How to work at a library

The chance to work in a library as a teen is highly contingent on how hiring initiatives are implemented for a library. Many teens begin as volunteers, and help shelve books or assist clients with checking out books or applying for library cards. Most paid jobs in a library that are open to teens are either in the form of a library technician or assistant or a library page. The major points covered in this article then include:

• Expanding Job Opportunities for Teens in the Field of Library Science
• Volunteer Work in the Library
• Paid Library Jobs for Teens
• Where to Locate Library Jobs or Volunteer Opportunities
• Applying for Library Employment
• Obtaining Additional Training

If a library is interested in expanding opportunities for teens, or in providing them with year-round employment, they normally focus on teen work in the form of service assistance, work-study programs, or in literacy assistance.

Teens may also be used to facilitate learning experiences in digital media, using the technology for such creative expressions as math, music, science, video production, writing, and visual art projects. Programs may also be initiated in libraries where teens are hired for the summer to work within the library system.

Through the aforementioned experiences, the library provides opportunities to obtain valuable work experience as well as marketable job skills in library science or office administration. With that being said, many jobs are available to teens who are willing to work in a volunteer capacity. These types of experiences enable teens to develop the skills needed to progress into paying jobs, whether in the library itself or in an administrative venue that requires skills in organization and communications.

To begin the process then, you might ask about volunteer work in your local public library. A staff member at the reference desk can supply you with more information about volunteer assignments, or direct you to a staff member who can. Public libraries frequently offer volunteer opportunities for teens that include shelving books, assisting patrons at the circulation desk, or helping the children’s librarian. Some volunteers also work a repairing damaged books.

Working as A Page

If you are an older teen (18 years old), you might consider working as a page. Library pages usually receive payment, but often work as part-time or temporary employees. The work is similar to what a volunteer does, and also includes shelving books. Working as a page may be your best opportunity to receiving a paid library job, especially if you are a teen and are currently not in college.

Other Jobs at The Library

You may also inquire about other jobs at your local library. Most librarians possess a degree in library science. However, all libraries do need to fill jobs, for example, in security. Again, working as a security guard is a position that is restricted to older teens (18 years old), or young adults (21 years and older).

Jobs at University Libraries

Teens who are college students can also find library assistant jobs in university libraries. These positions can often be scheduled around your class schedule and may, in some instances, be connected with your financial aid package, if applicable.

Working As A Library Assistant

A library assistant opening is a position where the person in the job role manages the daily work in the library. Requirements, however, as indicated, vary between libraries. Small libraries are more likely to be more lenient about their needs, and may even set aside training for high school students.

In most instances though, you need to possess a high-school diploma and sometimes show that you have completed library science coursework at the college level. Some libraries use the terms library assistant and library technician interchangeably. Other technicians are ranked higher in the library system, or have higher requirements educationally.

Library Bulletin Boards and Websites

Most libraries feature a bulletin board where notices of special events or open library positions are displayed. Check the board occasionally so you can apply to jobs or check the requirements of certain positions. Libraries often advertise openings on their websites as well.

Most libraries are established as non-profit institutions and are supervised by a library board. Compared to other employers then, they are given less leeway for discretionary hiring. As a result, you are less likely to be hired based on any personal connection. Usually, meeting the listed requirements are mandatory for hiring job candidates.

Do Your Research – Visit the Library First

When you note a job opening that fits with your skills or level of experience, you need to visit the library and evaluate the layout and services. Review the program schedules and the available technology as well as the other resources. All these insights will give you the information you need to discuss a job during an interview.

For instance, if you reviewed a library program, you might offer suggestions in order to improve it. The idea is to gather as much information as possible about the facility. Some of this information should include the following:

• The type of classification used
• The library’s database
• The domains that are covered
• Whether or not the library features digitized books

Use Specific Keywords in Your Resume

Most metro public libraries use a computer to scan incoming resumes. Therefore, the resumes must include specific keywords from the job description. Otherwise, an applicant will not be considered for an interview.

Write the Cover Letter, Highlighting Your Qualifications

In your cover letter, highlight all the essential qualities that make you, for example, a good library assistant. These attributes might include the following:

Uncover What You Can about the Local Politics

You also want to express your interest in the library itself and the domain that it covers. Find out what you can about the local politics, or what might impact the library as well. For example, is funding for the facility in jeopardy or have some of the services or hours been cut? That way, you can establish yourself as an advocate.

While a job as library assistant can help you get your foot in the door, most library jobs do require college training. Librarian positions in public libraries require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. These kinds of positions are frequently reserved for children’s librarians.

If you wish to permanently work in a library or make it your life’s worth, you need to make it your goal to obtain a Master’s in Library Science. Almost all intermediate or advanced library jobs necessitate a Master’s in Library Science or MLIS degree. Librarians who possess this degree have more advanced responsibilities, such as updating library collections or managing library assistants.

So, what has been your experience in applying for employment in a local library? Have you ever volunteered in a library or do you plan to become a librarian?

Duties, Requirements, and Salaries

Have you ever thought about working in a library? Maybe you have special memories of spending time in one as a child. If you want a career in this field because you love books, it is essential to note that you should also love technology—libraries are filled with the latest tech tools and you will have to feel comfortable using them. You should also enjoy being around people. Your library job, regardless of the career you choose, will involve interacting with patrons, but some involve less direct contact than others.

It takes many people to make a library run. There are those individuals who deal directly with the resources for which people come to libraries: librarians, library technicians, and library assistants. The job duties differ for these occupations, as do the education requirements and salaries. Then there are the people who work behind the scenes, but are nonetheless essential to the functioning of the facility. They are public relations specialists, office managers, computer support specialists, and janitors.

Librarians

Librarians select print and non-print materials for public, school, university, law, medical, and corporate libraries. They make these resources accessible to users by organizing them and providing instruction in their use. Librarians also supervise other library workers and some become library directors.

• Required Education: Master’s Degree in Library Science (MLS), Master of Information Studies, or Master of Library and Information Studies
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $57,680
• Number of Jobs (2016): 138,200
• Projected Job Growth (2016-2026): 9 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026): 12,400

Library Technicians

Library technicians are paraprofessionals who work under librarians’ supervision. Their duties vary according to the size of the facility in which they work—library techs who work in smaller facilities usually have more responsibilities than those employed in larger ones. They may order and organize materials, lend them to patrons, and reshelve those items when they are returned. Some library technicians teach patrons how to use resources.

• Required Education: High School Diploma
• Preferred Education: Postsecondary Training in Library Technology
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $32,890
• Median Hourly Wage (2016): $15.81
• Number of Jobs (2016): 99,000
• Projected Job Growth (2016-2026): 9 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026): 9,000

Library Assistants

Library assistants provide clerical support. Librarians and library technicians supervise them. Their duties include organizing materials, collecting fines for overdue or lost materials, checking in and out books, dvds, and other materials to patrons, and returning books to their shelves after patrons have used them. Library assistants also answer phones or organize files, as well as perform other routine clerical tasks. They are also commonly called library clerks, technical assistants, and circulation assistants.

• Required Education: High School or Equivalency Diploma
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $25,220
• Median Hourly Wage (2016): $12.12
• Number of Jobs (2016): 104,000
• Projected Job Growth (2016-2026): 9 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026): 9,800

Public Relations Specialists

Public libraries offer a lot of services and programs. Public relations specialists are responsible for making sure people in the community know about them. They send press releases to local newspapers and broadcasters, and create in-house promotional materials such as flyers and newsletters. Public relations specialists sometimes meet with community organizations and schools to promote activities.

• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations, or Marketing
• Preferred Background: Experience in a library or degree in library science
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $58,020
• Number of Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016): 260,000
• Projected Job Growth in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 9 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 22,900

Administrative Services Managers

Administrative services managers coordinate libraries’ support services. They may oversee mail distribution, plan budgets, and allocate supplies. Some are also responsible for scheduling staff.

• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Preferred Background: Experience working in a library
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $90,050
• Number of Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016): 281,700
• Projected Job Growth in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 10 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 28,500

Computer Support Specialists

Computer support specialists provide in-house support to staff members in libraries. They help solve problems, install software and hardware, and maintain computer equipment.

• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Median Annual Salary (2016): $62,670
• Number of Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016): 198,800
• Projected Job Growth in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 8 percent
• Projected Increase in Jobs in Libraries and Other Entities (2016-2026): 16,400

Janitors

Janitors keep libraries clean. They maintain the inside and outside of these facilities. Janitors may also make repairs to plumbing and electrical systems.

Do you love the smell of parchment? The tranquil hush of the library? If you delight in helping others find joy in literature or discovering the answers to questions even the internet can’t seem to answer, consider becoming a library assistant! Library assistants need to have high attention to detail and strong communication skills. Download JobFlare today and prove to employers that you’ve got the skills it takes to succeed!

Library assistants help librarians and library directors keep the library up and running by assisting with the clerical duties. They organize the shelves, take care of the online records, run the circulation desk, process new materials that come into the library, issue library cards, maintain office equipment, and help library-goers check out, return, and find materials. As a library assistant, you are the grease between the gears of the library; you make the librarians happy and the bibliophiles happier. The breed of book lovers you’ll be helping depends on what kind of library you choose to work in. Library assistants work in grade schools, universities, government buildings, hospitals, and (of course) public libraries.

Working as a library assistant can be a great way to determine if you would eventually want to become a librarian without the hassle of getting a master’s degree in library science only to find out that it’s not for you. If becoming a librarian is your goal, working as a library assistant is a great way to get connected to the American Library Association! The ALA is an organization dedicated to expanding library services and promoting library education through conferences, volunteering activities, and advocacy. You’ll gain experience that will help you stand out when applying to a master’s program for library science. If you don’t want to go the librarian-route, working as a librarian assistant is a great way to start climbing the rungs to become a program director or head of circulation at a library.

