As a librarian, one of the most enjoyable aspects of your job can be helping people find the right information that they need. Information can empower people to do incredible things in this world. A person may find the book that allows him or her to understand laws in this country, or a person may simply learn better eating habits and lose weight as a result of reading the right book. If you want to become a librarian, then you should make an effort to follow these steps in the process.
Gain Part-Time Experience
Libraries are always looking for helpers for the circulation desk and shelving books. In high school, serving as a helper to a librarian can provide you with great experience. Try to find out whether your high school is accepting applications for part-time help. You can always ask the librarian whether it is possible to do an internship during study hall hours in order to learn more about the library cataloguing system. You can also find hundreds of library jobs at a university. Learning how to work in the library system of a university can provide you with valuable experience that future librarians will love to see on your resume.
Know What’s Required of Librarians
Librarians do far more than keep a library organized. While librarians do have an astute understanding of the organization necessary for managing thousands of books, they also have other tasks required for their daily jobs. Librarians are supposed to engage the public. Librarians can engage the public by teaching them about a book series through a seminar. They may decide to host events at the library to build up interest in the community. Librarians may also be responsible for building a children’s library for kids in the community.
Skills Needed
Librarians should possess excellent organizational skills. They should also be outgoing and willing to help others find the information that they need. A librarian should be a friendly person who others can trust for receiving help. Librarians may also be required to create the budget for a library. They should understand ways to cut costs for the library every year. They should also always be on the look-out for the latest best-selling books in pop culture. A librarian may also need to know how to increase the donations for a library by engaging the local community. A librarian should have a pssion for networking with people and increasing support for the library.
Gain a Broad Education
Some colleges offer a degree in library science, but this is not the case for every college. You should also be aware that this type of degree is not required if you want to enter the library career field. Librarians actually like to see that you have an expansive knowledge about a variety of topics. If you gain an undergraduate degree in a broad field of study, then you will be empowered to pursue a job as a librarian.
Maintain a High G.P.A.
If you are able to maintain a high G.P.A. in high school, then you may be offered scholarships to attend college and pursue a library science degree. Because there is a shortage of individuals who are entering this career field, you can also gain scholarships to pursue a graduate degree in library science. You should always make sure that a graduate school has been approved by the American Library Association before you decide to pursue a degree at the school.
If you are able to do these things, then you can ultimately succeed in a fulfilling career as a librarian.