Fast‑Facts Dashboard
| Metric (U.S.) |
Latest figure* |
| National employment (2023) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Median annual pay (May 2024) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Mean annual pay (May 2024) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| 10 % – 90 % wage range |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| 2023‑33 outlook |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Annual openings (growth + replacements) |
≈ 14,600/yr (BLS projections) |
| Top‑paying state (May 2023) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Typical entry credential |
Master’s in Library & Information Science (MLIS) from ALA‑accredited program |
*BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook & OEWS.
A Day in the Life—From Reference Desk to Digital Repository
| Clock |
Reality |
Why It Matters |
| 7 a.m. |
Check overnight server logs; Solr index finished ingesting 12,000 digitized zines—no checksum errors. |
Digital stewardship equals 24/7 vigilance. |
| 8 a.m. |
Coffee + cataloging: assign Library of Congress Subject Headings to climate‑justice graphic novels; embed MARC 856 links for open‑access PDFs. |
Metadata is the key to discoverability. |
| 9 a.m. |
Host drop‑in research clinic for first‑year composition students; teach Boolean operators & Zotero. |
Information‑literacy skills combat mis‑info. |
| 11 a.m. |
Makerspace orientation: show biology majors how to 3‑D‑print coral‑reef models for class. |
Libraries now support STEAM & prototyping. |
| 12 p.m. |
Lunch while reviewing ILS vendor RFP; compare FOLIO vs. Alma cost models in Airtable. |
Tech procurement steers budgets. |
| 1 p.m. |
Virtual meeting with tribal archivist to co‑write inclusive metadata policy; update GitHub repo. |
DEI & reparative descriptions are rising mandates. |
| 2 p.m. |
Teach one‑shot workshop “ChatGPT for Citation‑Mining & How to Verify Sources.” |
GenAI literacy is the new search literacy. |
| 4 p.m. |
Handle interlibrary‑loan rush: ship rare cookbook via FedEx climate‑controlled crate; update ISO 18626 tracking. |
Resource sharing extends collections. |
| 5 p.m. |
Upload TikTok “30‑second Scholarly vs. Popular” video; auto‑caption for accessibility. |
Outreach drives traffic & alt‑metrics. |
| 7 p.m. |
Run Python script to de‑duplicate ORCID IDs in institutional repository; schedule nightly CRON job. |
Automation frees time for higher‑touch services. |
Swap public‑library story‑time for hospital clinical rounding, or corporate tax‑law database drills in Big Law, librarianship flexes to every sector.
Tool‑Kit & Tech Stack (2025)
| Domain |
Core Tools |
| Discovery & ILS |
Alma/Primo VE, OCLC WMS, FOLIO, Koha |
| Repositories & Preservation |
DSpace, Islandora 2, Samvera Hyrax, LOCKSS, AWS Glacier Deep‑Archive |
| Metadata & Linked Data |
MARC 21, BIBFRAME 2.0, Dublin Core, IIIF manifests, RDF triplestores |
| Research & Instruction |
LibGuides, Zotero, Overleaf, NVivo for qualitative coding, ChatGPT plug‑ins |
| Analytics & Usage |
Google Analytics 4, OpenAthens COUNTER 5 reports, Power BI dashboards |
| Makerspace & Emerging Tech |
Prusa MK4 3‑D printers, Glowforge lasers, VR headsets with Engage platform |
| Outreach & Engagement |
TikTok micro‑tutorials, Discord study rooms, Mailchimp newsletters |
| Compliance |
DMCA §512 takedowns, ADA/WCAG 2.2 accessibility audits, controlled digital lending policy |
Emerging essentials: AI search chat‑bots tuned with library holdings, blockchain provenance for rare‑book chains‑of‑title, and data‑set curation standards (FAIR + CARE).
Core Competencies & Personality Fit
| Competency |
Real‑World Example |
| Information‑Literacy Pedagogy |
Turn meme‑source hand‑waving into a hands‑on CRAAP evaluation session. |
| Metadata Rigor |
Map MARC to BIBFRAME while fixing diacritics in Unicode. |
| Tech Curiosity |
Build a Raspberry‑Pi OPAC kiosk one week, prompt‑engineer GPT queries the next. |
| User‑Experience Empathy |
Redesign website nav after heat‑map analysis shows dead‑end clicks. |
| Project & Vendor Management |
Oversee $500 k ILS migration without losing a single hold request. |
| DEI & Reparative Cataloging |
Replace harmful subject headings; co‑create Indigenous knowledge labels. |
If your MAPP Assessment shows Investigative (problem‑solving), Social (mentorship), and Artistic (curation/storytelling) motivators, librarianship could shelve perfectly for you.