I’ve worked many years in different areas of customer service, from pizza delivery driver, to music store clerk, to telemarketer. At some point in my life, I ventured over to the world of libraries. I had a romantic version of working in a library that involved a dusty building filled with silence and books , where I could make decent money while working on my fantasy or romance novel. I assumed a library would give me ample time to do this, and that I’d make more money than working in a low-paying newspaper job, which is what I had been doing years ago.

“People don’t actually really use the library,” I thought to myself way back then. I envisioned that I’d help an elderly man find a periodical, help a toddler find a picture book, and would write with all that extra sweet time. But the thing is, if you don’t work or frequent a public library, then you don’t really understand a public library. The following are some truths I learned while working in a public library:

1. The first jarring realization I learned is that I am not the only one that wants to work in a library. Believe it or not, I am not the only person who sought to work in a library while pursuing their other hobbies or passions. I wasn’t underqualified with my two degrees, but I realized I wasn’t exactly overqualified after seeing how many people apply for the same library position. I guess since we all want to be writers (or at least enjoy reading books) then we all probably have degrees declaring our message to advocate the printed word. So that cushiony job where you rarely have to help people and write all day? If did exist, then it’d be incredibly competitive; you’d be behind 20 or more other people that have probably worked in the library longer and, actually made it through a master’s program for library science.

2. That cushiony job where you have to barely help people while you read or write all day does not exist. It’s busy, and there is no filter process to keep the crazies out. We welcome all types. (Until they are banned because they got caught watching porn.)

3. Actually, it is more accurate to say that all library staff is busy. The first library I worked in was one of the busiest libraries in the south. For eight hours a day I checked out patrons one after the other while I stood at the front desk, surrounded by four or five co-workers doing the exact same thing. I worked at Barnes and Noble and a few other retail stores, and there was no comparison. Summer reading days at the library were busier and more stressful than any black friday I’ve worked. When I moved to a smaller branch, I was hoping it would be less busy. (And it was, significantly.) However, less staff makes busier days essentially just as hectic.

3. Circulation is the butthole of the library. I say this honestly, after working in the circulation department for seven years. If the library were to enjoy fine dining, then our department would be the ones that were only given the leftovers when everyone else returned to work. It’s the first desk you see, and the last desk you use when you are checking out. However, since everyone gets funneled through the building to check out their books with us, we stay busy. And not the fun busy, like preparing for a kid’s program or hosting an adult program. Being circulation department is relatively comparable to being a cashier at a retail store, or a clerk at the DMV — part of the reality is you can never look too happy. Our type of busy usually consists of the steady lines of moms checking out 100 picture books, and stingy patrons that can’t keep their accounts in order. Sometimes all you can do when an old snotty lady is harassing you is look dreamily into the distant children’s department, and visualize a day of sing-a-longs and crafts.

4. Speaking of the children’s department, the library is not quiet. There are some areas that the reference librarians have taped off and blocked from children — much like security guards or people who wrap their bodies around trees to stop bulldozers.

“Save our study section,” they quietly chant.

Don’t be too surprised when you collide head-first into 400 screaming children leaving the library as you walk in with your graduate-level textbooks and coffee. You will hear an infant screech cries of terror, once a day and always around lunch time.

5. Working in the library can be rough simply because everyone’s human — some days your mood isn’t entirely here, and you’d be better off far removed from the public as opposed to being somewhere that necessitates being bright, chipper, and intrigued by humanity. The days in which you have to fake your way through every pointless and superficial conversation that you’ve heard for the last seven years (and will hear that day at least 20 more times) can be rough indeed. .

6. You will meet the strangest, quirkiest, and most interesting people, and they will all be your co-workers. Fantasizing about working in a public library was a far cry to working in one that actually existed. However, I have met artists, cartoonist, fellow musicians, poets and of course the always tortured, aspiring writer. More than once they will save you from getting fired with their understanding, humor and support. If anything, they will help you develope a huge tolerance for assholes. Because the majority of the public, once you get away from your friends and most of you family, are assholes.

Along with the screeching babies, chatty moms, stingy patrons and overly entitled public, you will meet some amazing patrons. You will also meet some amazingly insane people. There have been some patrons that I will never forget no matter where my career path will go. I thought I would conclude with a short list of my most memorable patrons:

– The old man who shat himself while saying, “oh shit. I shat myself.” This happened because I told him he had $23 in fines.

– The beautiful greek man that brought us baklava. One day he said, “if the last thing I saw before I died was her face then I would die a happy man.” I blushed and became as awkward and modest as I could. But that man left the library, drove home, and died in his driveway.

– An elderly lady that always said she needed a “hot toddy for her body.” She wore winter gloves usually until the end of march.

– All the women who asked me if I was pregnant during that weird post-breakup and post-quitting cigarettes period. They just looked so happy for me right until I told them no. “No, I’m not pregnant.”

– The kid that took me out of my grumpy day haze by saying, “my lady, I love you and I would like to take you on a plane to France.”

– The older man that gave me a bag of used teddy bears in case I could use them.

This is the 700th post that will appear on justinthelibrarian.com. Here’s the first. That post had nothing to do with libraries but this one will. Sometimes this website hits the library topic pretty heavy. Other times I’m here to talk about music and Weezer. Sometimes I just endlessly babble on about something. No matter what the topic is, I am thankful that the people who are reading this are here to listen, share, and learn together with me. That’s the ultimate goal of this website: to share, to listen, and to learn. We can do this together. Heck, we are doing this together. So here’s to 700 posts, almost 10 years, almost 250,000 views, and 450 subscribers. Thanks for following along. You are great.

I took this photo at a library in Katoomba NSW Australia in November 2015. This place was great.

Back when this website began in 2009 some of the big hot topics in libraries were “graphic novels…should they be heavily featured in library collections?” and “library events & programming…is this something libraries want to heavily invest in?”. Time has shown that the answer to both of these questions is yes, but that’s not the reason I bring it up. The reason I bring it up is to show JUST HOW MUCH PUBLIC LIBRARIES HAVE CHANGED since 2009. Here we are in 2019 where libraries are holding graduate ceremonies for their community members who got their GED through the library, big name jobs such as Innovation Lab Coordinator are what libraries are hiring these days, and millenials (aka the future) are coming out to support and stand for their public libraries. Public libraries are doing things that were not even on the agenda in 2009, just ten years ago. We’ll probably look back in 2029 and think the same time. Libraries are in a great place these days. We’re all doing so much for our communities and are pushing ahead to do even more. This is a time to celebrate and also a time to think about the future. This is a great time to ask yourself this question: Do You Want To Work In A Public Library?

Why do I think it is a great time to ask yourself this? Well here goes: if you’re working in a public library now and you’re not enjoying it maybe you shouldn’t be working in a public library. This is a great time to be working in a public library. Sure, there are bumps in the road but overall your community members value the work you do, from the events you plan to the collections you develop and even the little moments where you’re checking out library materials to a community member. Every step of the way in your work at your public library your community values you. Who wouldn’t want to work in a place like this?

If you feel grumpy about your day to day work, if planning and hosting events isn’t your thing, and if you’re just not ready to be everything to every community member that comes through your doors, this public library thing just isn’t for you in 2019. And honestly, it’s just going to continue to be less of a thing for you as public libraries move ahead. The public libraries that I see existing today in 2019 will continue to be improved upon and become even more community focused in the next ten years. Libraries are on the right path these days, one that is fully focused on their communities. Do you want to be on that path?

It’s OK if you do not want to be on the path that public libraries are on. Change is a tough thing to understand and implement into your life. I am pretty good in dealing with change because I’ve accepted that change is always happening, yet at the same time I too grapple with it happening too much or too fast. You’re not wrong, broken, or anything negative if you do not want to be on this path. It’s good to know who you are and what you want out of life, and I think by asking yourself the question “do I want to work in a public library?” you can learn a lot about yourself, grow, and if the need arises move onto something that better suits you. If this happens, all sides benefit: you find a path that suits you at this moment in life, the library is then able to hire someone who has a passion for what the modern public library is about, and the community gets another library staff member who is driven by what the community needs from the library at this point in time.

We’ll end the 700th post on Justin The Librarian with the question we’ve been asking through this whole post: Do You Want To Work In A Public Library? It’s great if you do and it’s great if you don’t. Be honest and be true to the decision. Be honest and be true to yourself. That’s all you need to be in this life.

*I turned off comments on May 8 2019 at 3:20pm because I don’t want to get emails about this all day and night and instead want to focus my attention on my family. If you want to discuss this post and make comments, you know where to find those discussions on social media*

Interested in a job as a librarian? Here’s information on what librarians do, specializations, educational requirements, skills employers seek, and what you can expect to get paid.

Librarian Job Responsibilities

Librarians evaluate books and other informational resources for consideration as additions to collections. They organize resources so that patrons can easily find the material that they desire.

Librarians assess the research needs of individual visitors and identify the necessary resources. Librarians arrange speakers, entertainers, and workshops to educate and entertain patrons. They publicize services to their constituency and endeavor to expand the use of library resources.

Libraries are increasing the use of digital delivery systems to present resources to patrons at their facilities and remotely through the internet. Librarians evaluate systems for storing and delivering digital content and follow technology trends in the field. They evaluate and purchase computers, electronic databases, and software for their facility.

Library managers and directors formulate budgets and recruit, train and supervise staff.

