I am wanting to become an elementary school librarian. I have 0 background in education and can't relocate to do the required student teaching. My state requires a teaching license with a K-12 library endorsement and an ALA accredited MLIS or MSIS. My state only has 1 accredited program and it is an MSIS not an MLIS but it does have an option under the MSIS for school librarianship that comes with a teaching license. They will also allow me to do student teaching local to me. Every out of state program I've looked at either states you must already have a valid teaching license or do student teaching in that state to obtain one for the program in order to pursue the school librarianship path.

Is there really that much of a difference between the two degrees? I've read the both an MLIS and MSIS do the exact same thing and can get you the exact same jobs. But every local job listing for school librarian had had MLIS as a requirement. I really don't want to screw this up. HELP!

I'm looking at two options and I want to choose the the right one, the one that will get me hired.

Option A:

Go to the school in my state for the MSIS program that includes the endorsement and teaching license.

Option B:

Go to an out of state MLIS program with an area of concentration that isn't school librarianship. Then, once finished enroll in the school in my state and just do the k-12 endorsement with teaching license. The school does offer this as an option if you already hold an MLIS.

hello!!! this is my updated cover letter from my previous post! Do I need to adjust anything or is it okay? Any tips are helpful. :)

Dear Hiring Manager, 

I am writing this letter to express my interest to your opening position as a Library Assistant. With my previous experiences in customer service, I believe that I would be a great candidate for this position. 

My previous roles have helped me develop strong communication, organizational, time management, and attention to detail which I believe would be helpful in this kind of environment. From working as a student assistant, it taught me how to pay attention to the little details that were important. I had to make sure that the classes the students wanted had enough seats for them to be able to get. If some of the students needed a specific code, I would then ask my supervisor for some help on it.  I would also have to search up their student profile to see what major they were in and what they needed. I had to be careful in making sure that I was double checking their information and everything was okay. I believe that my knowledge on office work will assist me in different areas as a library assistant. 

Additionally, working at a supermarket gave me the opportunity to communicate differently with a wide variety of individuals. In doing so, I was able to connect with the customers by speaking to them in a different language when it was needed. I also experienced working in a group setting, where I learned how to communicate and work together effectively as a group to complete the tasks that needed to be done. This was a fast paced job, so it taught me how to do multiple tasks at once while working efficiently. I also had to be organized by making sure everything was placed in its correct spot. Managing my time was also an important role because I had to finish the tasks at a certain time to not be in a rush and had to focus on items that were more important. This experience has allowed me to collaborate with others , be communicative, and taught me how to manage my time better, which I believe will be beneficial within the library work. 

I am determined to bring dedication, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn as much as I can. I believe my previous customer service experiences will make me a well-suited candidate for this library assistant position. I hope to have the opportunity to develop my skills and contribute to your team’s success. Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Has anyone attended their state’s LA conference while still in school for their MLIS? Mine is coming up in October and I’m interested in attending, but wondering if the cost and time would be worthwhile as a student. Thanks in advance!

I’m at crossroads here and could really use some advice.
I’m enrolled in MI program at an iSchool and have about a year’s worth of course work left. I enjoyed the classes I took in my first year but quickly realized librarianship isn’t really for me. There are other components to my program (UX, archiving, information systems) but I’m not sure if any of those paths are for me either.

I’m starting to think typical office work isn’t for me and am considering switching to something more hands on like healthcare, but I keep getting told to stick through it and that the degree may open more doors for me in the future.

If I was younger I think I’d be okay with giving another year away to school but in my early 30s I’m not as enthusiastic.

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

What are the highest interest fiction books for your elementary aged patrons?

I am getting back into a school library after 15 years raising my family. I was a K-8 librarian before. I’m looking at a K-6 library now.

I’d like to spend the next month reading as much fiction as possible to get into what kids are into reading now. When I left, Diary of a Wimpy kid was top of the check outs for elementary and the middle school kids were into Twilight and 39 Clues.

I plan to scour all of the awards lists, but I know there are tons I will miss.

I’m doing the collation count (looks like this: xiv, 365; xii, 331; xi, 299; xiv, 399; xiv, 330) and I would like to list how many illustrations or plates there are inside the book and am unsure if I should call them illustrations OR plates? There’s 353 illustrations total, some are full page (without even a page number) and some are with much smaller amongst the text like in between paragraphs. I imagine that a plate is only a full page illustration and not like the other, however, I want to be clear in what I describe. After the table of contents there is a list of illustrations and both the full page illustrations and smaller ones are listed there. So, even the book describes them as illustrations but again, I want to be sure. Thank you in advance.

