Public Librarianship

Public librarianship may be for YOU, if you want to:

Be a leader in community service
Keep learning every day
Interact with people of all ages and backgrounds
Develop a career that lets you grow in many different directions
Participate in a wide range of job activities or develop in-depth specialties

Course work to prepare for public library positions:

S504 Cataloging
S501 Reference
S502 Collection Development and Management
S553 Public Library Management
S505 Evaluation of Library Sources and Services

Other useful courses include:

S554 Library Systems
S573 Education of Information Users
S532 Information Architecture for the Web
S640 Seminar in Intellectual Freedom.

Beyond these, look for courses in your interest area.

Preparation for work with children and youth should include:

S571 Materials Youth and
other courses and workshops for which this is a prerequisite.

Preparation for work with adults should include a blend of discipline or material-oriented courses such as:

S524 Adult Readers Advisory
S521 Humanities Information
S526 Business Information

and service-oriented courses such as

S520 Information Seeking and Use
S550 Perspectives on Librarianship
S621 Audio and Video Sources
S533 Online Searching.

Also, watch for topical workshops and special courses.

Public Library Certification

Public librarians in Indiana must be certified by the Indiana State Library and Historical Board. Find information at the Indiana State Library http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/ldo/cert/certmenu.html.

Job Outlook

Public librarianship is a career for those who want to contribute to community welfare and are committed to equal access to information for all citizens. It encompasses many specializations: reference, community outreach, programming and instruction, collection development, technical services, technology management, Web page design, and management. Positions are often organized by subject, function, or audience level. Daily work may be specialized or may include a range of responsibilities and tasks. Organization setting and structure vary from small town/rural library to large urban with multiple branches. Despite expectations of slower-than-average employment growth, the need to replace retiring librarians will result in numerous job openings in the next five to ten years. Applicants in large metropolitan areas generally face more competition than those wanting to work in rural areas. Librarians with primarily administrative duties often have greater earnings. Overall, median annual earnings (year 2000) were $38,370. (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook 2002-2003 http://www.bls.gov/oco/)

Read more about it at "Public Librarianship: its more than you think." Also link to specialization pages on this site.

Qualities employees seek:

Strong public service orientation
People oriented with ability to interact with all kinds of people
Ability to represent library to the public
Team player and interest in collaborative projects
Analytical, problem solving, and organizational skills
Comfortable with technology, including use of World Wide Web, basic Web design, applications programs
Critical thinking about information and people's information needs
Ability to design and deliver service and programs

Opportunities to gain experience in this field:

Take S605 Internship courses available in most public libraries around the state. Watch for paid internships advertised on SLIS-INDY. Work in your local library. Volunteer in a library.

Important Links:

American Library Association - select divisions that match your interest
General student chapter membership through SLIS
Public Library Association of the American Library Association
Indiana Library Federation
Indiana State Library- Library Development

Interested in knowing more? Contact:

On campus:

Joyce Taylor, SLIS IU-IUPUI, jgtaylor@iupui.edu

In the community

Penny Pace-Cannon, Librarian, Indianapolis Marion County Public Library, ppace-cannon@imcpl.lib.in.us
Cass Owens, Associate Director, Monroe County Public Library, klowens@monroe.lib.in.us
Yvonne Oliger, Director, Brown County Public Library, yoliger@www.browncounty.lib.in.us
Beverly Martin, Director, Johnson County Public Library, bmartin@jcplin.org
Reann Poray, Local History/Genealogy, Plainfield- Guilford Township Public Library, RPoray@Plainfield.lib.in.us
Clarence Brink, Reference Coordinator, Vigo County Public Library, 812-232-1113 Jane Ruddick, adult reference, programming, library instruction, Monroe County Public Library jruddick@monroe.lib.in.us
Chris Jackson, branch library work, reference, library automation, Monroe County Public Library, cjackson@monroe.lib.in.us
Jeff Trinkle, AudioVisual Librarianship, Vigo County Public Library, 812-232-1113
Jeannie Dilger-Hill, readers' advisory, bookmobile, outreach, jail librarianship, Monroe County Public Library, ilgerh@monroe.lib.in.us

Or make an appointment to talk to a librarian at your local public library.