Working Environment & Lifestyle
- Settings: Public, academic, K‑12, corporate, medical, law, government, prison, and museum libraries.
- Schedules: Academic 9 – 5 (M–F) plus evening/weekend rotations; public libraries include Saturdays & outreach events.
- Union Presence: Strong in many municipals (AFSCME, SEIU), moderate in academics (AAUP‑staff).
- Remote Work: Post‑COVID, reference chats and metadata work often hybrid; makerspaces require on‑site presence.
- Physical Demands: Shelving 30‑lb folios, eye strain from cataloging screens, occasional dusty archives.
Education & Credential Pathway
| Stage |
Timeline |
Highlights |
| Bachelor’s (any field) |
4 yrs |
Customer‑service or library page work helps admission. |
| MLIS / MS (Library & Info Sci) |
1.5 – 2 yrs |
ALA‑accredited; choose tracks—archives, UX, data curation. |
| Internships & Residencies |
3–12 mos |
Emerging tech, inclusive description, or community outreach focus. |
| Optional Certifications |
Certified Archivist (ACA), Digital Archives Specialist (SAA), CompTIA Data+ |
|
| Continuous PD |
FADGI digitization, AI literacy, DEI cataloging, grant‑writing bootcamps. |
|
| Licensure |
Some states require K‑12 school librarians to hold teaching licenses + Praxis Library Media exam. |
|
Career Ladder & Earnings
| Role |
Typical Salary* |
Scope |
| Library Assistant (entry) |
$32k – $45k |
Circulation, shelving, basic tech help. |
| Librarian / Media Specialist |
$50k – $75k |
Reference, instruction, collection dev. |
| Senior or Subject Librarian |
$75k – $90k |
Manage budget, liaison to departments. |
| Department Head / Branch Manager |
$90k – $110k |
Staff supervision, strategic planning. |
| Assistant/Associate Dean |
$110k – $140k |
System‑wide services, large grants. |
| Dean/Director of Libraries |
$140k – $200k |
Vision, fundraising, policy leadership. |
| Independent Consultant |
$60 – $150 hr |
Metadata audits, ILS migrations, DEI training. |
*Ranges aggregate OEWS means with surveys from ALA & CUPA‑HR; top metro systems exceed listed bands.
Wage Percentiles (OEWS May 2024)
| 10 % |
25 % |
50 % (median) |
75 % |
90 % |
| $38,920 |
$50,930 |
$64,320 |
$81,950 |
$100,880 |
Sector & Tech Trends Shaping Demand
- AI Search & Chat Reference: Libraries hiring prompt engineers and AI‑ethics leads.
- Data Curation & Research Data Mgmt (RDM): NSF/NIH mandates push repository hiring.
- Digital Equity & Broadband Grants: Public libraries become device‑lending hubs; funds add outreach positions.
- Makerspace & XR Services: STEM grants fuel tech‑services librarian jobs.
- DEI & Reparative Cataloging: Inclusive description guidelines create need for metadata specialists.
- Climate‑Controlled Storage & Preservation: Digitization/back‑up projects against fire/flood risk.
- Retirement Wave: 27 % of head librarians retire by 2032; leadership vacancies rise.
Pros & Cons
| Why Librarians Stay |
Why Some Leave |
| Mission‑driven service, intellectual freedom. |
Budgets vulnerable to politics & recessions. |
| Variety—reference, teaching, tech, outreach, metadata. |
Salary lags private‑sector IT roles. |
| Predictable hours (outside events) & strong union networks. |
Evening/weekend shifts; constant tech up‑skilling. |
| Vast mobility—public, academic, corporate, medical. |
Dealing with misinformation, book bans, and cyber‑security threats. |
Are You Ready to Help the World Find, Create & Preserve Knowledge?
Is this career path right for you? Find out Free.
- Take the MAPP Career Assessment (100% free).
- See five free custom matches revealing whether librarianship aligns with your strengths.
- Get a personalized compatibility score and roadmap toward MLIS programs, certifications, and the hottest librarian niches (AI ethics, data curation, XR labs).
Start the FREE MAPP Career Assessment today, because every community deserves a savvy information guide.
