The steps to becoming a librarian are relatively simple, but they are not easy. Before going to school and training to become a librarian, you should conduct a thorough self-evaluation. A good librarian is enthusiastic about knowledge and his or her work, and he or she enjoys sharing it with others. Whether a librarian works in a public or private law library, he or she must possess a strong analytical mind and the ability to process and think about information in novel ways.
The first requirement for becoming a librarian is a strong desire to learn and expand one’s knowledge. You might make a good librarian if you are constantly looking for information on obscure and unusual topics. You should also be interested in technology and be adaptable and capable of working with a variety of media. To become a librarian, you must also be good with people. Librarians interact with a wide range of people, and you must be prepared to assist them in researching topics and locating information.
There are several different types of librarians, and you should consider them before starting school. School librarians who work with children are probably familiar to you; these librarians are frequently certified teachers as well as librarians. Requests for research assistance and other cries for help from students and academics are handled academic librarians at the college level. A community librarian is responsible for a wide range of tasks in a local library, which may be small or large. Special librarians are in charge of specific collections, such as law libraries, tax libraries, taxonomy collections in medical libraries, and so on. You might enjoy being a special librarian if you have a passion for a very specific field of knowledge.
If you’re serious about becoming a librarian, get started as soon as possible. Volunteer at your local library to see what librarians do on a daily basis and to gain experience in a working library. Unless you want to become a special librarian, in which case you should focus on a very specific program, go to a college or university that will provide you with a broad general education. Then, submit an application to an accredited graduate school, such as the American Library Association. You might also consider learning a second language to aid you in your work.
Although you will have earned the title of librarian after graduating from graduate school, you will still need to find work. Many librarian trade magazines publish listings of available positions, and you might also try directly contacting libraries that interest you. If you know you want to work for a well-known library, such as the Library of Congress, write to them and ask about their employment requirements so you can be sure you get everything you need from your library education.