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Library specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Kacy Lovelace,

Dr. Rene Burress Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical library specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for library specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.0% of library specialist resumes contained library materials as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a library specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 library specialist skills for your resume and career

1. Library Materials

Here's how library specialists use library materials:

Shifted library materials and assisted in organizing collection or projects.
Process incoming library materials requests and office supply requests.

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 library specialists use library services:

Provided full service library services to the public in the field, including reference, tech support, and circulation services.
Performed Fast Cataloging on books that are received from the publisher, Baker & Taylor YBP Library services.

3. Library Resources

Here's how library specialists use library resources:

Perform the duties of operating a high school library and teaching students to utilize library resources.
Created various documentation describing the content and use of the Video Library resources.

4. Library Policies

Here's how library specialists use library policies:

Explain library policies and procedures to library users and make sure all policies and procedures are followed.
Maintained accuracy of customer account records by updating and maintaining the customer database in accordance with library policies.

5. University Libraries

Here's how library specialists use university libraries:

Communicate with other university libraries to research and identify acquisitions.
Created informational and promotional materials for use within the university libraries.

6. Electronic Resources

The term â€˜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 library specialists use electronic resources:

Answered patron reference questions regarding the library catalog and electronic resources via phone, email, and in-person.
Close, cancel and approve PO's as requested by the Electronic Resources Coordinator.

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7. Library System

Here's how library specialists use library system:

Interfaced daily with the Millennium Integrated Library System and other relational database systems for research and discovery of requested materials.
Search, locate, and download bibliographic records to import into the Library system.

8. Public Service

Here's how library specialists use public service:

Engaged in public service and customer service assistance with solving customer's complaints and problems.

9. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how library specialists use data entry:

Utilized computer systems to process customer orders, data entry, etc.
Verify, input, and resolve data entry duplication or discrepancies daily.

10. Cataloging

Here's how library specialists use cataloging:

Participated in group tasks as needed, including original and copy cataloging, inventory and staff development workshops
Derived original cataloging and edit existing cataloging records following local and national standards.

11. Circulation Desk

A circulation desk refers to a place in the library where one can check-in, borrow materials, pay fines, collect inquiries, and many more during library hours. It is usually located near the main entrance of each library.

Here's how library specialists use circulation desk:

Provided in-person and telephone reference and circulation desk service.
Managed all financial transactions for circulation desk.

12. 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 library specialists use collection development:

Updated collection development policy to reflect current institutional goals.
Participate in ongoing collection development of teen materials.

13. Library Patrons

Here's how library specialists use library patrons:

Performed responsible library work providing assistance, reference, information and material loan services to library patrons.
Greeted library patrons and answered questions, including locating and recommending materials.

14. Student Assistants

Here's how library specialists use student assistants:

Supervised and trained student assistants to process books, read call numbers, and shelve.
Interview, hire, train and supervise up to 20 student assistants.

15. 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 library specialists use reference services:

Provide reference service and circulation service.
Provided reference services to students and staff, utilizing school library catalog and public library databases.

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What skills help Library Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What library specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kacy Lovelace

Research and Student Success Librarian, Marshall University

Consider skills that directly apply to the job that you want in the future. Get creative with this! Improve your communication skills, cross-cultural understanding by working abroad. The hospitality industry offers many opportunities for improving these valuable skills while also teaching listening skills, time management skills, and collaboration skills. If working abroad is not an option, take a language immersion course (online or in-person) and increase your ability to communicate with patrons and colleagues and your attractiveness to potential employers.

What type of skills will young library specialists need?

Dr. Rene Burress Ph.D.

Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator, University of Central Missouri

Our graduates need to be completely digital literate when they enter the workforce. Librarians are technology leaders and should be ready to assist and train their patrons on all types of technology for people of all technical skill levels.

What technical skills for a library specialist stand out to employers?

Andrew Wertheimer Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Library & Information Science Program, University of Hawai'i at Manoa

Libraries and archives look for a variety of skills. It would be hard to specify which ones since different workplaces need different skills. The reason they hire our graduates is that they have this wide range of skills as well as soft-skills to provide service to users and communities in an ethical and legal way. If I had to name a few areas though I would say health informatics, digital archives, digital libraries, online instruction, as well as data science. Again, different employers have different technical needs. Our employers keep telling us that they also need the strong foundations plus soft skills.

Do you want to know more?

List of library specialist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a library specialist resume and required skills for a library specialist to have include:

Library Materials
Library Services
Library Resources
Library Policies
University Libraries
Electronic Resources
Library System
Public Service
Data Entry
Cataloging
Circulation Desk
Collection Development
Library Patrons
Student Assistants
Reference Services
Customer Service
OCLC

Library Collection
Office Equipment
Library Operations
Reference Materials
Library Circulation
Library Catalog
Serials
Course Reserves
Library Equipment
Circulation Services
Library Cards
Voyager
Library Programs
Technical Service
Research Assistance
Inter-Library Loans
Library Database

Library Facilities
Electronic Database
Research Materials
Statistical Reports
Dewey Decimal System
Digital Resources
Public Library
Reference Desk
Library Computers
Library Books
Library Software
Bulletin Boards
Marc
PowerPoint
Millennium
Opac

Updated January 8, 2025

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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