Work Environment and Specializations

Librarians work for colleges, corporations, schools, law firms, hospitals, prisons, and museums as well as traditional community libraries. Some librarians become specialists with expertise in areas like music, art, law, science, social science or literature collections.

They focus on evaluating materials for purchase and advising patrons regarding how to access and utilize that type of information. Librarians can also specialize in serving specific populations like scientists, artists, medical professionals, lawyers, prisoners, children, or youth.

Educational Requirements

Librarians typically complete an undergraduate degree in any discipline and then acquire a Masters in Library Science. Individuals intending to specialize in a particular content area benefit from an undergraduate major in a related area.

For example, art majors are well equipped to be art librarians, legal studies majors to be law librarians, and biology, chemistry, and physics majors to oversee science collections.

Librarian Salaries

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, librarians earned an average of $59,050 in 2018. The bottom 10% of librarians earned $34,630 or less while the top 10% earned at least $94,050.

Library area managers and library directors earn higher salaries while library assistants and technicians earn considerably less.

Librarian Skills List

Here’s a list of librarian skills employers seek in the candidates they hire. Skills will vary based on the position for which you’re applying, so also review our list of skills listed by job and type of skill.

Collections Management

Perhaps the most important job of librarians is to be highly accurate custodians of the physical and digital collections for which they are responsible.

• Acquisitions
• Archival Collections
• Cataloging Operations
• Collection Development
• Digital Archiving
• Digital Curation
• Digital Preservation
• Digital Projects
• Document Management
• Interlibrary Loans
• LexisNexis Librarianship
• MARC Records
• Mobile Environments
• Organization
• Preservation
• Project Management
• Reference Materials
• Reference Tools
• Shelving
• Special Projects

Communication and Interpersonal

Librarians must stand ready to provide efficient and supportive assistance to library patrons from all walks of life. Whether it’s helping people to locate books and resources, checking out books, or assisting in research, strong communication and customer service skills are essential.

• Book Selection
• Circulation
• Circulation Services
• Collaboration
• Communications
• Computer
• Customer Service
• Facilitation
• Marketing
• Oral Communication
• Public Service
• Supervision
• Teamwork
• Training
• Verbal Communications
• Written Communications

Analytical

Librarians use powerful analytical thinking skills to troubleshoot issues, perform library research, identify the individual needs of patrons, and define opportunities for process improvements and policy development.

• Evaluating Library Services
• Evaluating Stakeholder Needs
• Interpreting
• Library Policy Development
• Time Management
• Troubleshooting

Technology

With the widespread adoption in all libraries of automated circulation and catalog systems and, most recently, of digital collections, knowledge of current and emerging library technologies is a critical skill for librarians.

• Computer
• Information Technology
• Internet
• jQuery
• Learning Updated Technologies
• Microsoft Office
• Software
• WebCast

Education

In both school and public libraries, librarians are often called upon to create educational programs to introduce users to the resources that are available to them.

• Coaching
• Instruction
• Instructional Design
• Instructional Materials
• Lecturing
• Material Selection
• MLIS Degree

Research

Research librarians are key members of the staff of colleges, public schools, and law libraries.

• Catalog Searches
• Database Search
• Documentation
• Research Assistance
• Searching OPACs

Librarian Interview Questions

Below you can review many of the most common questions that are posed by library hiring committees to potential candidates for open librarian positions:

Libraries can be large or small repositories of books, information, and other reference materials. There are many different kinds of jobs at libraries, from a general librarian at a small community library to very specialized librarians or archivists of a particular subject. Libraries are a great workplace for those with a love of learning. Check out these top ZipRecruiter library jobs!

1. Librarian

Librarians do everything from organizing community events and programs to helping professionals and students research scholarly and public information. Their research skills can be utilized to find obscure legal records, business competitor data, or recommend the perfect book for a student project. They also educate their patrons on technology at the library.

2. Library Director

A library director is in charge of overseeing an entire library branch or library system. They manage budgets, develop future improvement plans, organize public relations events, and are in charge of all other library staff. The job requires a master’s degree in library science and involves future planning of programs, fundraising, and other library expansions for equipment and programs.

3. Archivist

Archivists authenticate and appraise historical documents and materials. They work to preserve and maintain historical items, including the creation of film and digital copies. Archivists organize archives and records with classification systems to facilitate searches. They work for museums and libraries, helping to arrange exhibits, set guidelines for public access, and assist users of the archives.

4. Medical Librarian

Medical librarians typically work in hospitals or medical school research centers, assisting healthcare workers by managing medical databases. They also do administrative work typical of librarian jobs, such as organizing and referencing materials. Medical librarians must have strong knowledge of medical terminology and a master’s degree in library science.

5. Library Technician

A library technician assists in running daily operations of a library. Often they have an associate’s or undergraduate degree in library technology. In addition to traditional library duties such as shelving materials and providing resources, library technicians perform administrative tasks and create and maintain patron records. They help run library programs and classes and direct volunteer activities and tasks.

6. Library Media Specialist

Library media specialists oversee operations in elementary and secondary school libraries. They work with teachers to design curriculum, teach classes, organize library materials, and provide information technology support. They ensure students and teachers are educated about the available resources the library. A master’s degree and state certification are typically required.

7. Assistant Librarian

Assistant librarians help library patrons locate reading reference materials. They work under head librarians. Responsibilities include routine clerical work such as checking materials in and out, filing papers, sorting mail, answering questions, and collecting fees. Computer literacy, good organization, and customer service skills are needed for this work.

8. Library Assistant

A library assistant works in a public or private library and is responsible for the materials therein. They see that all books and periodicals are cataloged properly and in the right place. Library assistants also help visitors to the library find the materials they need and facilitate the borrowing of those materials. They are friendly and knowledgeable with a passion for reading.

9. Library Aide

A library aide serves as a helper to the library staff. This involves assisting patrons in checking out books, shelving returned materials, finding resources, and organizing media for check-in. The library aide may also help librarians and library assistants run programs or classes for children, teens, and adults. They must be computer savvy, organized, and able to perform clerical tasks for the library.

10. Library Clerk

Library clerks assist and work under the supervision of head librarians. Their main duties are checking materials in and out, inspecting materials for damage, collecting fees, and reshelving and organizing books. They also provide basic reference assistance to patrons. A high school diploma is preferred, as well as computer literacy and organizational skills.

Forget what you think you know about public librarians. These days a librarian does a lot more than check out materials and shelve books. Technology expert, information detective, manager, literacy expert, trainer, community programming coordinator, reader’s advisor, children’s storyteller, material reviewer, and buyer are just a few of the hats a public librarian wears. A job in today’s public libraries offers a diverse and exciting range of responsibilities, projects, and opportunities.

Interested in learning more? Read through some of the frequently asked questions below, and visit the resources available online to see if public librarianship is the career for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out more about the day-to-day responsibilities of a public librarian?
Jobs in public libraries vary greatly. There is no one list of daily responsibilities, but taking the time to learn more about real public librarians will help you understand the depth and breadth of public librarianship. Read about the experiences of PLA members.

What are the educational requirements?
Most public librarian positions require a Master of Library Science (MLS) or a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree, preferably from a school accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). There are many options regarding program style and size. Undergraduate degrees in almost any subject area are appropriate.

What scholarship opportunities are available?
The American Library Association (ALA) provides a variety of scholarship opportunities. Other library associations and libraries may also offer education reimbursement or scholarships. Check the webpages of your local library or the pages of the organizations listed in the reference section below.

The 2009 ALA-APA Salary Survey: Librarian — Public and Academic, the mean librarian salary decreased from $58,960 in 2008 to $58,860 in 2009, a decrease of $100. This survey included 17,018 individual salaries ranging from $22,000 to $256,800 with a median of $54,500. A summary of this survey is available online.

What does the future hold for public librarians?
Available online, the “Occupational Outlook Handbook” suggests that the number of librarian jobs is projected to grow about 4 percent between 2006 and 2016. By 2016, librarians are expected to hold more than 164,000 jobs. In addition, more than 2 out of 3 librarians are aged 45 or older, which will result in many job openings over the next decade as many librarians retire.

ALA Online Resources

ALA JobLIST
ALA JobLIST is your source for current employment opportunities in the field of library science, information science, and technology.

LibraryCareers.org
Considering a career as a librarian? LibraryCareers.org provides you with an overview of the variety of jobs available in libraries and for librarians, as well as the skills you to obtain those jobs and information about obtaining a master’s in library science.

ALA-Accredited Programs
Review a listing of ALA-accredited library and information science degree programs, as well as information on how to choose the right program for you and frequently asked questions about getting in to library school.

Throughout my ever-morphing career as a Books Person, I have been lucky enough to work in many different professional roles. I’ve been a design assistant at a university press, an editorial intern at an indie publisher, a publicist at one of the Big Five publishing houses, a reviewer for trade publications, a writer for book-loving sites (like this one!), but it has always been a dream of mine to work at a library. So when I was offered a position in the circulation department of my local library this past December, I jumped at the opportunity. Only the reality was nothing like I expected. Not even my years as a patron, library-lover, and advocate could have prepared me to face the things they don’t tell you about working in a modern public library.

Like a lot of people, I pieced together my idea of what a library worker does with the help of books, movies, and television. From what I read in Matilda and watched on The Pagemaster, I was under the impression that working at a library meant recommending books, making people be quiet, and reading all day. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily, I was wrong in the best possible way, because working at a modern library is far more challenging, far more engaging, and far more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.

