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发信人: myosotis (阿金), 信区: AdvancedEdu
标 题: 98-99 ocupational outlook/Librarians
发信站: BBS 水木清华站 (Mon Apr 6 22:28:42 1998)
Significant Points
* A master's degree in library science is usually required;
special librarians may need an additional graduate or
professional degree.
* Slow employment growth, coupled with an increasing number
of master of library science graduates, will result in more
applicants competing for fewer jobs.
* Applicants for librarian jobs in large cities or suburban
areas will face competition, while those willing to work in
rural areas should have better job prospects.
* Nature of the Work
The traditional concept of a library is being redefined,
from a place to access paper records or books, to one which
also houses the most advanced mediums, including CD-ROM, the
Internet, virtual libraries, and remote access to a wide
range of resources. Consequently, librarians are
increasingly combining traditional duties with tasks
involving quickly changing technology. Librarians assist
people in finding information and using it effectively in
their personal and professional lives. They must have
knowledge of a wide variety of scholarly and public
information sources, and follow trends related to
publishing, computers, and the media to effectively oversee
the selection and organization of library materials.
Librarians manage staff and develop and direct information
programs and systems for the public, to ensure information
is organized to meet users' needs.
There are generally three aspects of library workuser
services, technical services, and administrative services;
most librarian positions incorporate all three aspects. Even
librarians specializing in one of these areas may perform
other responsibilities. Librarians in user services, such as
reference and children's librarians, work with the public to
help them find the information they need. This may involve
analyzing users' needs to determine what information is
appropriate, and searching for, acquiring, and providing
information. It also includes an instructional role, such as
showing users how to access information. For example,
librarians commonly help users navigate the Internet,
showing them how to most efficiently search for relevant
information. Librarians in technical services, such as
acquisitions and cataloguing, acquire and prepare materials
for use and may not deal directly with the public.
Librarians in administrative services oversee the management
and planning of libraries, negotiate contracts for services,
materials, and equipment, supervise library employees,
perform public relations and fundraising duties, prepare
budgets, and direct activities to ensure that everything
functions properly.
In small libraries or information centers, librarians
generally handle all aspects of the work. They read book
reviews, publishers' announcements, and catalogues to keep
up with current literature and other available resources,
and select and purchase materials from publishers,
wholesalers, and distributors. Librarians prepare new
materials for use by classifying them by subject matter, and
describe books and other library materials in a way users
can easily find them. They supervise assistants who prepare
cards, computer records, or other access tools that direct
users to resources. In large libraries, librarians may
specialize in a single area, such as acquisitions,
cataloguing, bibliography, reference, special collections,
or administration. Teamwork is increasingly important to
ensure quality service to the public.
Librarians also compile lists of books, periodicals,
articles, and audiovisual materials on particular subjects,
analyze collections, and recommend materials to be acquired.
They may collect and organize books, pamphlets, manuscripts,
and other materials in a specific field, such as rare books,
genealogy, or music. In addition, they coordinate programs
such as storytelling for children, and literacy skills and
book talks for adults; conduct classes on Internet use and
other topics; publicize services; provide reference help;
supervise staff; prepare budgets; write grants; and oversee
other administrative matters.
Librarians may be classified according to the type of
library in which they workpublic libraries, school library
media centers, academic libraries, and special libraries.
They may work with specific groups, such as children, young
adults, adults, or the disadvantaged. In school library
media centers, librarians help teachers develop curricula,
acquire materials for classroom instruction, and sometimes
team teach.
Librarians may also work in information centers or libraries
maintained by government agencies, corporations, law firms,
advertising agencies, museums, professional associations,
medical centers, hospitals, religious organizations, and
research laboratories. They build and arrange the
organization's information resources, usually limited to
subjects of special interest to the organization. These
special librarians can provide vital information services by
preparing abstracts and indexes of current periodicals,
organizing bibliographies, or analyzing background
information and preparing reports on areas of particular
interest. For instance, a special librarian working for a
corporation may provide the sales department with
information on competitors or new developments affecting
their field.
Many libraries have access to remote databases, as well as
maintaining their own computerized databases. The widespread
use of automation in libraries makes database searching
skills important to librarians. Librarians develop and index
databases and act as trainers to help users develop
searching skills to obtain the information they need. Some
libraries are forming consortiums with other libraries
through electronic mail (e-mail). This allows patrons to
submit information requests to several libraries at once.
Use of the Internet and other world-wide computer systems is
also expanding the amount of available reference
information. Librarians must be aware of how to use these
resources to locate information.
