Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

What the job really is

Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.

At a glance

• Sector: Education & Library
• O*NET-SOC code: 25-4022
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Check books in and out of the library.
• Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as searching computerized databases.
• Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.
• Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
• Keep up-to-date records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
• Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
• Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
• Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
• Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.
• Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.
• Respond to customer complaints, taking action as necessary.
• Plan and deliver client-centered programs and services, such as special services for corporate clients, storytelling for children, newsletters, or programs for special groups.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Cascading style sheets CSS, Extensible markup language XML, Facebook, Google Workspace software, Hypertext markup language HTML

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Instructional Coordinators
• Library Technicians
• Library Assistants, Clerical
• Archivists
• Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary
• Social Science Research Assistants
• Document Management Specialists
• Web Administrators

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Librarians and Media Collections Specialists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.