If, like me, you’ve always dreamed of becoming a real-life Miss Phelps, then prepare yourself by learning these things they don’t tell you about working in a modern public library.

There are a lot of misconceptions about what librarians and library workers do, but this has to be the biggest one. Despite being surrounded by books, people who work in libraries rarely have time to read on the job — except, of course, on break or during story time.

Libraries are bustling places of business where there is always something that needs attending to: Reshelving books, helping patrons checkout books, organizing community events, the list goes on. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go on to include reading for fun. Like most people, library workers have to wait until off-work hours to get to their TBR piles.

One of the things I was most excited to do at the library was recommend books to patrons looking for their next great read. Luckily, this is something I get to do all the time, but it barely scratches the surface of what kind of customer service work is required when you work behind the circulation desk.

Yes, helping library patrons means telling them all about the new books they might enjoy, but it also means showing them how to use the photocopier or fax machine. (Yes, these do still exist.) It means explaining the difference between MP3s and DVDs. It means explaining what Twitter is and showing them how to sign up for an account. As a library worker, you aren’t just there to help members of the community find and check out books, movies, and music. You’re there to help make their lives a little bit easier, whether that means teaching them how to take pictures on their phones or informing them of the town’s recycling schedule.

When would you say:

1. He is in the library.

2. He is at the library.

1. He is in the library. Used when you want to mean that he’s really inside the library, say that he’s sitting and reading there.

2. He is at the library. He is in or just outside the library. You’re using this when you want to position the person within the city, the area, looking at it generally from some distance.

• Marius Hancu

If I know that the person is currently inside the library but I am far away from the library (let’s say a few miles away), should I use ‘in’ or ‘at’?

I’ll prefer to use ‘in’ just to be precise. Is this a good choice?

• New2grammar

• nona the brit

Very well Marius and Nona!! Thanks for your clarity!

How about this analysis. see if it makes sense please:

If the library is a separate building, we can use AT or IN as Nona and Marius explained depending on our purpose – general location or exact location being inside, for example, not outside.

However, if the library is inside a high school, or an institute, we always use “in”. We use “in” because it is like saying:

– She is in class (a room inside this building). = She is in the library (the library is inside the school itself). The library here is similar to a room inside a building even if it’s very big.

What do you think of my additional analysis of “in” and “at” the library?

in prison vs. at prison ?

in the hospital vs. at the hospital ?

Does “in” here mean a prisoner and a patient respectively whereas “at” a visitor of a prison and a visitor of a hospital respectively?

Welcome to this week’s ‘The Monday Interview’.

Are you a book lover? Do you have an interest in information management and a desire to work with the public? Then read on…

In today’s interview we hear from Martin, a library assistant, whose job encompasses all of the above and much more. Long gone are the days when librarians sat in silence, stamping one book after the next. It is a job which has well and truly moved with the times and, these days, is reliant on technology-savvy staff who are able to identify new and easier ways to share information with library users.

It’s a sector which recruits at all levels – from the starter jobs as library assistant to the fully qualified librarians, many of whom will hold relevant Masters Degrees. But, as we hear from Martin today, rising up the career ladder may require a bit of patience of you do enter at the lower rungs.

As ever, I’m eternally grateful to my contributors who make this blog series possible. Thanks so much, Martin, for talking us through your job.

So, briefly, what is your job?

“I am a Library Assistant, I’m responsible for customer service, reference and information enquiries and running events in the library, particularly beginners’ IT courses and the “Work Club” which helps people with CVs, job searches, covering letters etc in a very informal way.”

How did you get into it?

“I quit teacher training to spend more time with my family and it was the first thing I found that appealed to me. Generally, the qualifications needed are Cs in English and Maths and basic IT skills. I have a degree so I was under-shooting in the hope of finding something quickly.”

Describe a typical day.

“I will come in at either 8 or 9 and try to get admin tasks done before the library starts to get busy at 10. My time will then be divided between serving customers, processing stock and delivering events. Some days we will have an event in the morning and afternoon meaning most of the day will be taken up with planning, delivering and then evaluating that event. Customer service usually involves helping customers find stock, recommending titles and helping customers using the self-issue machines (for both taking books out and booking onto computers) or finding information.”

What do you enjoy most about your job?

“Helping people improve their skills, the challenge of finding obscure information, discussing books customers have read, have a good laugh with some of the other staff, and working with so many books to choose from is like being in a sweet shop.”

And the least?

“Some customers can get worked up over the slightest things. Some management will not support you over a customer complaint, no matter how ludicrous. Qualifications are treated with suspicion by some who will go out of their way to belittle or make life difficult for you. Unique personal skills are not utilised effectively, if at all. At the moment I feel there are no real opportunities for career progression for me – I’m basically waiting for the “old boys club” to retire (although most of them are girls, not boys).

I also run my own online business selling laser-engraved products including iPhone covers, tax disc holders, hip flasks etc This serves as a refreshing break because I can make changes and explore new things as I see fit. Four separate meetings aren’t need for an action to be taken!”

What are the common misconceptions that people have about the work you do?

“That we just stamp books all day (we don’t even do that anymore!) People often think it’s a soft job and, as a result, library staff find it difficult to leave the industry as employers think we lack transferable skills.”

What are the main skills you need to work as a library assistant?

“Patience and a thick skin. You must also enjoy working with people, and have a love of reading.”

Tell us a little about the benefits that come with the job.

“The pay is rubbish for entry level (1st year 12k, 2nd year 14k, capped at 16k for Library Assistants – obviously this will vary slightly from region to region with some areas paying more). But you get free CD/DVD hire, and first pick on all new books.”

What advice would you give someone wanting to break into this career?

“You will probably not earn a lot of money, and people who have been in their jobs for a long time and have a vested interest in the status quo will often hamper your ideas. Make sure you have excellent IT skills and/or skills with Children, at least one of these is essential.”

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

“Hopefully I will have written a novel and they will be begging me to do a book signing! Failing that in a more senior role – most of the old guard will have retired by then touch wood!”

Would you make a good library assistant? Take our career test and find your top matches from over 800 careers.

What is a Library Assistant?

A library assistant (or library technician) helps librarians acquire, prepare, and organize materials. They also do other tasks that are needed to run a library. They usually work at desks or computer terminals inside libraries, and work in the library stacks while cataloguing or shelving books.

In this article:

What does a Library Assistant do?

Library assistants typically do the following:

• Loan library materials to patrons and collect returned materials
• Sort and re-shelve returned books, periodicals, and other materials
• Organize and maintain library materials
• Handle inter-library loans
• Register new patrons and issue library cards
• Answer patrons’ questions and help them find library resources
• Maintain computer databases used to locate library materials
• Help plan and participate in special programs, such as used-book sales and outreach programs

Library assistants are usually supervised by a librarian. Library technicians may have more responsibilities than library assistants, such as administering library programs and overseeing lower-level staff.

Are you suited to be a library assistant?

Library assistants have distinct personalities. They tend to be conventional individuals, which means they’re conscientious and conservative. They are logical, efficient, orderly, and organized. Some of them are also realistic, meaning they’re independent, stable, persistent, genuine, practical, and thrifty.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if library assistant is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Library Assistant like?

The table below shows the various areas in which library assistants worked in 2010:

• Various levels of government, excluding education and hospitals 53%
• Elementary and secondary schools; local 16%
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; private 9%
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; public 9%
• Corporate organizations 3%

Except for those who work in bookmobiles, library assistants generally work indoors. They spend much of their time at desks or computer terminals. Most also spend time in the library stacks while cataloguing or re-shelving books, a task that may require bending or stretching to reach the shelves.

Library assistants in school libraries work during regular school hours. Those in public or college libraries work weekends, evenings, and some holidays. In corporate libraries, they work normal business hours but may be asked to work overtime. The schedule of library assistants who work in bookmobiles is dependent on the locations they serve.

Library Assistants are also known as:
Library Clerk Library Aide Library Technical Assistant Library Services Assistant Library Clerical Assistant Library Technician

How can I get a job in library and information services?

The most direct entry route into this sector is to complete a specialist undergraduate or postgraduate course. As a high percentage of all vacancies arise in the public sector, a lot of them are formally advertised in the press. However, relevant academic departments are sometimes notified of vacancies. Entry-level jobs are almost always generalist, for example junior librarian or library assistant and, while graduate programmes are not common, further training is always provided.

What are the different areas of work?

This sector can be split into jobs within public libraries, academic libraries and private organisations which have large information management needs. The range of duties include:

• Producing user guides – tools to help people access information easily
• Dealing with enquiries, both ‘face to face’ and by email
• Administration relating to inter-library loans etc
• General referencing and cataloguing
• Lending books
• Assisting clients with literature searches.

Public libraries have other responsibilities including advising the public on library resources, assisting with internet research and promoting the library within the community through talks and activities. Specialist areas include archiving, copyright licensing, cataloguing/classifications.

What’s involved in the application process?

Application forms are usually used within the recruitment process, but CVs are sometimes requested. Assessment centres are not common. Be aware that you may be asked for a number of references, and referees may be contacted prior to interview. Any application should focus on proving that you have demonstrated the key skills required to work in the sector.

When should I apply?

Recruitment is ongoing and, because there are relatively few specialist courses in this sector, employers sometimes recruit direct from the colleges (in which case it will probably be between November and May). Similarly, large professional firms such as law firms may participate in the ‘employers programme’ but their library/information needs are limited and therefore they might not recruit annually.

What qualifications and skills do I need to work in library and information services?

