publications. They’ll stamp everything new that comes in, add a strip to make it beep if it’s taken out of the library, strengthen the binding if required, and shelve it. They’ll also get rid of outdated publications.
Sit down with a book and identify the following: author, title, publishing date, publication location, edition, ISBN number, illustrations, subject, size, and so on. The catalog librarian then converts the information into MARC format, which allows the library catalog to find the book you’re looking for when you do a search.
Information Librarians
Information librarians, sometimes known as “special” librarians, operate in a variety of contexts, including law libraries, private companies, hospitals, and museums. In addition to their core responsibilities, some information librarians take on the position of archivist or curator of special collections (of books and other assets).
This is the least frequent job option for library science masters graduates, accounting for just 5% of all working librarians in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information librarians earn an average yearly income of $56,370.
Job outlook for a librarian
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for librarians is anticipated to be 6% over the next decade, which is about average for all occupations. This job will continue to be in demand as communities around the country become more reliant on these experts for knowledge. Because older librarians will continue to retire, younger librarians will have fresh opportunities to gain experience and develop their talents in libraries.
How to become a librarian
Here’s how to become a librarian.
Earn a bachelor’s degree
To begin, obtain a bachelor’s degree from an authorized institution. Librarians can major in a variety of fields, including history, education, natural sciences, and engineering. Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, which is the minimum accepted by most graduate programs. The majority of bachelor’s degree programs last four years.
Find a specialty
Then, find out what kinds of librarian jobs you might be interested in. To learn as much as possible, combine internet research with in-person networking and informational interviews. You can work as a public librarian, a school librarian, an academic librarian, a digital librarian, a law librarian, or any of a variety of different sorts of specialized librarians.
Apply to get a master’s degree
Look for the proper graduate school for you after choosing what sort of librarian career you want to pursue. A Master of Library and Information Sciences (MLIS) degree from a recognized university is required by most companies. Inquire about the program’s specialization and average work placements while you investigate graduate schools.
Earn a master’s degree
After that, finish your graduate school program. Students in an MLIS (Master’s in Library Science) degree must complete 36 semester hours of study, which includes general library and information sciences courses as well as optional seminars on contemporary topics. Some MLIS programs additionally require students to perform internships or large research projects as part of their coursework. The majority of MLIS programs last one to two years.
The American Library Association accredits master’s degree programs in library and information studies.
Receive your certification
Before working as a librarian, you can need to be certified, depending on the profession you choose to pursue. Public school librarians, for example, require a teaching certificate, whereas some public librarians require state accreditation to do their duties. Before applying for positions, check with your state’s licensing agency to confirm the criteria.
A teacher’s credential is generally required for public school librarians and library media specialists. A standardized test, such as the PRAXIS II Library Media Specialist test, is required in several states for school librarians. For further information about your state’s requirements, contact the department of education in your state.
How much does a librarian make (average librarian salary)
In the United States, librarians earn an average of $27.15 per hour. The average librarian pay in the United States ranges from $7.25 to $63.75 per hour. The income potential of librarians is influenced by factors such as their geographic location, experience level, education level, and emphasis area.
Further information librarian salary ranges
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated a broad range of prospective librarian wages, as shown above. External link, with median wages of $58,520 per year in 2017, equating to roughly $28.14 per hour. We’re generally talking about masters-holding professional librarians in academic institutions or government agencies when we talk about how much librarians make each year.
Library clerks or technicians, and, to a lesser extent, curators and archivists, are among the many additional occupations that fall under the wider umbrella of librarianship.
These occupations often pay less than librarian roles that need a master’s degree in library science. The key elements that determine the earning potential of a profession in library science are described below.
Other emerging librarian job titles:
- Library media specialist
- University librarian
- Academic librarians
- Corporate librarians
- Library technicians
- Law librarians
Librarian salaries by state
- Alabama: $58,125 per year
- Alaska: $28.51 per hour
- Arizona: $52,261 per year
- Arkansas: $46,700 per year
- California: $51.53 per hour
- Colorado: $23.42 per hour
- Connecticut: $25.17 per hour
- District of Columbia: $88,386 per year
- Florida: $26.32 per hour
- Georgia: $49,358 per year
- Illinois: $23.80 per hour
- Indiana: $46,071 per year
- Iowa: $14.42 per hour
- Kansas: $42,409 per year
- Louisiana: $47,242 per year
- Maryland: $60,284 per year
- Massachusetts: $61,927 per year
- Michigan: $19.18 per hour
- Missouri: $45,054 per year
- Nevada: $52,227 per year
- New York: $54,812 per year
- North Carolina: $26.47 per hour
- North Dakota: $49,287 per year
- Ohio: $51,470 per year
- Oregon: $25.82 per hour
- South Carolina: $48,644 per year
- Tennessee: $44,860 per year
- Texas: $46,513 per year
- Utah: $14.93 per hour
- Virginia: $60,952 per year
- Washington: $60,482 per year
- Wisconsin: $52,001 per year
- Wyoming: $43,015 per year
Job market outlook for a librarian
Although much has been said regarding librarians’ future relevance in light of the current emphasis on technology, librarians are anticipated to see job growth of approximately 9% from 2016 to 2026, which is on line with the average career’s expected job growth. Librarians, curators, and archivists will be among the tenth most in-demand occupations between now and 2030.
Although future librarians can have different fundamental job duties, with a greater emphasis on the technological aspects of their jobs, librarianship is undoubtedly here to stay.
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