Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
What they do
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About librarians and media collections specialists
Other titles
Catalog Librarian, Instructional Technology Specialist, Librarian, Library Media Specialist, Media Specialist, Media Technician, Multimedia Services Coordinator, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Reference Librarian, Technical Services Librarian
Tasks they perform
- Check books in and out of the library.
- Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as searching computerized databases.
- Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.
Skills they need
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as librarians and media collections specialists.
Social Science Research Assistants
Database Administrators
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about librarians and media collections specialists with these helpful sites.
- American Association of Law Libraries (external link opens new tab)
- American Association of School Librarians (external link opens new tab)
- American Library Association (external link opens new tab)
- Association for Information Science and Technology (external link opens new tab)
- Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (external link opens new tab)
- Association for Library Service to Children (external link opens new tab)
- Association of College and Research Libraries (external link opens new tab)
- Association of Jewish Libraries (external link opens new tab)
- Consortium of College and University Media Centers (external link opens new tab)
- InfoComm International (external link opens new tab)