Either a relevant undergraduate or postgraduate qualification is almost always required – it is such a specialist area that people rarely enter it without such qualifications. The key skills required to work in this field can be split into two categories:

The skills required to manage the information resources

• Excellent attention to detail and organisational ability
• A high level of technical proficiency
• An ability to be tenacious and persistent
• Time management – as you are usually dealing with multiple projects simultaneously.

High level interpersonal skills

These skills are also required when you are dealing with customers. They include:

• Listening and interacting with customers to establish their information requirements and imparting the relevant information
• Providing guidance/direction on the best research route to take.

In addition, good general knowledge is required as well as being resourceful, self motivated and enthusiastic.

What are the opportunities for professional development?

Staff working in this sector regularly attend either in-house or external courses to develop specialist skills and to upgrade their existing skill set.

The Library Association of Ireland is one of the key professional bodies.

What is working life like?

In the majority of library and information jobs, shift work will be required (Monday–Saturday). Some academic libraries offer extended opening hours at busy times such as summer and Christmas exams. There is quite a lot of freedom to move within the sector because the systems and procedures tend to be similar across institutions. A willingness to change role and develop your skill set is a requirement for promotion and career advancement. Normally the larger the library is, the greater the opportunity for advancement and specialisation.

Research the requirements to become a library helper. Learn about the job description and duties, and read the step-by-step process to start a career in library assistance.

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Should I Become a Library Helper?

Library helpers, also known as library assistants or library technicians, organize library materials and shelve books. Under the supervision of librarians, assistants organize and maintain periodicals, help patrons with questions, deliver items and answer phones. Library helpers spend most of their day standing, staring at computer screens and loading carts. They also carry, lift and shelve books.

Career Requirements

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Job postings (September 2012), O*Net Online.

Library helpers typically have a high school diploma and one or more years of experience in the field. However, employers might prefer library assistants who have completed a formal training program, such as a certificate or associates degree program in library technology.

The skills needed in this field include information ordering, customer service, good communication and detail-oriented skills, proficiency with Microsoft Office, WorldCat, Online Computer Library Center, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for library assistants in 2018 was $26,500.

Step 1: Complete a Training Program

While only a high school diploma is needed to work as a library helper, employers prefer applicants with a degree or certificate. Programs in library technology train students in information organization, collection management, information and computer literacy, public library services, circulation and automated library systems. Some employers want a library helper to have at least an associate’s degree.

Additionally, the BLS noted that library technicians working in a public school must meet the same requirements as a teacher assistant, which typically includes a two-year degree.

If you want to be successful at this step, here are some steps you can take:

• Develop your computer skills. With libraries transferring over to digital materials, in addition to written materials, many employers list strong computer skills as a must for library assistants. Students should take computer and information technology courses. This education allows prospective library helpers to gain a thorough understanding of computer technologies and applications.
• Gain communications skills. Library helpers must be excellent communicators and provide good customer service. Students who take communications courses can bolster their interpersonal, and written and verbal communications skills.
• Use your elective courses to gain relevant work experience. Since most employers require some level of experience in a library setting, students may want to complete programs that offer elective library field experiences. These professional experiences allow prospective library helpers to familiarize themselves with the processes and technologies of the field.

Step 2: Get Library Experience for Career Advancement

Library helpers can establish themselves in the field by gaining entry-level experience. While some larger college libraries may require one to two years of experience in the field, library assistants may be able to find entry-level, part-time positions within smaller facilities without experience. In this setting, students learn about circulations, library software, collection management and technical services. As Library assistants acquire more experience, they become qualified for management positions.

Additionally, you may want to:

• Consider volunteering at local libraries. Volunteering at a library will allow job seekers in this field to familiarize themselves with common library equipment, including online catalogs, scanners and audio/visual equipment. It will also help candidates better understand how libraries are organized.

To review, with a high school diploma, experience, and customer service and computer skills, library helpers can assist librarians in organizing and maintaining books and periodicals, cataloging, and answering phones, which pays about $26,500 a year.

“Shh. No talking!” If you haven’t heard this admonition or seen it on a placard, chances are you haven’t been to the library lately. In fact, you may never have to visit the stacks at your friendly neighborhood book hangout again. New technologies are making long-distance library love a reality through ebooks. An estimated two-thirds of libraries across the U.S. offered ebooks in 2011, and that’s good news for lit lovers who embrace digital media [source: American Library Association].

As convenient as ebooks are for library patrons, they present libraries with important challenges. Ebooks are handled differently from printed books libraries own and can freely lend, trade or resell. Some major ebook titles are sold to libraries at much higher bulk-use prices, or with licenses limiting the number of times they can be placed on loan and restrictions on their resale or trade [source: Doctorow].

Publishers have been slow to embrace ebooks for library use. One reason is what we’ll call cross-selling. Publishers and libraries have shared a good relationship over the years because library patrons make great book customers. When visiting, they peruse the shelves and discover new authors to explore. It isn’t uncommon for publishers to provide libraries with free hardcover and softcover books for this reason. With ebooks, there’s a belief that fewer visits to the library will translate to less cross-selling revenue over time, and this has created a disincentive to offer bargains on digital books that can be checked out and returned remotely [source: Vaccaro].

Since digital books never wear out and may be vulnerable to unauthorized duplication and circulation, publishers have also been cautious about making them too accessible. Advancements in digital rights management (DRM) technologies that limit the way digital media like ebooks can be used are helping to make it easier for publishers to embrace ebooks in general and may also impact the way libraries and publishers handle ebook distribution in the future [source: Rosenblatt].

The ebook industry presents libraries with another obstacle, too. Ebooks are formatted to work with specific hardware and software programs. Because these different technologies are proprietary and sometimes incompatible, libraries are forced to provide some ebooks in multiple formats or limit their availability to one type of e-reader/software or another.

To manage the challenges of ebook lending, many libraries have turned to outside services for help. In this type of arrangement, the library leases books from a third party instead of going directly to the publisher, and this third party handles some of the administrative tasks as well as other ebook-related functions such as website management. Two well-known services used by library systems across the country are OverDrive and 3M, but there are others, including companies that specialize in educational ebooks and services that offer their catalogs free of charge [source: American Library Association].

The next time you’re looking for a good read, you don’t need to learn the Dewey decimal system. In most cases, all you need is a library card number, password and Internet access. Happy reading.

Whether your local library is in the heart of a big city or nestled in a small town, it is likely a great place to get some work done.

Libraries are open to all, they come equipped with wifi and business amenities that freelancers, independent professionals and entrepreneurs need, and they provide a quiet place to focus.

Here’s an overview of working out of your local library, no matter what size town you’re in:

Libraries have Wifi

Regardless of your profession, chances are good that you need wifi access. From emails and social media to website development, graphic design and consultation, reliable wifi is a must-have. It has become a core part of library offerings around the world.

Some days you may want to work at a community table, while other days you may be heads-down and focused on a project or meeting with a client in a sitting area. Libraries offer a variety of workspaces, depending on what you need on any given day.

Reference librarians are one of the best-kept secrets in libraries. They are there to help you answer questions, get the information you need to further a project, find out which forms you need to fill out to get a business license, get data about local demographics and much more. Having this invaluable resource onsite at your workplace is a huge perk.

If you have a laptop, you can go into the library and start working. But even if you don’t, you can work out of the library. Most libraries offer public computers for library patrons to use. Ask at your local branch about any time limits they may have and how to schedule time on a computer.

Printer and Scanner

Even the most hardcore paper-free professional will need to print and/or scan something at some point. Libraries have printers, scanners and copiers on-hand so, whether you print a lot or a little, the library has you covered.

If you’re a freelancer or independent professional, the line between work and home can get blurry. If you’re always in your home workplace, it’s hard not to always be working. Working out of a library lets you set work hours and better separate your work life and your home life.

A growing number of coworking spaces offer coworking programming and even in-house coworking space. This lets freelancers, independent professionals and entrepreneurs work together and creates an informal professional network. If your local library offers coworking, give it a try.

Professional Development Programming

Libraries offer professional development programming, including workshops, presentations, skillshares and networking events. Check out the programming schedule in your local library and participate in any events that speak to you.

At some point, you may need a meeting room to meet clients, give a presentation, pitch investors, or meet with your team. Your local library likely has meeting rooms, study rooms and event spaces available to library patrons.

In towns of all sizes, the local library can be a valuable resources for entrepreneurs and independent professionals. Visit your local branch to see what offerings can help you grow and strengthen your business.

Library assistants maintain, sort, issue and receive library items such as books, magazines, tapes, films and associated records.

Personal requirements for a Library Assistant

• Aptitude for working with computers
• Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
• Good organisational skills
• Good communication skills
• Able to work under pressure
• Good customer service skills.

Duties & Tasks of a Library Assistant

Library assistants may perform the following tasks:

• Sort material according to classification or catalogue numbers and return library materials to shelves or other storage areas
• Issue items from library collections to borrowers and record identification data and due dates
• Check records to compile lists of overdue items
• Inspect returned items for damage and make minor repairs where required
• Issue identification cards to borrowers
• Answer telephone enquiries
• Assist librarians and library technicians with information enquiries
• Assist with outreach services, such as a home library service for people who are not able to visit the library due to illness or disability
• Assist customers in finding physical and online materials
• Perform inter-library loan functions.

Working conditions for a Library Assistant

Library assistants work as part of a team under the supervision of librarians or library technicians. They are often responsible for daily library operations.

Job Search Programs, Workshops, and Tools Available at the Library

Most people probably don’t think of going to the library when they are starting a job search, but it’s a useful place to get personal assistance and to access online (and print, of course) resources that will help your job hunt go smoothly.

In addition to providing job search and career-related books, public libraries offer many other resources for job seekers.

