What should I study to become a librarian?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

You should study library or information sciences if you want to become a librarian. To be eligible for public librarian certification, you must first graduate with a bachelor's degree. Then, you must obtain a master's of librarian or information sciences (MLIS), preferably through an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program.

Although it is not required that your MLIS degree is through an ALA-accredited program, it is important to note that many libraries will only hire those who have graduated from a program with that accreditation. The ALA does have a list that shows all of the ALA-accredited programs available. There are many throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Those who choose to seek a position as a school librarian may be happy to learn that an MLIS degree is not always required. Often, school librarians will need to meet their state's teaching requirements. As this is something that varies state by state, it is important to look into state-specific qualifications should you decide to pursue a career as a school librarian.