A librarian should try to follow the latest trend of various publishing and media houses closely, so as to be updated. This will make sure that he can provide good service to the ones who come and visit libraries in search of new publications. The librarian is also entitled to manage books and other materials in such a way so as to be effectively searched by the members of the library. As the internet is very rapidly coming into play the role of the librarians are also set to redefine. The librarian, with the various qualities mentioned above, should also be well versed in computers. This will allow him to effectively take the help of the information system and provide world class services. The librarian is also responsible for the removal of all the obsolete and torn away material out of the libraries. He is also sometimes takes in charge of all the assistants' staff and manages them. To effectively manage it, the librarian has to keep up their teamwork.
The basic requirement of a librarian is to manage three aspects of the libraries. They are a user, staff, and administrator. He is required to have a good knowledge on a variety of topics available worldwide and should also have good communications skill so as to deal with the members despite their age. The librarian should be a good negotiator for the price of the materials bought from outside. To manage the staff the librarian should know the basics of management to easily maintain them and other aspects of the library. As this is the internet era, the librarian should grasp the latest gadgets and techniques to extract knowledge from the computer.
A librarian with a master’s degree in Library Science is highly required. Library science is the branch of science which deals with extracting information from a variety of fields in a very effective and simple manner. It includes many tracks of studies and provides knowledge on different aspects of a librarian’s job. The course requires 2 year full time devotion to complete it. There are several institutions and universities across the United States which provide this degree course. Some of them include the University of Michigan, University of Illinois, and University of North Carolina. Out of these, the University of Michigan is the best in providing a world class degree in Library and Information Systems.
A librarian can go through several other vocational courses on how to effectively create and manage relations with the user of the library. A good communication skill is also one of the most important skills which are also acquired by the librarian. For this he can join many training institutes which are dedicated in inculcating such skills in them. A candidate before pursuing may also go through several seminars on gaining knowledge on different aspects and fields.
Prior experience, say for instance for 2 to 3 years in the field can help the candidate to get a very good job in the library. A prior experience will help the aspiring candidate to get a job in many corporate libraries other than public libraries.
The need of librarians has increased manifold due to the invention of the internet. On the internet the information is overloaded, so the requirement of a person with a good ground in information systems who can effectively extract the desired information is much needed and sought for. In 2006 approximately 1.7 million candidates have been enrolled for librarian jobs in the U.S. out of which around 75% were full time and the rest were part time. The usual work hour for a public library is from morning till evening. In some corporate libraries it may even get extended to nights.
The salary for librarian mainly depends on various factors like age, prior experience, degrees, and the ability to create effective interpersonal relationships. The salaries for new librarians may vary somewhat in between $38,000 to $47,000 per year. If the librarian is working under the Federal Government then he may expect it to be around $83,000 per year.
A career as librarian in a public library is a very good choice and also globally required. With the advent of many corporate firms and industries the need of librarians will increase both on a national and international level.