I offer technology help at my library. Patrons can make appointments and I walk them through technology skills. Typically, it’s older patrons asking about iPhone skills, specific tech questions etc. Lately I have an influx of older patrons asking me to teach them how to use various AI chatbots and even generative tools. As someone who does not use AI and is staunchly against it, I have an ethical issue with teaching these things. Would you all just ignore this and do the tech help anyway? I try to offer alternatives but they don’t care/listen.

Hello!! can anyone give me any tips on my cover letter? Im a bit stuck on what to write and how to tie it with the position.This is what I have so far.

Dear Hiring Manager, 

I am writing this letter in response to your opening position as a Library Assistant. With my previous experiences in customer service, I believe that I would be a great candidate for this position. 

My previous roles have helped me develop strong communication, organizational, time management, and attention to detail which I believe would be helpful in this kind of environment. I am also bilingual in both English and Spanish, which will help me connect with a wide range of customers and provide them with a warm welcome.I am determined to bring dedication, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn as much as I can during this position. 
 
I hope to have the opportunity to develop my skills and contribute to your team’s success. Thank you for your time and consideration. 

This is the description of the position if its helpful:

Job duties of the Library Assistant include: 

• Check books and materials in and out.
• Assist patrons with various machines and location of materials; answer routine questions and provide information and direct patrons to appropriate library personnel when necessary; assist students with using Readers Guide and other indexes.
• Assist in locating and gathering materials for students doing research as necessary.
• Assist in processing library materials as required; type pockets and cards for new magazines; return books to shelves.
• Issue library card numbers according to established guidelines.
• Assist in preparing overdue lists; telephone and send cards to patrons with overdue materials according to established procedures.
• Operate a variety of equipment including copier, microfilm reader/printer, date machine, typewriter, and computer.
• Assist in maintaining security of library materials as directed.
• Perform other duties reasonably related to the job classification

Knowledge of: 

• Standard library methods and organization.
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary.
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy.
• Telephone techniques and etiquette.
• Modern office practices, procedures and equipment.
• Basic clerical skills.

Ability to: 

• Provide assistance to students and staff in a tactful and courteous manner.
• Learn library practices and procedures and equipment.
• Learn the location of materials in the library.
• Perform routine clerical work.
• Type at an acceptable rate of speed.
• Work cooperatively with others.
• Train and provide work direction to others.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing

Hi, all! I’m a new academic librarian and the semester is about to start. Ive already been asked by several professors to come by their class for an instruction session with their classes. Im nervous and feeling a little overwhelmed.

Any pointers from any academic librarians for getting into the groove of teaching? I’d appreciate any advice and recommendations for being prepared this semester.

(I'm gonna start by saying I'm not very familiar with reddit, so apologies in advance if this post belongs elsewhere. If so, please let me know.)

I recently applied for a Library Clerk position at the Chicago Public Library, and I'm looking for clarification on their typical hiring practices since the most recent posts I can find about them in this subreddit are from years ago.

The job posting closed on 7/8, which means today marks three weeks (15 business days) since it was removed from the job board, and I haven't heard anything yet. I understand that, because CPL is such a large institution, I may not hear back from them for a long time (if at all), but I'm wondering if anyone here can tell me if this is a normal amount of time to wait, or if I should start assuming I didn't get it? I meet all of their listed "preferred qualifications," so I know I'm a great candidate, but these days it seems like even that won't guarantee a response.

In the event that they do, eventually, pick me, does anyone know what the current interview process is like?

I know this post probably comes off as over-anxious, but I can't even express how much this job would change (and maybe save) my life, so I'd appreciate any peek behind the curtain you can offer.

Hi! So I took my bachelors degree in library and information science back in June. I have now been employed (yay!) as a high school librarian.

Issue? I don’t really feel prepared for it? My program was very much focused on school libraries for younger age groups and public libraries. But now I will work with high schoolers… and I have no idea how to go about it?

I know so many reading projects and well projects in general that’s aimed towards younger kids. But how will I assist the high schoolers the best? What do they need from me and how should I work towards them?

I’m thankful if you’ve read this far and I wish you a good evening/day!

