Career Opportunities for Graduates in Library Sciences
Public Libraries. Certainly many graduates who leave college with a degree in library sciences will seek employment in a publicly owned and funded library. For job seekers, the good news is that almost every town or village in America has at least one library and a job for a graduate with a degree in library sciences. Larger cities boast a central library with one or more branch libraries. All of these book filled facilities need to employ skilled individuals who can properly maintain stacks of reading material and other resources in an atmosphere conducive to study and research . Graduates with a degree in library sciences are not simply hired to re-shelve books. Graduates with a degree in library sciences will find that career opportunities will exist in libraries that will allow them to use their own personal skills. Today’s graduates with a degree in library sciences can find careers in public libraries that will allow them to produce special library offerings like story hours for children, book clubs for adults and summer reading programs for pre-teens and teens. Especially valued is the graduate with a degree in library sciences who also brings computer know how, business acumen, or interests in foreign languages, drama, music or art that may be used to the benefit of the overall library experience.
School Libraries Fifty years ago, public schools were beginning to recognize the need for on site library facilities for students of all ages. While in some instances rather makeshift facilities were supervised by an equally makeshift staff, more and more schools, private and public began to fill library positions with graduates with a degree in library sciences. Today thousands of such jobs exist and make up a reliable career opportunity for graduates with a degree in library sciences. Like the teaching positions which surround it, the job of school librarian generally comes with an average professional salary matched with some above average benefits and most of the summer off.
In addition to a degree in library sciences school librarians do best when they also have a good working rapport with young people, a solid comprehension of student friendly resources and a taste for teaching. While working as a school librarian can be less stimulating because of the restricted resources that are available, there can be a g reat sense of personal accomplishment for those who enjoy introducing young people to the joy of books.
College and University Libraries For graduates with a degree in library sciences who are more interested and comfortable with the research aspects of library work and enjoy an academic venue, there are career opportunities available at the college level. All colleges have library facilities and employ professional staff, not only to maintain resources but also to assist students in accessing and making use of what is available. Across the country in both public and private institutions graduates with degrees in library sciences are hired to keep the flow of information going. Working in a college setting has many perks, not the least of which are the opportunities most schools offer staff to continue their education at little or no personal expense. Better still, some colleges extend this offer of free tuition to members of the employees immediate family. For Graduates with a degree in library sciences this can be career opportunity with wonderful fringe benefits.
Government and Industry Facilities There are numerous career opportunities within federal, state, municipal and business libraries, archives and historical sites. Government agencies are storehouses for information. They need trained personnel to appropriately manage the reams of information that they control They look for professional hirees who can be entrusted with valuable historical documents, assist government and private researchers as they unearth needed documents and maintain research areas for the ongoing work of the facility. As a graduate with a degree in library sciences who enjoys the thrill of the chase this kind of information treasure hunt may in fact be just the career opportunity you have dreamed about.
Bookstores For graduates with a degree in library sciences who decide they really love books but they don’t like being tucked away in a library or research facility, a more commercial and public opportunity exists. Bookstores are exploding all over the country and the services they provide more and more resemble those of a public library. Upscale bookstores offer story hours for young children, bring in guest authors to do a reading or a signing and are ready to h help patrons as they attempt to locate a research tool or the newest bestseller. Graduates with a degree in library sciences who can couple their degree with some basic training in retail sales may find career opportunities in bookstores a wonderfully transferable occupation with lots of opportunities to make create use of their knowledge and experience with books.
Graduates with a degree in library sciences truly have a world of professional career opportunities waiting for them and they can find these jobs in almost any location they choose.
