How to Become a Librarian

How to Become a Librarian. The task of organizing, maintaining, and providing library resources (such as books, magazines, journals, digital recordings, etc.) to users falls under the purview of librarians, who are knowledgeable and competent individuals. In addition to categorizing materials and carrying out recurring audits, librarians are in charge of managing the library’s inventory.

Candidates must enroll in library science courses at the certificate, diploma, undergraduate, or postgraduate levels in order to become a librarian. Two of the most popular courses chosen by aspirant librarians in India are the Bachelor of Library Science and the Bachelor of Library and Information Science. If they have less time, candidates can also pursue courses leading to a Certificate in Library Science or a Diploma in Library and Information Science. Jadavpur University in Kolkata, Chandigarh University, University of Lucknow, and other major universities all provide librarian studies. The program’s annual average course fee is between INR 2700 and INR 55,000.

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Candidates are hired as school librarians, college librarians, law librarians, music librarians, and many other positions after completing the program. According to the website PayScale, a librarian in India makes an average pay of INR 2.59 LPA. The greatest pay for a librarian, however, can reach INR 8.33 LPA with time and updated abilities.

What does a Librarian Do? 

Helping clients learn how to use information retrieval tools, recommending books and information sources relevant to patron concerns, and maintaining collections are just a few of the librarians’ normal tasks. The junior librarians, clerks, and other staff members of the library are also under the supervision of the librarians. As technology develops and information demands change in the Internet era, librarians should be ready to continue their study and development in the information sciences throughout their careers.

A librarian’s work:

• Providing support with blended learning and guiding people in finding books, electronic resources, and other objects.
• Acquiring, organizing, and classifying materials to make them easily accessible
• Organizing and managing information sources, including books, periodicals, newspapers, e-resources, videos, audio recordings, photos, and manuscripts.
• Making information resources available by organizing them.
• Addressing queries and assisting library users.
• Following the most recent publications.
• Expanding the use of the library.
• Coordinating events like reading groups.

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How to Become a Librarian

The following are some types based on librarian work:-

• Academic librarians are frequently employed at institutes of higher learning where they oversee libraries and other educational resources.
• A digital librarian deals with storage, access, and digital knowledge to organize and preserve digital libraries or resources.
• Music librarians keep an eye on, arrange, preserve, and gather musically linked resources.
• Legal professionals known as law librarians are in charge of maintaining and protecting legal literature and data.
• Library administrators are responsible for managing the library’s various tasks, including book administration, acquisition, and preservation. They are in charge of public relations and cataloging for the library.

How to Become a Librarian in India

Depending on the type of librarian you want to be, there are different specific steps you must take to get there. With the following degree or course sequence, one can pursue a career as a librarian:

UG Preparation 

The following is a list of the UG courses available to those interested in a career as a librarian:

Bachelor’s Degree 

There are two well-known and well-liked degrees: the bachelor of library science (B.Lib.) and the bachelor of library and information science (B.L.I.Sc.). One of the aforementioned courses must be finished before you may become a librarian. One year is spent on the course.

In order to pursue the master’s degree necessary for librarian employment, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree if you don’t already have one. Even degrees can be earned online. Even though there are bachelor’s degree programs in library and information sciences, you cannot become a librarian after completing one of these programs. Most librarians have bachelor’s degrees in one or more of the social sciences, including English, education, history, anthropology, and others.

Diploma and certificate courses

Other well-known courses include Certificate in Library Science, Certificate in Library and Information Science, Diploma in Library Science, and Diploma in Library and Information Science. You might be able to pursue certain concentrations or endorsements through some programs. Such advice will be helpful regardless of whether you want to work as a librarian at a public library, a school library, or an archive.

PG Preparation

Most aspiring school a librarians should possess a master’s degree in library science. A bachelor’s degree in any subject and a master’s degree in library science or information studies are typically required for librarianship positions.

Several highly well-known master’s degree programs include the Master of Library Science, Master of Library and Information Science, M.Phil. in Library and Information Science, and PhD in Library and Information Science. You might be able to pursue certain concentrations or endorsements through some programs. Such advice will be helpful regardless of whether you want to work as a librarian at a public library, a school library, or an archive.

Courses to Become a Librarian

To pursue a profession as a librarian, a number of undergraduate courses are available. The course may last between one and two years. The following is a discussion of a few of them:

(B.Lib.) Bachelor of Library Science

Students who excel in library science are awarded the Bachelor of Library Science (B.Lib), a one-year degree. B.Lib’s main objective is to equip applicants with the skills required for the specific industry. Professionals are increasingly needed in this industry.

Application Procedure

The admission process for the bachelor of library science is merit-driven, and institutions create a merit list based on the scores that applicants received on the prerequisite exams. Prior to allocating seats, the schools get in touch with the applicants on the merit list and help them through the remaining steps of the admissions process.

Eligibility requirements

Candidates must have successfully completed the 10+2+3 educational pattern at a university that is recognized in order to be eligible for the Bachelor of Library Science program. Students must earn at least a 50 percent overall score on their qualifying degree exam in order to be admitted to the B.Lib.Sc program.

Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) 

A one-year undergraduate program called the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (B.Lib.I.Sc.) instructs students on managing and supervising libraries. The course is often divided into two semesters. The primary focus of the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (B.Lib.I.Sc.) degree is the upkeep and care of libraries.

Application Procedure

Every college has a different application process. However, the process is quite similar in most circumstances. Students must submit their applications in full and wait for the college to reveal the deadline. They will be eligible to enroll in the college of their choice if they achieve the cutoff. In some cases, there might additionally be an entrance test.

Eligibility requirements

Candidates must meet the specific eligibility standards of each university or institution. The primary prerequisites for admission to the Bachelor of Library and Information Science [B.Lib.I.Sc] program are as follows:

• Any topic of study requires a bachelor’s degree for the applicant.
• Candidates must have a 50–55 percent grade point average at graduation.
• Candidates must also fulfill the prerequisites for admission to the particular college to which they are applying.
• A number of colleges have their own entrance exams that applicants must pass.

Master in Library Science and Information science

Master of Library Science, or MLibSc, is a postgraduate degree program in library science. Numerous universities and organizations in India offer the course as a full-time or part-time (distance learning) program. For those who desire to work in research or education, the course offers a solid foundation. However, the degree also offers appealing professional chances for those who wish to pursue careers.

Application Procedure

Merit lists published by universities and other organizations serve as the basis for admission to MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) programs. A few colleges offer their own entrance exams for admittance to this program. Once the institution has released the applications for the entrance exam or the merit list, you can simply submit an application for admission.

Entry-level test

Though some colleges and universities have their own entrance exams to provide this degree, most of the time admittance to this degree is purely on merit.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a Master of Library and Information Science degree, you must meet the following criteria:

• a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum overall score of 50%–60%.
• For this program, you must be between the ages of 20 and 22.
• Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in library science or library and information science will be given preference.
• A minimum GPA of 50% in high school is also taken into consideration as a requirement for admission to this program.

How to Apply

At the various academic levels, entry to the librarian programs is based on a merit list or an entrance exam. For all of the courses, the admissions procedure is essentially unchanged. Let’s follow the steps.

• Registration: Prospective students must view the admission requirements (entrance-based or merit-based) on the college’s website before registering. In either scenario, candidates must register by providing their email and mobile number on a registration form. After that, the candidates would receive a Login ID.
• Application completion: After receiving their login ID, candidates must complete their applications by entering all pertinent information. The venue for the applicants’ entrance examination must be filled out.
• After completing the application form, candidates must upload a variety of papers in the proper format and size to the website.
• Application fees must be paid. Candidates must review their application forms and make payments to the college or entrance exam board.
• The candidates must then print a copy of the application form receipt for their records.
  The candidates must show up for the counseling process if they passed the entrance exam.

How to Get Ready for the Entry Exam

The candidates must adhere to the easy measures listed below in order to pass the entrance exam.

• The entrance exam syllabus should be downloaded by the candidates from the college website.
• Candidates must research the subject weighting and make a plan based on that information.
• The applicants must create a schedule for their numerous subjects and reserve one day each week for reviewing all they covered over the previous week.
• The candidates must take part in regular practice exams so they may develop their time management skills.
• The candidates must finish the curriculum at least a month before the entrance test.
• Candidates for the entrance exam must respond to the simpler questions before moving on to the more difficult ones. By doing so, they can expedite the revision process.

Finding a Job as a Librarian Abroad

One might choose to take librarian studies abroad in addition to India. Many major nations, including the UK, USA, etc., offer programmes to train people to become librarians. One must meet specific requirements in order to study abroad; a few of them are listed below for your reference.

• Consistently strong academic performance. However, several of the top universities providing librarian studies overseas seek students with 70% and higher.
• To be able to study abroad, one must pass a variety of language competence exams like the IELTS or TOEFL.

UK

The following are the list of colleges offering Librarian Courses in UK

USA

The Following are the list of Colleges offering Librarian courses in the USA

Australia

The following are the list of colleges offering Librarian Courses in Australia

Canada

The following are the list of colleges in Canada offering Librarian courses in Canada

Benefits of Becoming a Librarian

Salary

A librarian in India may earn between Rs. 2 and Rs. 4 lacs annually. A librarian can anticipate earning an average yearly salary of $48 k in the United States.

Salary will depend on numerous aspects, including the working environment, education, and experience. You can get a pretty nice income package as a librarian with a master’s degree and good experience.

Job Security

For example, differences in job satisfaction between male and female librarians and between a librarians of different units and divisions in the library are some examples of how much empirical work has been done on the antecedents of job satisfaction among librarians in developed countries. Additionally, the majority of the research has been on the connection between a librarian’s age, work experience, remuneration, and opportunities for growth within the library and how satisfied they are with their jobs.

Positive Impact of the career

Right now, there is a big demand for librarians. They can also work as research assistants for academics or as catalogers and bibliographers for publishing houses. There are many different work options in this sector. You might oversee a special service or collection. There are several career options available within library organizations.

Unique Experience

While they won’t pay more, there are various opportunities to work while pursuing your degrees that will give you a great chance to learn about how to become a librarian while you’re still in school.

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