Librarians are guardians and broadcasters of knowledge. They organize information and have to constantly develop new ways in which readers can access to it through the latest technologies. Are you considering becoming a librarian?
Libraries tend to be a space for peace and tranquility, a place in which people can think and let their knowledge grow. But, apart from its users, there is an essential figure in the functioning of these places: the librarians. Librarians are responsible for keeping the place coordinated and offering different activities every day. Have you ever wondered what the librarian profession is like? Do you know which careers you would need to follow in order to be a librarian? In this article, we will review the basic things that are required for being good at this profession. You will be surprised to find out that there are a lot of skills that are required. In the past, it was a common misconception that librarians didn’t need to be very skilled as it was seen as a simple job. This has changed a lot during the last decade due to the unstoppable advances of technology.
Even though it may seem as a very “static” function, not everyone is prepared for working in a library. These are just some of the essential skills that are required for a professional in documentation:
- To have a marked interest for culture in general, and reading in particular.
- Communication skills for working face to face with the users on daily basis.
- Skills for managing and organizing information.
- Creativity for the organization of activities at the library.
- A sense of self-taught and predisposition for adapting to changes.
But, what does a librarian actually do? Do they organize books and keep track of loans? Do they organize and promote reading clubs and activities? In fact, these are some of the functions of library development, but they are not the only ones:
- A librarian is the main person responsible for the catalogue and for keeping the records of the book’s loans.
- A librarian controls the availability of spaces, times, and materials.
- A librarian reviews how all material is ordered periodically.
- A librarian promotes new acquisitions: books, movies, music, etc.
- A librarian develops the activities’ program and watches for its compliance.
- A librarian is in charge of making lists for acquiring funds.
- A librarian is up to date with the announcements that affect the library.
- A librarian gathers information about the use of funds, spaces, loans, and necessities.
- A librarian makes the presentation of the library to the users.
Apart from these basic functions, to really excel as a librarian, you will need some of the skills that are very relative to XXI Century jobs: the ability to solve complex problems, critical thinking in order to discern between good information and misinformation, creativity for the organization of activities, staff management to keep the internal work team properly functioning, emotional intelligence to deal with users, and a very clear orientation to service to be available for the users whenever needed.
Some other additional skills may be required in order to be a top-notch librarian. These are skills that can be associated with other different job positions, but that a librarian could use for doing a really impressive job. Public relations, for example, are needed for permanently interacting with the users and for promoting the library’s activities. Librarians may also require a “psychologist” side to them, because they usually gain the trust of their users, which results in them talking about their own personal problems and issues from time to time. A good librarian will have the patience to listen to them and try to make them feel better! Even if you say nothing, just lending an ear is usually enough.
And finally, you may be wondering, where do librarians work? As said before, libraries are obviously the main place at which you can work after graduating from a Master of Library and Information Science course (MLS), but there are also other options in the job market. For example, to work at public and private files offices, and in education centers. In general, these are the most common job positions:
- Public libraries
- Private libraries
- Public files room
- Scholar libraries
- Companies’ and private entities files room
