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Instruction librarian skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Kerol Harrod
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical instruction librarian skills. We ranked the top skills for instruction librarians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 11.3% of instruction librarian resumes contained collection development as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an instruction librarian needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 instruction librarian skills for your resume and career

1. Collection Development

Collection development is the systematic and economical creation and evaluation of a library's inventory to meet the information needs of library users in a timely and cost-effective manner, using local information resources as well as resources from other organizations. Its purpose is to aid the mission of the library and involves both selecting and deselecting library resources. The library collection also includes general information resources to assist in a learning environment in subjects not covered in the classroom.

Here's how instruction librarians use collection development:
  • Served as a library liaison to academic departments which included collection development responsibilities in those areas.
  • Participated in collection development, online searching, information retrieval.

2. Library Services

Library Services are those resources, products, and events provided and held by a library or a similar entity to an individual. Users of the library may make use of these tools, which often differ from one institution to the next but amongst which may be things like online information and phone services, literary and other classes, book clubs, referencing services, and a number of other things.

Here's how instruction librarians use library services:
  • Complete assessments of library services and provide interpretation and evaluation of assessment data.
  • Designed literature and Technical documents to facilitate the easier use of Library services including database use, book collections and pathfinders.

3. Reference Services

A reference service іѕ an іntеgrаl раrt of any lіbrаrу, the аіm of whісh іѕ tо educate users on hоw tо uѕе reference mаtеrіаlѕ to hеlр thеm gеt factual іnfоrmаtіоn іn the best роѕѕіblе way аnd аt the right tіmе. Thе rеfеrrаl ѕеrvісе hаndlеѕ rеԛuеѕtѕ аnd аѕѕіѕtѕ uѕеrѕ fіnd, ассеѕѕ, аnd uѕе thе rеԛuіrеd information to mееt thеіr nееdѕ.

Here's how instruction librarians use reference services:
  • Performed daily services including research assistance, circulation reserves and delivery of reference services.
  • Provided customized information literacy instruction and reference services to students and faculty.

4. Research Assistance

Research assistance means helping in private/academic research.

Here's how instruction librarians use research assistance:
  • Provide research assistance to students, faculty, staff and community patrons.
  • Provided bibliographic instruction and research assistance to students and staff.

5. Professional Development

Professional development means to have the essential training certification or education with the purpose of earning and having a successful career. Every job requires a different set of skills. However, new skills may be needed in the future. Professional development, in this regard, helps people to develop and polish the skills and become efficient workers.

Here's how instruction librarians use professional development:
  • Facilitate professional development workshops that assist educators in improving teaching strategies, academic growth, and engagement in the classroom.
  • Initiate and lead library projects, and participate in college-wide professional development opportunities, meetings and conferences.

6. Library Resources

Here's how instruction librarians use library resources:
  • Designed educational and informational displays featuring a variety of library resources.
  • Design curriculum for and teach classes in use of library resources, with a primary focus on electronic resources.

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7. Research Services

Here's how instruction librarians use research services:
  • Provide reference and research services to students and faculty in a community college library on a part-time basis.
  • Designed and integrated syllabi, assignments and research services interactively into homepages for classes and instructors.

8. Instructional Materials

Here's how instruction librarians use instructional materials:
  • Developed instructional material including a textbook, and numerous online tutorials to train staff and students in accessing information for research.
  • Create instructional materials and provide instruction with a focus on evidence-based practice for the Nursing and Physical Therapy programs.

9. Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of our current reality and existence and the questions and knowledge surrounding it.

Here's how instruction librarians use philosophy:
  • Coordinate the selection, maintenance, and evaluation of library materials within Philosophy and Religion collections.

10. Emerging Technologies

Here's how instruction librarians use emerging technologies:
  • Maintained knowledge of emerging technologies and programs relevant to public libraries.
  • Played active role on various committees pertaining to development of emerging technologies.

11. Electronic Resources

The term ‘electronic resources' refers to reading or visual materials stored in digital format, and they only get accessed electronically. Examples include e-books, e-journals and online databases.

Here's how instruction librarians use electronic resources:
  • Managed a wide range of licensed electronic resources including databases, journals, books and reference sources.
  • Created research guides as well as marketing materials to promote electronic resources.

12. University Libraries

Here's how instruction librarians use university libraries:
  • Maintained the consortium services of academic libraries in Thailand and other provincial university libraries.
  • Attained thorough knowledge or mastery of electronic resources offered through the University Libraries.

13. Reference Desk

Here's how instruction librarians use reference desk:
  • Offered timely and helpful advice at the reference desk via email, telephone, chat, text and in person;.
  • Provide reference assistance to government documents users and all library users at the reference desk and by individual consultations.

14. Library Instruction Sessions

Here's how instruction librarians use library instruction sessions:
  • Created library instruction sessions for students, faculty, and community members as a member of the library instruction team.
  • Conduct library instruction sessions geared toward needs of the class.

15. Library Website

Here's how instruction librarians use library website:
  • Manage all aspects of user information experience testing and oversee the new design of the library website.
  • Designed and wrote subject guides which were published on the library website.
top-skills

What skills help Instruction Librarians find jobs?

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What instruction librarian skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kerol Harrod

Lecturer, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Texas Woman's University

Knowing how to navigate AI and the types of issues that arise therefrom (copyright, plagiarism, AI hallucinations, etc.) will become more important as the technology progresses. Generally keeping abreast of new technologies and ways to access information is also key to providing good service to library patrons. Understanding the basics of community librarianship, evidence-based practice, marketing, and community outreach will be crucial to libraries and librarians looking to maintain relevance in an increasingly connected world.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about instruction librarian

List of instruction librarian skills to add to your resume

Instruction librarian skills

The most important skills for an instruction librarian resume and required skills for an instruction librarian to have include:

  • Collection Development
  • Library Services
  • Reference Services
  • Research Assistance
  • Professional Development
  • Library Resources
  • Research Services
  • Instructional Materials
  • Philosophy
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Electronic Resources
  • University Libraries
  • Reference Desk
  • Library Instruction Sessions
  • Library Website
  • Collaborative Relationships
  • Web Pages
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Reference Assistance
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • Library Materials
  • Library Research
  • Library Collection
  • Research Methods
  • Blackboard
  • Circulation Desk
  • Library System
  • Fine Arts
  • Instructional Support
  • Cataloging
  • Strategic Plan
  • Circulation Services
  • Instruction Services
  • Video Tutorials
  • Academic Disciplines
  • Research Strategies
  • Syllabus
  • Library Catalog
  • Research Guides
  • Conduct Research
  • Subject Guides

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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