Libraries are an excellent resource for unemployed workers and job and career changers, especially for those who can use hands-on help.

If you don’t have your own resources, such as a laptop or printer, you can use the library’s systems to work on your job search materials.

How the Library Can Help Your Job Search

To find out how your library can help, visit the library’s website. You’ll find information on library resources, programs, classes, workshops, tools, and events that can help you with your job search.

Many public libraries offer free computer training courses, including classes on how to use your computer and software programs, basic computer skills, using tablets and other devices, setting up and using email, using Google, blogging, file storage, internet safety, and other computer and internet classes.

Even though these classes aren’t specifically focused on job searching, they will help you learn how to use your computer and the internet effectively and efficiently.

At some libraries, you’ll also find career-focused classes that will help you write a resume and cover letter, effectively search for and apply for jobs, gain interview skills, and learn how to use career networking to get hired.

Computers and Wi-Fi

When you don’t have access to a computer or Wi-Fi, most libraries have computers available for patrons to use. You may be able to reserve time to use the computer, or they may be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can use library computers to check and send email (get a free Gmail or Yahoo email account), write resumes and letters, and apply for jobs (save a copy of your resume and cover letters online using Google Docs).

Printers are available so you can print copies of your resume, cover letters, and references. Libraries also offer free Wi-Fi that you can connect to with your laptop, tablet, or phone.

Job Search Workshops

Job search workshops provide hands-on assistance with your job search and may include advice on online job searching, resume and cover letter writing, how to apply for jobs, and how to network.

Job Clubs

Job clubs are designed to provide job seekers with job search help, support, and advice.

Check to see if your library offers a formal job club moderated by a career expert or meeting space for an informal job club you can join.

Meetings are typically held on a weekly basis, and you’ll learn all the steps you need to take to job hunt successfully.

Career Transitions

Career Transitions is an online job search and career exploration tool that job seekers can access for free through local public libraries. Call the library or check your local library’s website to see if they provide access to Career Transitions.

English Language and Literacy Classes

When English isn’t your first language, it can make your job search even more of a challenge. Your library may be able to help with ESL classes, workshops, and practice sessions.

For English-speaking job seekers who need help to improve their reading and writing skills, literacy classes, or one-on-one tutoring may be available.

Stress Relief

Job searching can be really stressful, and you may be able to find some stress relief at the library. Some libraries offer meditation workshops, yoga classes, wellness programs, and other health and fitness classes.

Libraries are an excellent resource for unemployed workers and job and career changers, especially for those who can use hands-on help.

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For Immediate Release
Tue, 07/14/2020

Contact:

American Library Association

CHICAGO — When it’s time to start planning for a renovation or construction project, you don’t need a book that covers everything from A to Z. Instead you need a concentrated set of tools and techniques that will guide you and your team to find the best solutions for your specific project. That’s exactly what library building expert Fred Schlipf provides in his new book “Constructing Library Buildings That Work,” published by ALA Editions. This key resource for library directors, administrators, board members, trustees, and planning professionals pinpoints the elements that make library buildings functional, helping everyone involved in the project stay focused on the task at hand. Inside, readers will find:

• a streamlined organization of the text that enables quick consultation and facilitates collaboration;
• concise coverage of the essentials of the library construction process, including who does what, how things work, and how to stay out of trouble along the way;
• advice on important planning and workflow considerations such as site selection, schematic design, funding, design development, the bidding process, construction, and post-construction occupancy;
• discussion of the characteristics of successful library buildings—buildings that are easy to maintain, welcoming to people with disabilities, have less trouble-prone restrooms, and provide security for users, staff, and collections; and
• an overview of bad ideas in library architecture, with pointed guidance on how to steer clear of them from the very beginning of your project.

Schlipf has been a library school faculty member for over 50 years, and he spent nearly 33 years as director of The Urbana Free Library in Illinois. Coauthor of “The Practical Handbook of Library Architecture: Creating Building Spaces that Work,” he’s done formal building consulting for nearly 200 libraries and quick consulting for many more. He has served on dozens of committees and task forces of the American Library Association, Illinois State Library, Illinois Library Association, local library groups in Illinois, and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. In 2000, he was named Illinois Librarian of the Year.

Some file management activities in Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint site libraries can be done more efficiently using File Explorer instead of a web browser. The table below describes all options for working with site library files in File Explorer. We recommend the first option, syncing with OneDrive for work or school, because it provides local access to your files and offers the best performance.

Note: You can also view your OneDrive for work or school files on the OneDrive app for iOS or Android.

Option for accessing library files in File Explorer

Isn’t limited to a web browser

Provides local access to library files

After the initial sync, you don’t need a network connection to view or edit files

View in File Explorer in OneDrive for work or school

View in File Explorer in SharePoint

Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 11

There’s nothing to set up or download. You also can copy or move folders. From the library, click View options , and then click View in File Explorer

Not supported in Windows 10 Edge for OneDrive for work or school, (see link at bottom of page), some other browsers, or on Mac or Linux computers

Available only when you’re online

Performance depends on connectivity speed

Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 11

Available in File Explorer when you’re online

Not supported in Windows 10 Edge for OneDrive for work or school, some other browsers, or on Mac or Linux computers

Available only when you’re online

Performance depends on connectivity speed

Mapping is temporary

Note: If you use Windows 10, see Why SharePoint ribbon buttons are unavailable for steps on how to run Internet Explorer 11 and make it open by default.

by Shannon Clark in Save Money | 3 comments | Contains affiliate links.

The library is way more than just books. Check out these free things to do at the library, perfect for creating awesome memories with your kids -even on a tight budget.

J ust because you’re a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you want to sit around the house all day, right?

As a stay at home mom with two kids at home and a tiny entertainment budget, I’m always looking for fun activities to do together that don’t cost a thing. Our local library has proved to be a great resource for this.

Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing the library is? At my local library, I can walk in and carry out up to 60 new books, DVDs, and references.

If they don’t have what you like, you can request it from another library and it will be waiting next time you visit. If they still don’t have what you want, you can request that they buy it. And at least at my library, usually, they do.

While you’re there, you can give your toddler a free preschool-like experience and connect with other moms at story time. You can also log onto a computer and browse the internet or access databases and software.

All they ask is that you bring back what you borrow within a few weeks, or renew, and renew again. That way this busy mom of two actually has a chance of finishing a book!

In fact, you don’t even have to leave home to use this amazing resource. You can simply log in and download e-books right onto your computer or e-reader.

And you can use all these beautiful words, information, entertainment, and learning for FREE.

29 Free Things to Do at the Library

Books aren’t the only thing you can get for free at the library! Try these fun activities to do to at the library with your family. You can enjoy entertainment and make memories together, even on a tight budget.

Free Things to Do at the Library For Kids

1. Story Time
2. Puppet Shows
3. Educational Toys
4. Science Activities
5. Reading Programs (and prizes!)
6. Computer Games & Educational Software
7. Free Museum Admission
8. Learn a Language
9. Video Games
10. Board Games
11. Kid Movies & CDs
12 Tutoring & Homework Help

Free Things to Do at the Library For Moms

13. Magazines and Newspapers
14. eBook Downloads
15. Personal Finance Classes
16. Book Clubs
17. MP3 Music and Audiobook Downloads
18. Internet and Wi-Fi Access
19. Research Your Family History
20. Book & Poetry Readings
21. Take an Online Class
22. Film Screenings
23. Reserve Popular New Movies
24. Connect with Other Moms
25. Lectures & Workshops
26. Homeschool Curriculum
27. Join a Language Conversation Group
28. Use a Meeting Room
29. Find Free Community Events

I wanted to give you a grand total for how much I’ve saved by using my local library in a year, but honestly, I always lose track! I can say it’s a lot, though.

We’ve been to story time, checked out countless books, browsed the amazing free preschool curriculum, downloaded ebooks and audiobooks, checked out movies, and more all for FREE!

Each year the average American spends $109 on reading materials, and hundreds more on music, movies, software, and admissions to museums and entertainment venues, so your library is a great way to save money on fun activities for you and your kids.

If you want to save some money, grab your library card, and go have some fun!

Looking for even more free things to do with your kids? Create fun memories with your kids without busting your budget with my e-book 76 Free Things to Do with Kids available on Amazon.

If your library allows it, you can read a huge selection of magazines on your phone, tablet or PC — all at no charge.

RBdigital is the gateway to free digital magazines from your library.

RBdigital/Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Public libraries are so awesome. (Thanks, Ben Franklin!) They let you borrow not only physical books, but also digital content like e-books, audiobooks and — surprise, surprise! — digital magazines.

It’s true: Many libraries have partnered with RBdigital (formerly Zinio for Libraries) to offer electronic ‘zines you can check out and read on a variety of devices. I was already a big fan of doing that on my iPad, so I’m overjoyed that my local library here in metro Detroit offers this awesome option.

It’s a surprisingly generous offer, too: For most titles you get access to not just the latest issue, but also back issues. There’s usually no limit on the number of magazines you can “check out,” and they don’t expire after a certain time period the way library e-books do. In other words, you get to keep them for as long as your account is active.

This is especially exciting in light of Apple’s recently announced News Plus subscription service , which for $10 per month gives you access to over 300 magazines. Not only is RBdigital free, it’s also compatible with Android devices and Amazon Fire ($40 at eBay) tablets.

Here’s how to get started with RBdigital, starting with what you’ll need in order to read.

Dust off your library card

First, visit your local library’s website (via your desktop browser) to see if there’s any mention of RBdigital. If so, you’ll need your library card number and password to get through the registration process, which should be accessible via that site. The process typically involves creating an account with RBdigital, the service that manages magazine loans for libraries.