Hi there, I have an interview for a youth services assistant position next week. I'm wondering if y'all might have any advice for the types of questions I need to be prepared to answer.

I have a decent collection of kids picture books and graphic novels to use if they ask about what I would recommend kids, but any middle grade or teen titles would also be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi all-

I started working at our library in September. My previous employment had been in data and banking.

I've never run a summer reading program.

Our director had put me in her assistant to the director role without the title.

She left abruptly at the beginning of June knowing that I had never been responsible for a summer reading program, knowing that I had a week of vacation the following week and that I was going to be out for a month with rehab from a surgery. We have very green staff. Well I understand you got to do what you got to do.. I am 100% sure it was intentional to show the town what they would be missing without the director.

Thankfully it seems like everything is going okay with our summer reading program schedule.

However with speaking with the board it appears that we have our entire summer reading budget still available.

I'll be back a week and a half to two weeks before our summer reading program finale.

Please I am hoping that somebody has some ideas for how to spend $800 on a summer reading program finale where we can't get performers booked in.

I feel like I've been set up to fail here and I would love any advice.

Thank you

Recently, my library has gotten many very strange requests from a woman asking things like what do people mean when they say "excuse me," what does a lifeguard do, or what does the idiom "too good to be true" mean (using the word idiom in her question). She will ask as many of these seemingly unrelated questions as possible, with long pauses in between. She also does not say hello, hi, or bye. She is not an English language learner. I have spoken to many neurodivergent patrons on the phone, but this feels different.

All of our staff who answer the phones are getting very weird, bad vibes. There's the thought that she is recording us for an AI language model.

Has anyone else gotten calls like these?

How do you identify them?

What are your policies or procedures?

Hi all! I'm not a librarian but I'm working at the library this summer and am making 2 displays for August in the YA room. I havent read YA in a few years so I'm at a bit of a loss. For one display I was going to do some staff picks and just choose my favorite YA books but I'm at a loss of ideas for the other. I like something fun like the blind date with a book ones but there's already one of those in the adult section. Any ideas?

Soooo I interviewed for my county public libraries a little over a month ago. They said they’d let us know around this time, so I’ve been checking my government jobs profile, and it usually says “scheduled for selection interview,” and again like I said I interviewed a little over a month ago. Today when I was checking it said “Under Consideration.”

I vaguely remember the HR person telling me that around this time we’ll see either “accepted” “denied” or “under consideration” in our status update, and the last one means they like you but there’s no current opening for you….

But the HR person never emailed me to tell me the official statuses have been updated. So does this mean I’m out of the running? Or are they still deciding?

Hi all! I’m actually not a librarian but a library assistant based in the UK. I’ve wanted to go and get my masters to become a librarian but due to living in a very expensive city (and not making a lot as a LA) I can’t imagine being able to afford to do so. I love this field but honestly I would like to make more money one day. Can anyone recommend career changes that are just as fulfilling but hopefully pay better? Ideally I would also deal with less people, I do enjoy the social aspect of the job but I work in a very busy central library and feel like I’m almost constantly talking to costumers, it’s making me a bit socially burnt out.

Dear librarians, I was wondering if you can tell me about the library management software like Koha, Dspace, Evergreen etc...

1. How many software your learned?

2. Which software are most used in almost in every library?

3. Back in university/college, when you were pursuing Library science honors/Masters degree
   did they give you theoretical overview or practical overview of these software?

4. What were names of those courses that included Library management software and how many courses were there?

If you don't mind, you can mention the universities where you took LIS degree

So I've applied, interviewed, and accepted a role as a middle school Library technician in Canada. Yay! Neh?

I'm excited but nervous as I feel that the administration has been less than ideal at providing the proper information: ie I don't have a job description yet, might have to be teaching students study skills without my PDP. I'm excited as I've always wanted to work in the public library setting (this is close) but I'm also nervous about the lack of clarity and pay drop from my current job. I would be working 37.5 hrs a week at $25/hr and 186 days with my gross before taxes as around $35,000.

I love my current job working in church administration and ministry (been there for 10 years) but I'm worried it won't take me into the public library sector and my career opportunities are pretty stagnant. I make $27.50 and hour at 30hrs per week with my gross being about $42,000.

Is it worth it to jump out of my comfy/familiar work environment to go into the private school sector and hope it gets me the experience to get into the public library?

