LibGuides: Career Paths in Library Science : Librarian Specialties

School Libraries

School Libraries
ALA lists specifics about school librarians salaries, education requirements and links.
Learning About the Job
American Association of School Libraries supplies helpful links and general information about the career paths of school libraries.
Requirements to Become a School Librarian By-State
Every Library Institute offers a comprehensive guide to navigating what it takes to become a school librarian.
School Librarian Career Guide
From Teacher Certification Degrees - learn about job descriptions, salaries and more.

Academic Libraries

ALA Academic Libraries
ALA supplies links with information on academic librarians and how to reach your goals.
What Does a Librarian Do?
INALJ shares an article about what an academic librarian really does.
Types of Academic Libraries
SJSU lists the different types of academic establishments.

Public Libraries

Careers in Public Librarianship: Public Librarians Talk About the Profession
From the Public Library Association, 5 public librarians talk about their work.
4 Ways to Prepare to Be a Children's Librarian
From Hack Library School.
Ten Things a Children's Librarian Needs to Know
From Public Libraries Online.
Young Adult Librarian
From ALA's Education and Careers website.
Why YA? Recruiting for Young Adult Librarianship
Helpful background information from YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association (a division of ALA).
Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff
Chart of guidelines covering the various aspects of teen librarianship

Special Libraries

Explore a Career in Health Sciences Information
From the Medical Library Association - find out what a medical librarian does.
Careers in Legal Information
From the American Association of Law Libraries, learn more about being a law librarian

Reference Librarian

Essential Qualities of a Reference Librarian
Five excellent qualities to make a good reference librarian.

So You Want to Be a Reference Librarian
The 5 Minute Librarian blog describes what reference librarian work is like in a public library.

Electronic Resources Librarian

What Is an Electronic Resources Librarian and How to Become One
From ZipRecruiter - find out more about what an electronic resources librarian does.
Core Competencies for Electronic Resources Librarians
Technology and research information.

Cataloging Librarian

What is the Purpose of Cataloging Library Materials?
Information about the importance of what goes on behind the scenes in libraries.
Value of Cataloging Librarians
ALCTS gives information about the value of cataloging in libraries.

Archives & Special Collections

What's an Archivist?
The National Archives supplies information about archival work and all that it entails.
So You Want to Be an Archivist
The Society of American Archivists lists requirements in the field and more.
A Day in the Life of an Archivist
From the Consortium Library for the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University.
Historians in Archives
From the American Historical Association
Careers FAQ - Special Collections, Rare Books, etc.
FAQ from the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries division of the American Library Association

Museums

AAM: Museum Careers
Getting started in museums...career resources
American Alliance of Museums: Manage Your Career
Find a museum studies program, search for a job, explore salary benchmarks, and more.
Directory of Museum Studies
AAM provides a searchable directory of museum studies and related programs
Museum Work: Put Your Skills on Exhibit
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Quarterly, this article offers a helpful overview of the museum industry and the different types of jobs.
Museum Facts & Data
This data compiled by the American Alliance of Museums puts the impact of museums in perspective.
Historians in Museums
From the American Historical Association

Reference Source

Some of the information and links on this page were adapted from a guide created by Barbara Renner, PhD and Lee Richardson, MLIS from the University Libraries Health Sciences Library (UNC).