With that done, check your inbox for an activation email from RBdigital and click the link to verify your account.

Eventually you should be looking at the available catalog of magazines, the size of which can vary from one library to another. Mine, for example, offers around 300 titles — same as Apple News Plus, interestingly. It doesn’t have every magazine I want, but it’s a good mix overall.

If you see something you know you want to read, just click the cover and then the blue Checkout button. Pro tip: After clicking that button, check the box marked Automatically checkout the next issue. Presto! Now you’ve got a “subscription” to that magazine.

Consider the hardware

Reading magazines on a phone — like Reader’s Digest, shown here — isn’t terrible thanks to RBdigital’s text mode. Thankfully, it’s not all text.

RBdigital/Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Next, figure out where and how you want to consume your digital mags. To my thinking, the best bet is a full-size tablet, meaning one with a screen that’s at least 8 inches. I’ve used an iPad Mini ($249 at Back Market) , which is pretty good, so long as it has a Retina display, but a full-size iPad or Amazon Fire HD 10 ($150 at eBay) is better. A 12.9-inch iPad Pro ($699 at Back Market) ? Best option by far.

Ultimately, you want something with the highest resolution and largest screen you can get — at least if you plan to consume magazines in their native format (meaning PDFs of the actual magazine pages). Thankfully, the RBdigital app offers a text view for many, if not most, titles, and it’s a pretty good implementation.

Indeed, reading a scanned magazine on a smartphone (or smaller tablet) means a lot of scrolling and zooming, which is far from ideal. But with one tap, the RBdigital app will switch you over to text mode, giving you larger print, in your choice of sizes, that’s nicely formatted for smaller screens. And it’s not just raw text, either; photos get mixed in as well.

This mode definitely works better for longer stories though. On pages with lots of little blurbs, the app doesn’t always delineate between them well. I also noticed that magazines are slow to download. On both a Fire HD 10 and an iPad, I typically wait a minute or two for an issue to load. It’s a maddeningly slow app in other ways as well, like when you’re switching between PDF and text view.

Get the apps

The RBdigital apps are available for Fire, Android and iOS. Once it’s installed, run it and then sign into the RBdigital account you just created. Any magazines you’ve already checked out should be waiting for you. Alternately, you can tap the Menu button and then Magazines to explore the collection and choose titles to check out.

RBdigital may not be perfect, but if you like magazines and want to read them for free, well, it’s time to renew that library card.

Originally published on Nov. 15, 2016.
Update, April 4, 2019: Adds new information.

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The Free Management Library can be freely used for your own personal, professional and organizational development (including for-profit and nonprofit organizations). To learn more about the purpose, the information, some history and the developer of the Library, see About the Free Management Library. Here are some tips to get the most out of using the Library.

Primary Uses of the Library

People use the Library, primarily for three purposes:

1. To get to know it as a general purpose resource they can use over time.
2. To find a type of resource to solve a current problem, achieve a goal or meet an interest.
3. To learn how various topics can conventionally be categorized and integrated with each other.

To Switch Between For-Profit and Nonprofit Information

You might be from a for-profit or nonprofit organization that you want to improve. Each type has some unique terms used for concepts that actually are in common between both types of organizations. See Free Management Library Includes Materials for For-Profit and Nonprofit Organizations.

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A translation utility is available in the upper left-hand corner of each page in the Library and near the upper left-hand corner in each blog. It translates into almost 60 languages, using the Translate link, which, in turn, uses the Google translator engine. As with any automated translator, there are often miss-translations. While not as accurate and reliable as a human translator, the automated utility does provide value to users of other languages.

To Get Acquainted With the Library

• The six sections of information and the various categories of information in each.
• The self-assessments to the right in most of the sections, to help you identify which topics you might want to work on. Notice that some of the sections also include videos about the topics in that section.

On the left side of all pages, notice:

• Links to share feedback with us, a list of categories of recommended books and a list of the human guides, each associated with a major topic in the Library. Each guide is an expert in his or her topic, and also has a full-time job 🙂
• You can get updates from the Library by following its Twitter account and/or joining is Facebook fan page.

On the right side of all pages, notice:

• You can easily get back to the home page with its major sections.
• There also is an extensive index of all of the topics in the Library.
• You can customize your own learning plan to learn a topic or skill in an orderly manner.
• You also might consider forming your own study group in which members can share support and accountabilities to implement their learning plan.
• Links to a variety of general resources, such as directories of blogs, free training programs, job banks, online groups, organizations that offer free help to organizations, major periodicals, and supersites with vast arrays of useful and free resources.

Now, go into a topic, for example, How to Self-Reflect and notice it:

• Lists the sections in that topic.
• Suggests Related Library Topics in regard to the general nature of self-reflection.

About Copyright Terms, Reprinting Materials and Citing Contents

We want to help you to use the resources in the Library, including to reprint articles where appropriate. Read Copyright and Reprint Terms to see how to reprint materials from the Library.

Regarding citing contents from the Library, for example, in an article or research paper that you are writing:

1. Contact the author of the article that you want to cite from. The Library does not include contact information for each author.
2. If the author is Carter McNamara, then it is very likely that the contents are regularly updated; thus, there is no specific publication date. However, if Carter’s article is a PDF document, then it likely mentioned a publication at the top of the PDF, that the PDF was excerpted from. In that case, the publications and their publication dates are listed at Our Publications.

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We strive to honor this commitment through staff development and in our recruitment, hiring, and promotion practices.

When you walk into the Reading Room of the Law Library of Congress, you might notice something you haven’t seen in a while. A card catalog that is still in use, though no new cards have been added since December 1980.

The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) is a classification system that was first developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to organize and arrange the book collections of the Library of Congress. Over the course of the twentieth century, the system was adopted for use by other libraries as well, especially large academic libraries in the United States. It is currently one of the most widely used library classification systems in the world.

Within the 21 basic classes of the Library of Congress Classification system, law is classified under the letter K . Because law was the last subject to be classified, patrons still need to use the card catalog in some instances.

The online catalog still contains many law items which have the old classification designations: e.g. LAW United States New York 2 or LAW Europe West Germany 7. There are also law items in the online catalog which only have the classification “LAW.” In these instances, the user will need to check the main entry card in the card catalog for additional information needed to retrieve an item from the Law Library’s collection of 2.65 million items. There are also a handful of law items which do not appear in the online catalog at all, and patrons doing historical research are always urged to check the card catalog.

Special thanks to Margaret Wood for contributions to this post.

10 Comments

1. Richard Marcotte
   September 15, 2010 at 10:05 am

You bet, walked into the local library with my son and there was no card catalog and I told the librarian that it was just wrong, because as Murphy knows computers break right at the moment you need them most.

Excelente, aunque hoy en día la influencia de los sistemas de computación y la web tienen la palabra, los libros físicos que posee la humanidad seguirán siendo determinantes para la cultura y la educación.

I loved card catalogs! I liked the well thumbed cards in the Suzallo Library at the University of Washington.

I have a discarded one in my living room! Still mostly empty but I’ll find a use for it.

Nice post! We still have a card catalog in our library as well. And it is still used sometimes. In our switch to online records, some didn’t make it, so there are still very old items that can only be found in the card catalog.

I’m curious. Do patrons under 30 know how to use the card catalog? It takes a certain amount of patience to follow the see and see also notes. And you have to write down the information not just click on a link.

As a cataloger at a law firm, when I first transferred holdings from a print catalog to an online catalog, I made sure that the online records looked like a catalog card (albeit one with colors) because I thought attorneys would find it easier to use. I still prefer the layout of a catalog card to that of an online catalog.

I suppose that gives away my age.

Excellent read. I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. He just bought me lunch because I found it for him! Thus let me rephrase: Thank you for lunch!

if i had my way we’d still be using these. they warm my heart just to see them, and if i had my way i’d have a wall of them in my reading room and would have them in lieu of electronic versions in every library. i used to type those cards while working in the school library while a student. thank you for this photo, i hope to use it as my screen saver.

oh well. card catalogs are such great! but you also need patience and a lot knowledge to use this.. I just love being in the library and one of the stuffs that i loved most there are those catalogues. Bethany
January 10, 2014 at 5:07 pm

Of course people under 30 still know how to use a card catalog. Sure we are far fewer than I would prefer, but we do exist. I miss card catalogs and I find it sad as a reference librarian, that so many people younger and older have no idea how to use a card and for that matter OPAC cataloguing systems. 🙁

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For some reason I’m never able to use external libraries in any language. I’m looking for instructions/explanations of how to use external libraries, as well as how they work. When I search online, I get fragments that never seem to apply to whatever library I download and try and use. I work on both a mac and a pc, and C++ examples are fine. I use eclipse IDE with the C++ plug in. If there are instructions that apply to all libraries that would be great.

3 Answers 3

Say you have a class Unuseful defined as follows:

Now, you have another class that needs printing unuseful statements:

This means that you want to use an external library containing the specific implementation ( printUnusefulStatement ) that you want to include in your code.

You may use this library in two ways:

1. By providing the source code to the compiler
2. By providing a binary file (which had been previously compiled for your architecture), to the linker

Case 1: using a library at compile time

This is the simplest case. You have the source code of the library you have to use and you simply have to compile it together with your existing code (say main.cpp file). Typically you are the author and user of the library (a class that accomplishes a task you need).

Compiling with this command:

allows you to use the implementation you need in your main.cpp file.

Case 2: linking a library

More often than Case 1, you don’t have the source code of the library you want to use. You only have the header file ( Unuseful.h , to continue with the example) and a static or shared library (probably[*] libunuseful.a and libunuseful.so files, respectively).

