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What is a catalog librarian and how to become one
What general advice would you give to a catalog librarian?
Dr. Jenna Kammer Ph.D., MLS, MA
Associate Professor of Library Science (LIS), University of Central Missouri
Avg. Salary $50,520
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.33%
Asian 4.95%
Black or African American 6.53%
Hispanic or Latino 7.88%
Unknown 3.60%
White 76.70%
Genderfemale 64.88%
male 35.12%
Age - 48American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 48Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Catalog librarian career paths
Key steps to become a catalog librarian
Explore catalog librarian education requirements
Start to develop specific catalog librarian skills
Skills Percentages RDA 11.92% OCLC 9.50% Library Materials 9.02% Cataloging 7.61% Technical Service 6.89% Complete relevant catalog librarian training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New catalog librarians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a catalog librarian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real catalog librarian resumes.Research catalog librarian duties and responsibilities
- Manage category of materials: including books, CDs, films and other documents.
- Edit catalog record copy find in OCLC's database.
- Train cataloging and acquisitions personnel in use of DRA automate cataloging module.
- Open new patron accounts, provide customer support regarding account status and work with Polaris systems.
Prepare your catalog librarian resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your catalog librarian resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a catalog librarian resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable catalog librarian resume templates
Build a professional catalog librarian resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your catalog librarian resume.
Apply for catalog librarian jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a catalog librarian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first catalog librarian job
Are you a catalog librarian?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average catalog librarian salary
The average catalog librarian salary in the United States is $50,520 per year or $24 per hour. Catalog librarian salaries range between $35,000 and $72,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do catalog librarians rate their job?
Catalog librarian reviews
I'm an academic librarian, so helping students learn about information and research, teaching classes about same, and the intellectual aspect of working with information access around colleagues who are smart and kind. I've also been a teacher and a sales and marketing executive, but librarianship is by far my most rewarding career.
The pay. The stereotypes. The people who ask, "do they even still have libraries"?
As a librarian I enjoy cataloging because it is very first thing that needs to be done in creating a library both online or physical. If materials are not cataloged they cannot become available to users. Cataloging Librarians ensures that information is categorized or classified within the appropriate area so that it can easily located.
Updated January 8, 2025
