Starting out...

How did you get your start doing librarian work, and what career moves did you make to get to your current position?

Do you need a particular educational background?

At the time (1970's), there seemed to be too many grads for the number of jobs, so I had to hustle. I made mayself known to the HR specialist where I was hoping to land a position, and she contacted me when a temporary position opened up for a librarian on maternity leave. From there, I got another temp slot, then when a half time permanent position opened up, I was a known quantity. It was challenging, but looking back, the process gave me good experience. I was tenacious, and it paid off. Volunteer work also figured into my getting myself known.

My first library job was as a clerk in the Children's Room of the Norwalk, CT library. About two years later I applied for a job at Brooklyn Public Library, after being accepted into the MLS program at Pratt Institute.

I've worked in public & academic libraries since, with few regrets.

I came to library work a bit differently. I was doing health research but I didn't want to get an advanced degree in the medical field. I stumbled into library science after a little searching - it seemed to incorporate many of the aspects of my research job that I liked. My first actual library job was as a serials (i.e. journals) assistant in a medium-sized medical library.

Oh, I almost forgot - as for educational background, you need a master's degree in library science to be a librarian, but there aren't any undergraduate prerequisites for library school (i.e. it's not like medicine where you have to be a bio or physics major). I just recently finished my master's program and my classmate's undergraduate majors were all over the board.

I used to be janitor in a college library. One day a junior librarian walked out and I offered to shelve the books. I was hooked! And eventually they offered me a full-time post. Now I'm a head librarian with a team of 10.

SAS librarian in London, United Kingdom said: I used to be janitor in a college library. One day a junior librarian walked out and I offered to shelve the books. I was hooked! And eventually they offered me a full-time post. Now I'm a head librarian with a team of 10.

That's great news. Well done you. Do you have any positions available? I am not a qualified librarian but I do have decent norks!

SAS librarian in London, United Kingdom said: I used to be janitor in a college library. One day a junior librarian walked out and I offered to shelve the books. I was hooked! And eventually they offered me a full-time post. Now I'm a head librarian with a team of 10.

Theslave in Manchester, United Kingdom said: That's great news. Well done you. Do you have any positions available? I am not a qualified librarian but I do have decent norks!

Yes I've noticed our clients like norks. They have no place in a decent library, I tell you!

Lucifer Box in London, United Kingdom said: I think I know you. Are you also known as Threaded by any chance?

No I think you're thinking of the Threaded who heads the Library of Congress as well as the British Library.

Are there any good library books on the subject of being a libarian and if there are can you give me a list (or library if you like) and their locations in the library using the binary hand method.

Also isn't practicing science in a library a tad dangerous. Basic health and safety should tell you that lots of books and a Bunsen burner do not make good bed fellows.

MrTony in Leeds, United Kingdom said: Are there any good library books on the subject of being a libarian and if there are can you give me a list (or library if you like) and their locations in the library using the binary hand method.

Also isn't practicing science in a library a tad dangerous. Basic health and safety should tell you that lots of books and a Bunsen burner do not make good bed fellows.

I think the last sentence would have been more elegant if you had said "lots of books and a Bunsen burner do not good bed fellows make". It's more poetic.

I made a decision to be strong and make a career for myself, not simply a job. I assessed my own strengths and weaknesses. I had already qualified as a journalist and had left University with a degree in English and journalism. I had started a teaching career, which just wasn't me. I was looking for a job in a stable environment, which would pay a decent wage. I didn't actually ever dream about becoming a Librarian, I weighed up what I was good at and realised that I fitted into the job description. I also decided that I would start a Masters Degree as a fast-track to professional qualification. I went to University, I studied and passed. All the while with a job as a Saturday Library Assistant. I then progressed to Library Assistant upon graduating my Masters. After a year of heart ache trying to find a professional post, I had honed my skills enough in other sectors and finally progressed to Community Librarian (a post I have been in for ten months! Work hard, take all the training you can and get a part-time job if you have to and you WILL get there. Adopt as your mantra "I will succeed" and you will!