The static library is an archive of object files ( *.o ) that are linked inside your final executables, the shared libraries instead are loaded dynamically – at run time (look at this page for a better understanding of the difference).

Static libraries are created by simply archiving the *.o files with the ar program:

Shared libraries are created with the g++ -shared option:

Let’s suppose now you have the Unuseful.h file and the shared library ( libunuseful.so file) and you have a main.cpp file that instantiates a Unuseful object and calls the printUnusefulStatement method.

If you try to compile this file ( g++ main.cpp ) the linker will complain because it cannot find the printUnusefulStatement symbol.

It’s time to use the library:

The -L option tells the linker where to search for library files and the -l flag tells the linker the name of the libraries to be used (without the lib prefix).

Now the executable ( a.out , because I didn’t specify a different name) is created, and you have used a library to implement a functionality you needed ( printUnusefulStatement ).

Since the shared library is loaded at run-time, the execution of the a.out executable may fail because the system is not able to find the library. Typically this can be solved by appropriately setting an environment variable indicating which paths to use to search for dynamic libraries:

Done, now your executable has been compiled and it will be able to run and load the library it needs.

Conclusion

This is a rapid overview on libraries which I hope can help you understand how they are used and provided to others.

There are many many aspects that should be investigated in more detail, if you are interested: g++ options when creating shared libraries, ar options, environment variables, the shared libraries format and so on.

_{[*]: In a Unix environment}

_{[**]: If supported for the target machine, emit position-independent code, suitable for dynamic linking and avoiding any limit on the size of the global offset table. This option makes a difference on the m68k, PowerPC and SPARC. Position-independent code requires special support, and therefore works only on certain machines. [From the g++ man page]}

Yes in this case there are three sheet tabs named one two three.

Guru @data_null__ Very neat. Does that handle exporting to multiple sheets appropriately with the naming convention?

Sorry, I am yet to test that sweet solution. Pardon me.

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Thanks for reply.

But i want all the datasets at once in one excel workbook having multiple sheets (sheets name must be the dataset name).

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Have you tried the code suggested by @data_null__ ? I think it does what you ask.

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Thank you very much data_null_.

Need further help from the community? Please ask a new question.

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某些 Creative Cloud 应用程序、服务和功能在中国不可用。

Work with libraries

The library in an Animate document stores media assets that you create in the Animate authoring environment or import to use in the document. You can create vector artwork or text directly in Animate; import vector artwork, bitmaps, video, and sound; and create symbols. A symbol is a graphic, a button, a movie clip, or text that you create once and can reuse multiple times. You can also use ActionScript to add media content to a document dynamically.

The library also contains any components that you have added to your document. Components can be either compiled clips or MovieClip based components.

You can open the library of any Animate document while you are working in Animate, to make the library items from that file available for the current document. You can search the symbols in the library by their names or their ActionScript linkage names.

You can create permanent libraries in your Animate application that are available whenever you start Animate. Animate also includes several sample libraries containing buttons, graphics, movie clips, and sounds.

You can export library assets as a SWF file to a URL to create a runtime-shared library. This lets you link to the library assets from Animate documents that import symbols using runtime sharing.

The Library panel (Window > Library) displays a scroll list with the names of all items in the library, which lets you view and organize these elements as you work. An icon next to an item’s name in the Library panel indicates the item’s file type.

Dragging objects from Stage to the Library panel to convert to a Symbol is deprecated, and will not be functional with Animate.

Dragging objects on to the Stage across two undocked documents is deprecated, and will not be functional with Animate.

Open a library in another Animate file

Navigate to the Animate file whose library you want to open and click Open.

The selected file’s library opens in the current document, with the filename at the top of the Library panel. To use items from the selected file’s library in the current document, drag the items to the current document’s Library panel or to the Stage.

Resize the Library panel

Drag the lower-right corner of the panel.

Click the Wide State button to enlarge the Library panel so it shows all the columns.

Click the Narrow State button to reduce the width of the Library panel.

Change the width of columns

Work with folders in the Library panel

You can organize items in the Library panel using folders. When you create a new symbol, it is stored in the selected folder. If no folder is selected, the symbol is stored at the root of the library.

Animate also imports animated GIF files in an organized way by placing them in a separate folder under the library root folder and naming all the associated bitmaps based on their sequence.

Create a new folder

Click the New Folder button at the bottom of the Library panel.

Open or close a folder

Double-click the folder, or Select the folder and select Expand Folder or Collapse Folder from the Panel menu for the Library panel.

Open or close all folders

Select Expand All Folders or Collapse All Folders from the Panel menu for the Library panel.

Move an item between folders

Drag the item from one folder to another.

If an item with the same name exists in the new location, Animate prompts you to replace it with the item you are moving.

Sort items in the Library panel

Columns in the Library panel list the name of an item, its type, the number of times it’s used in the file, its linkage status and identifier (if the item is associated with a shared library or is exported for ActionScript), and the date on which it was last modified.

You can sort items in the Library panel alphanumerically by any column. Items are sorted within folders.

Animate libary organizes the imported animated GIF files in a separate folder under the library root folder and names all the associated bitmaps based on their sequence.

Conflicts between library assets

If you import or copy a library asset into a document that already contains a different asset of the same name, choose whether to replace the existing item with the new item. This option is available with all the methods for importing or copying library assets.

The Resolve Library Items dialog box appears when you attempt to place items that conflict with existing items in a document. A conflict exists when you copy an item from a source document that already exists in the destination document and the items have different modification dates. Avoid naming conflicts by organizing your assets inside folders in your document’s library. The dialog box also appears when you paste a symbol or component into your document’s Stage and you already have a copy of the symbol or component that has a different modification date from the one you’re pasting.

If you choose not to replace the existing items, Animate attempts to use the existing item instead of the conflicting item that you are pasting. For example, if you copy a symbol named Symbol 1 and paste the copy into the Stage of a document that already contains a symbol named Symbol 1, Animate creates an instance of the existing Symbol 1.

If you choose to replace the existing items, Animate replaces the existing items (and all their instances) with the new items of the same name. If you cancel the Import or Copy operation, the operation is canceled for all items (not just those items that conflict in the destination document).

Only identical library item types may be replaced with each other. That is, you cannot replace a sound named Test with a bitmap named Test. In such cases, the new items are added to the library with the word Copy appended to the name.

Replacing library items using this method is not reversible. Save a backup of your FLA file before you perform complex paste operations that are resolved by replacing conflicting library items.

If the Resolve Library Conflict dialog box appears when you are importing or copying library assets into a document, resolve the naming conflict.

Resolve naming conflicts between library assets

Each year, the Springfield City Library welcomes over 700,000 visitors throughout our nine locations and offers nearly 4,000 programs for adults, teens and children. Our 76,628 registered patrons account for circulation of nearly 650,000!

People who visit any of our locations know what they can expect from their library. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you’re looking for, you have come to the right place. The Springfield City Library is yours. All you have to do is ask.

SPRINGFIELD CITY LIBRARY: LOCATED IN A CITY ON THE RISE!

Springfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1636 by William Pynchon, has a proud history. From its earliest days, Springfield was a center of commerce. In the industrial age, the city was one of the largest, most prodigious manufacturing centers in the country. Springfield’s reputation was bolstered by the many innovations that sprung forth from the city’s residents.

Today, Springfield is once again becoming known for innovation and technology. From mentorship programs for entrepreneurs and accelerators for startups ready to scale to specialty incubators and training, the city is regaining its standing as a great place to start and grow a business. Springfield is also home to large employers including MassMutual, Baystate Health, five colleges, and a host of social and professional services organizations.

To view current opportunities and apply online visit the City of Springfield’s website.

The Seattle Public Library actively commits its programs and resources to eliminate institutional racism by ensuring that barriers to access by staff and the public are eliminated, by supporting broader public access to Library programs and services, and by providing the public and staff equitable opportunities for growth through employment and education.

Statement

The Seattle Public Library stands in solidarity with the members of our community who are advocating for anti-racist practices in government and protesting against the continued oppression of Black people in America. As an institution 130 years in the making, the Library understands that we are also rooted in an oppressive history and have our own listening, learning and unlearning to do. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Manuel Ellis, Tony McDade, Charleena Lyles – and too many others – are devastating and point to a much larger systemic problem that must be addressed. Our community’s response to this injustice, though, re-energizes our continued efforts to end systemic racism in our city. We have many steps left to take on our journey.

Racial Equity Goals

Reducing barriers to access for low-income children of color

According to Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle, Seattle has one of the largest gaps in achievement between black and white students in the nation.

Striving for equity in internet access and online services

According to a recent City of Seattle Digital Equity Report, nearly 30% of Seattle parents who only have internet access via smartphone or tablet report hitting data limits that limited their access; more than 20% had their phones cut off for nonpayment.

Representing and investing in people of color

According to the American Community Survey, more than a third of Seattle residents – 34% – are people of color, and 22% of the population speaks a language other than English at home.

If you have a question or need help, Ask Us or call 206-386-4636.

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ti dᶻidᶻəlal̓ič sx̌alali ʔal tə ʔaciɫtalbixʷ swatixʷtəd. tiiɫ ʔačiɫtalbixʷ swatixʷtəd xʷiʔ ləʔabšid ʔə tə dᶻixʷ ʔaciɫtalbixʷ, ʔə tiiɫ dxʷdəw̓abš. The Seattle Public Library is on Indigenous land. These are the traditional unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, specifically the Duwamish people.

Common Tasks

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