Librarians with appropriate computer and information systems
skills may work as automated systems librarians, planning
and operating computer systems, and information science
librarians, designing information storage and retrieval
systems and developing procedures for collecting,
organizing, interpreting, and classifying information. These
librarians may analyze and plan for future information
needs. (See statement on computer scientists and systems
analysts elsewhere in the Handbook.) The increased use of
automated information systems enables librarians to focus on
administrative and budgeting responsibilities, grant
writing, and specialized research requests, while delegating
more technical and user services responsibilities to
technicians. (See statement on library technicians elsewhere
in the Handbook.)
Increasingly, librarians apply their information management
and research skills to arenas outside of librariesfor
example, database development, reference tool development,
information systems, publishing, Internet coordination,
marketing, and training of database users. Entrepreneurial
librarians may start their own consulting practices, acting
as free-lance librarians or information brokers and
providing services to other libraries, businesses, or
government agencies.
* Working Conditions
Assisting users in obtaining information for their jobs,
recreational purposes, and other needs can be challenging
and satisfying; working with users under deadlines may be
demanding and stressful. Selecting and ordering new
materials can be stimulating and rewarding. However,
librarians also spend a significant portion of time at their
desks or in front of computer terminals; extended work at
video display terminals may cause eyestrain and headaches.
More than 3 out of 10 librarians work part time. Public and
college librarians often work weekends and evenings, and may
have to work some holidays. School librarians generally have
the same workday schedule as classroom teachers and similar
vacation schedules. Special librarians may work normal
business hours, but in fast-paced industries, such as
advertising or legal services, may work longer hours during
peak times.
* Employment
Librarians held about 154,000 jobs in 1996. Most were in
school and academic libraries; others were in public and
special libraries. A small number of librarians worked for
hospitals and religious organizations. Others worked for
governments at all levels.
* Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
A master's degree in library science (MLS) is necessary for
librarian positions in most public, academic, and special
libraries, and in some school libraries. In the Federal
Government, an MLS or the equivalent in education and
experience is required. Many colleges and universities offer
MLS programs, but employers often prefer graduates of the
approximately 50 schools accredited by the American Library
Association. Most MLS programs require a bachelor's degree;
any liberal arts major is appropriate.
Most MLS programs take 1 year to complete; others take 2. A
typical graduate program includes courses in the foundations
of library and information science, including the history of
books and printing, intellectual freedom and censorship, and
the role of libraries and information in society. Other
basic courses cover material selection and processing; the
organization of information; reference tools and strategies;
and user services. Courses are adapted to educate librarians
to use new resources brought about by advancing technology
such as on-line reference systems, Internet search methods,
and automated circulation systems. Course options can
include resources for children or young adults;
classification, cataloguing, indexing, and abstracting;
library administration; and library automation.
An MLS provides general preparation for library work, but
some individuals specialize in a particular area such as
reference, technical services, or children's services. A
Ph.D. degree in library and information science is
advantageous for a college teaching position, or a top
administrative job in a college or university library or
large library system.
In special libraries, an MLS is also usually required. In
addition, most special librarians supplement their education
with knowledge of the subject specialization, sometimes
earning a master's, doctoral, or professional degree in the
subject. Subject specialization include medicine, law,
business, engineering, and the natural and social sciences.
For example, a librarian working for a law firm may also be
a licensed attorney, holding both library science and law
degrees. In some jobs, knowledge of a foreign language is
needed.
State certification requirements for public school
librarians vary widely. Most States require that school
librarians, often called library media specialists, be
certified as teachers and have courses in library science.
In some cases, an MLS, perhaps with a library media
specialization, or a master's in education with a specialty
in school library media or educational media, is needed.
Some States require certification of public librarians
employed in municipal, county, or regional library systems.
Librarians participate in continuing training once they are
on the job, to keep abreast of new information systems
brought about by changing technology.
Experienced librarians may advance to administrative
positions, such as department head, library director, or
chief information officer.
* Job Outlook
Slow employment growth, coupled with an increasing number of
MLS graduates will result in more applicants competing for
fewer jobs. Applicants for librarian jobs in large cities or
suburban areas, where most graduates prefer to work, will
face competition; those willing to work in rural areas
should have better job prospects.
Some job openings for librarians will stem from projected
slower-than-average employment growth through the year 2006,
reflecting budgetary constraints in school, public, and
college and university libraries. Additional job openings
will arise from replacement needs over the next decade, as
many librarians reach retirement age. In an effort to reduce
costs, however, libraries are reluctant to add new positions
and may even reduce staff.
