The University of Delaware Library

Careers in Librarianship

Facts and Figures
  • The library profession faces a shortage of librarians. Based on 1990 Census data, almost 58 percent of professional librarians will reach the age of 65 between 2005 and 2019.
  • There are more than 115,000 public, school, academic, special, armed forces and government libraries in the United States and more than 120,000 librarians.
  • An annual survey of library school placement centers by Library Journal shows that graduates find jobs in a variety of settings. Graduates in 2000 found work at: 25 percent in public libraries, 29 percent in college or university libraries, 21 percent in school libraries, 18.5 percent in special and government libraries, 3 percent to library vendors, 0.6 percent to library cooperatives and 2 percent to other venues.
  • Discover "The Top 10 Reasons to be a Librarian," by Martha Spear in the October 2002 issue of American Libraries.
Educational Requirements
A master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association is the recognized professional degree for librarians. The degree is often called the "MLS," an abbreviation for Master's of Library Science. An undergraduate degree in any subject area can prepare students for an MLS program. MLS degrees combined with undergraduate or graduate degrees in the sciences and information technology fields are in great demand. MLS programs offer specializations in children's services, library administration, archival management, information technology, and a variety of other areas.

  • There are approximately 58 graduate programs in library and information studies in the U.S. and Canada accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). A directory of ALA-accredited library schools information is on the American Library Association weg page located at www.ala.org.
  • "Guidelines for Choosing a Master's Program in Library & Information Studies," a publication of the American Library Association, describes factors such as admissions, curricula, distance education, financial aid, and placement services to consider when selecting a graduate program.
  • U.S. News & World Report provides a listing of the top library science schools along with rankings of specialty programs such as archives and preservation, information systems, and school library media.
Financial Assistance and Scholarship Opportunities
  • Information about scholarships provided by the American Library Association is available at www.ala.org.
  • The Spectrum Initiative offers scholarships to African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaskan Native students.
  • The Century Scholarship provides funding for students with disabilities.
  • The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) offers a stipend of up to $5,000 to attract and expose new library professionals from underrepresented groups to careers in academic and research libraries. More information is available on the ARL Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce website at http://www.arl.org/diversity/init/index.html
  • The Delaware Library Association offers two scholarships. A description of the scholarships is available on its website at http://www.dla.lib.de.us/scholarships.shtml. Application information can be obtained from Janet Chin, Chair, DLA Scholarships, Awards, and Citations Committee, Hockessin Library,1023 Valley Road, Hockessin, DE 19707 at email chin@tipcat.lib.de.us or telephone 239-0706.
  • The University of Delaware Library Assembly of Professional Staff offers an annual $500 scholarship to current of former library assistants. Application information can be obtained in the administrative office located on the second floor of Morris Library or by telephoning 831-2231.
  • The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries offers an annual stipend of $1,000 to graduate library education student pursuing careers in academic librarianship. For more information contact John Stachacz, Natural Sciences Librarian, Wner-Spahr Library, Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013-2896 telephone (717) 245-1838 email stachacz@dickinson.edu.
  • Call 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4281, to obtain a copy of a publication entitled "Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies" prepared by the American Library Association Human Resource Development and Recruitment Office.
  • Contact individual graduate education programs for information about specific financial assistance opportunities available at that institution. A directory of ALA-accredited library schools information is on the American Library Association weg page located at www.ala.org.
Salary Information

Library salaries vary depending upon years of experience, the size of the library, and region of the country. According to the American Library Association's 2001 salary survey:

  • the average librarian salary is $47,850
  • the average starting salary for a 2001 library school graduate in an academic or public library is $32,891, up 2 percent from 2000.
  • the starting salary for a public school library media specialist is comparable to the starting salary for a public school teacher
  • Read more about "Salaries Rebound, Women Break Out", by Tom Terrell in the October 15, 2002 issue of Library Journal.
Future Outlook
The Occupational Outlook Quarterly Online, Winter 2000 issue, available at http://stats.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2000/winter/contents.htm notes that the number of librarian jobs is projected to grow about 5 percent between 1998 and 2008. By 2008, librarians are expected to hold more than 159,000 jobs--7,000 more than they did in 1998. Retiring Baby Boomer librarians and those leaving the profession for other reasons will create about 39,000 job openings from 1998-2008. Increased technological skills have also improved employment prospects for librarians.
More information
Learn more about careers in librarianship at:
  • Librarians in the 21st Century provides information on a variety of career specializations, library education programs, trends and issues. The site was developed by graduate students in the Master of Library Science Program, School of Information Studies at Syracuse University and is available at http://istweb.syr.edu/21stcenlib/.
  • Become a Librarian! features profiles of librarians along with other library career links. The sites was developed by the Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative and is available at http://www.becomealibrarian.com/.
  • "Librarians: Information Experts in the Information Age" by Olivia Crosby in the Winter 2000 issue of Occupational Outlook Quarterly profiles the work of several librarians and a variety of career specializations. The complete pdf article is available at http://stats.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2000/winter/contents.htm.
  • Public Librarianship -- It's More Than You Think provides information about careers in public libraries as well as profiles of several public librarians who talk about why they love their work.
This page is maintained by Library Administrative Services. Please send comments and questions to jbrewer@udel.edu

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