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Traditionally, school librarians managed the distribution of printed information within a limited community. Over the years, the job description for school librarians has expanded to become a multifaceted and exciting career with near endless scope. If you are considering a job in library science, read on to see what exciting opportunities await. School Librarian: Information Concierge Much more than the traditional Dewey decimal system subscribers, school librarians unite students with information using the most advanced resources available. School librarians are creative and thoughtful people who love to help others. They have great research skills, and love to share their passion for learning with the students they work with. As new technologies are created and mainstreamed, librarians create systems that provide the information in an organized manner to meet student needs. Some school librarian responsibilities include the following: - Analyzing school and student needs to determine appropriate informational sources
- Finding reliable source information and distributing it
- Classifying information in a user-friendly way
- Writing summaries and abstracts
- Showing students and teachers how to access information
- Overseeing library management and administration
- Supervising employees and volunteers
- Fundraising and public relations
- Managing a budget
Shhh, You're in a Library As soon as you walk in, you will notice the relaxed but focused atmosphere of most school libraries. Librarians and patrons work together, immersed in searches. Stimulated minds solve mysteries and learn skills in comfortable chairs and workspaces. A school librarian's work place is one of constant discovery and interaction. Using the most current technologies, librarians spend most of their time helping students troll the Internet and locate printed materials for resources and information. Research requires a considerable amount of time viewing computer monitors and walking students to source locations. Libraries often have volunteer staff to aid in sorting and shelving materials, as well as other responsibilities; however, lifting and shelving books and climbing ladders to access upper stacks is usually part of the job. School Librarians Enjoy Vacation Benefits According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual salaries for entry level school librarians range from $30,930 to $74,670 per year. Library administration positions often deliver higher earning potential than assistant or associate positions. The annual mean salary for school librarians in 2006 was as follows: - elementary and secondary school librarians: $50,710
- community college librarians: $52,030
- college and university librarians: $51,160
School librarians, like most teachers, enjoy holiday and vacation time that most careers do not offer. While many of these full-time opportunities exist for qualified library teachers, there are a significant number of part-time jobs available as well. If you are interested in working in an educational setting without the struggles of daily lesson plans and lectures, becoming a school librarian could be for you.
Library Teacher Training and Certification Certification requirements for library teachers vary among states. Some require a bachelor's degree and regular state teacher certification. Others require library teachers to have a master's degree in library science or a master's degree in education (MEd). Master's programs in library science and education prepare you for the job in different ways. A library science degree will prepare you for library jobs outside of the educational system, while an education degree will better equip you to move into other teaching positions in your school. Check your local Department of Education for more information on requirements in your area and choose your major based on your career goals. If you choose a library science program, you are sure to take classes in the following disciplines: - foundations of library and information science
- intellectual freedom and censorship
- cataloguing and indexing
- research strategies
- customer / user service
- online reference systems
- Internet search methods
- automated circulation systems
- library administration
If learning and sharing knowledge excite you, then a career as a school librarian could be the perfect fit. The work is intriguing and gratifying as you discover new insights and inspire young minds, searching for answers to the unlimited variety of questions posed by students. Your reward is the great sense of accomplishment you'll get every time you solve a young person's mystery and expand his or her world. |