The increasing use of computerized information storage and
retrieval systems may contribute to reduced demand for
librarians. Computerized systems make cataloguing easier,
and this task can now be handled by library technicians. In
addition, many libraries are equipped for users to access
library computers directly from their homes or offices.
These systems allow users to bypass librarians and conduct
research on their own. However, librarians are needed to
manage staff, help users develop database searching
techniques, address complicated reference requests, and
define users' needs.
Opportunities will be best for librarians outside
traditional settings. Nontraditional library settings
include information brokers, private corporations, and
consulting firms. Many companies are turning to librarians
because of their research and organizational skills, and
knowledge of computer databases and library automation
systems. Librarians can review the vast amount of
information that is available and analyze, evaluate, and
organize it according to a company's specific needs.
Librarians are also hired by organizations to set up
information on the Internet. Librarians working in these
settings may be classified as systems analysts, database
specialists and trainers, webmasters or web developers, or
LAN (local area network) coordinators.
* Earnings
Salaries of librarians vary by the individual's
qualifications and the type, size, and location of the
library.
According to a survey by the American Library Association,
the average salary of children's librarians in academic and
public libraries was $34,600 in 1996; reference/information
librarians averaged $35,800; and cataloguers and classifiers
earned $36,600. Beginning librarians with a master's degree
but no professional experience averaged $28,700 in 1996.
According to the Special Libraries Association, salaries for
special librarians with 2 years or less of library
experience averaged $33,100 in 1996, while those with 3 to 5
years of experience averaged $37,400. Salaries for special
librarians with primarily administrative responsibilities
averaged $58,400.
Salaries for medical librarians with 1 year or less
experience averaged $25,900 in 1995, according to the
Medical Library Association. The average salary for all
medical librarians was $40,800.
The average annual salary for all librarians in the Federal
Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial
positions was $50,400 in 1997.
* Related Occupations
Librarians play an important role in the transfer of
knowledge and ideas by providing people with access to the
information they need and want. Jobs requiring similar
analytical, organizational, and communicative skills include
archivists, information scientists, museum curators,
publishers' representatives, research analysts, information
brokers, and records managers. The management aspect of a
librarian's work is similar to the work of managers in a
variety of business and government settings. School
librarians have many duties similar to those of school
teachers. Other jobs requiring the computer skills of some
librarians include webmasters or web developers, database
specialists, and systems analysts.
* Sources of Additional Information
Information on librarianship, including information on
scholarships or loans, is available from the American
Library Association. For a listing of accredited library
education programs, check their homepage:
American Library Association, Office for Library Personnel
Resources, 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Homepage:
http://www.ala.org/
For information on a career as a special librarian, write
to:
Special Libraries Association, 1700 18th St. NW.,
Washington, DC 20009.
Material about a career in information science is available
from:
American Society for Information Science, 8720 Georgia Ave.,
Suite 501, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Information on graduate schools of library and information
science can be obtained from:
Association for Library and Information Science Education,
P.O. Box 7640, Arlington, VA 22207. Homepage:
http://www.sils.umich.edu/ALISE/
For information on a career as a law librarian, scholarship
information, and a list of ALA-accredited schools offering
programs in law librarianship, contact:
American Association of Law Libraries, 53 West Jackson
Blvd., Suite 940, Chicago, IL 60604.
For information on employment opportunities as a health
sciences librarian, scholarship information, credentialing
information, and a list of MLA-accredited schools offering
programs in health sciences librarianship, contact:
Medical Library Association, 6 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 300,
Chicago, IL 60602.
Information on acquiring a job as a librarian with the
Federal Government may be obtained from the Office of
Personnel Management through a telephone-based system.
Consult your telephone directory under U.S. Government for a
local number or call (912) 757-3000 (TDD 912 744-2299). That
number is not toll-free and charges may result. Information
also is available from their Internet site:
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
Information concerning requirements and application
procedures for positions in the Library of Congress may be
obtained directly from:
Personnel Office, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave.
SE., Washington, DC 20540.
State library agencies can furnish information on
scholarships available through their offices, requirements
for certification, and general information about career
prospects in the State. Several of these agencies maintain
job hotlines reporting openings for librarians.
State departments of education can furnish information on
certification requirements and job opportunities for school
librarians.
Many library science schools offer career placement services
to their alumni and current students. Some allow
non-affiliated students and jobseekers to use their
services.
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