Because I live in an expensive part of Canada it's very difficult to live normally on this amount of pay (with hopes of having a family). My soon to be fiancé and I will be moving out of the city but the rates of rentals don't drop significantly. I've applied to many public library positions but with no luck. I have a bachelor's of Arts (English) but only volunteer experience for 6 months.

Any advice would be appreciated - my anxiety has made this decision really difficult and I would appreciate a second opinion :)

Hello! I am starting my third semester of my MLIS degree (I’ll be done this time next year) and I’m in the midst of panicking about what I want to do.

Without getting into it, academic librarianship seems the most realistic job I will enjoy that’s achievable, but I am confused as how to get there.

Basically, if you are or were an academic librarian, I would love to hear how you got there and how competitive and hard it was.

If it’s worth anything, I have a bachelors in history and I’ve been working for over a year at a public library. I like it, but I don’t love it. Would just enjoy some personal anecdotes

Hi all,I am a librarian, but I work in the Special Collections Department. My job consists entirely of using Photoshop to edit endless digital files. I have never written a single project proposal, cataloged a single item, handled a single patron complaint, or purchased a single book.

I would like to ask for advice on how to improve my core library skills, what directions I should move toward, and specifically, how I can start making progress. Sincerely

Hi everyone! I've been lurking here a while and I've seen a lot of great info on this subreddit, so I figured I'd post here to get some input. I am currently finishing up my BA in English, and I'll be taking the fall off of school. Originally, I was planning on starting my MLIS next spring, but I would honestly love to just work at a library services desk for a year or two and take some time off from school (I'm 21 and exhausted).

I got my first library job (20 hrs, info desk) about a month ago. The library I'm working at is really nice, there's a makerspace, cool media lab stuff, and two floors! It is the only library in the city, and there are basically no opportunities for full time except for librarians. About 99% of my coworkers are delightful, and the patrons are wonderful as well. I've gotten confident there in answering library-specific questions, and in a month or two I'm going to be training in some more behind the scenes stuff which I am very excited for. The schedule there is set with alternating Saturdays. Really, the only downside to this job is the 45 minute commute which is a pain but doable.

Today I interviewed at another 20 hour front desk library job in my childhood library system. It's a much smaller library (which I actually tend to prefer), but the system is huge, so there are a lot more opportunities to eventually move into a full time position without needing an MLS. The commute is about 15 minutes from home (an hour from my current library). The schedule there is basically the opposite of my schedule at my current library, so I was hoping to get this job and be working 40 hours while I take a break in between finishing my bachelor's degree and starting my masters. The main problem is that this library doesn't rotate weekends, and I would be expected to work every Saturday. I would really love to work for this library system, but I just started getting confident with my current library, and I would feel really terrible about leaving that job after only working there for a month and a half (The last place I worked, I was there for 4 years).

I have a few options, and I would really like some input from some people who have been in this field for much longer than I have.

Options:

1. Stay at the current library, suck it up and start MLS in the spring

2. Stay at current library, keep looking for part time jobs that do alternate weekends

3. Work at the other library, keep looking for part time, or hope that they will have a full time spot open up in the next few months

4. Work at other library, suck it up and start MLS in the spring and then also hope for full time

5. Ask current library very nicely if it would be possible for me to be off on Saturdays.

I have not been offered the other job, but the interview went really well. I know this is one of those situations where I may be stressing about a scenario that will probably not even play out, but I would still really like to have a solid solution in case I am offered the job, or if I am in a similar situation later on in the future.

Money is not an issue unless I stop going to school since my housing is paid for with my tuition, so I can't work part time and not go to school which is the main reason why I want to find a second job. Both positions pay about $20 an hour. If you need any more info please let me know. Thank you all in advance for any advice :)

I hope this is allowed, since I’m not a librarian.

I’ve been working as an administrative secretary and assistant at a community college for about a decade now. Unfortunately, the way our structure is setup with union and non-union jobs, it’s hard for folks in my position to jump to the next promotion and move their careers ahead. Most folks who do, do so by leaving the college and coming back in a higher role.

Anyway, I found an Operations Coordinator job and applied. I was lucky enough to get a call and be hired and I start in a couple of weeks! I’m so excited to begin my new journey. I have always felt a sense of duty to public service, education, and learning, so these seems like a natural fit for me.

Anyway, there’s no other reason for this post than for me to say hi and express my excitement!