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Outreach librarian skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Kerol Harrod

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical outreach librarian skills. We ranked the top skills for outreach librarians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 21.6% of outreach librarian resumes contained library services as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an outreach librarian needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 outreach librarian skills for your resume and career

1. 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 outreach librarians use library services:

Developed and coordinated library services for low-income neighborhoods impacted by ten-year construction campaign by implementing 3-vehicle Bookmobile Program.
Purchased appropriate print and electronic reference materials, supplies and other required resources to ensure quality library services.

2. 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 outreach librarians use collection development:

Participated with team in collection development duties.
Assisted and advised with collection development as well as technical services.

3. Library Resources

Here's how outreach librarians use library resources:

Planned, created and executed monthly classes pertaining to library resources for both healthcare professionals and consumers.
Worked with eLearning staff to enhance and implement library resources.

4. 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 outreach librarians use reference services:

Supervised staff, selected books for department, provided readers advisory and reference service.
Provided reference service in the BICC library.

5. Literature

Here's how outreach librarians use literature:

Performed biomedical literature searches using PubMed, UpToDate, CINAHL, MDConsult, CardioSource Plus and Cochrane Databases.

6. Library Collection

Here's how outreach librarians use library collection:

Evaluated new books and items for inclusion in the Mailbox Library Collection.
Analyzed library collection for new acquisitions and weeding purposes and used professional literature and librarian resource tools to determine collection needs.

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7. Reference Desk

Here's how outreach librarians use reference desk:

Created and presented children's programs, summer reading program implementation, circulation/reference desk duties, program materials preparation
Reference Service Responsibilities Provided assistance at the reference desk and taught bibliographic instruction classes.

8. Library Materials

Here's how outreach librarians use library materials:

Assisted in patron acquirement of library materials, and research as needed.
General Reference Librarian Duties o Answer general inquiries regarding library material, programs; as well as outside resources.

9. Outreach Program

Here's how outreach librarians use outreach program:

Provide orientations to the Outreach program to Administrators, Faculty and students in variousforums and formats.
Planned Children's programming * Performed community service through outreach programs * In charge of yearly budget for Children's programming.

10. Community Organizations

Community organizations refers to a form of social or volunteer work that focuses on bettering a community. This may be a community defined by geographic boundaries or by a person's racial or sexual identity. These organizations are often nonprofits that help groups of people affected by natural disasters or hate crimes.

Here's how outreach librarians use community organizations:

Directed Durham Reads Together 2007, a community-wide reading program, initiating partnerships with over 25 community organizations.
Initiated and maintained regular contact with schools and community organizations.

11. Library Events

Here's how outreach librarians use library events:

Participated in several library events such as Paws for Reading (children's event) and the library book sale.

12. Community Outreach

Here's how outreach librarians use community outreach:

Conduct community outreach to all age groups.
Coordinated adult summer reading program and assisted Youth Services Librarian with community outreach.

13. Library Programs

Here's how outreach librarians use library programs:

Create seasonal displays and host library programming Perform reference and instruction duties to traditional students as needed
Planned, organized, scheduled, implemented and publicized library programming and exhibits.

14. Public Library

Here's how outreach librarians use public library:

Assisted public & school library patrons to use the public library.
Worked with library construction projects, including a renovation/addition to the St. Marys (GA) Public Library.

15. Fiction

Here's how outreach librarians use fiction:

Developed and maintained young adult fiction and non-fiction collections.
Maintain assigned fiction and nonfiction collections.

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What skills help Outreach Librarians find jobs?

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

What outreach 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?

List of outreach librarian skills to add to your resume

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

Library Services
Collection Development
Library Resources
Reference Services
Literature
Library Collection

Reference Desk
Library Materials
Outreach Program
Community Organizations
Library Events
Community Outreach

Library Programs
Public Library
Fiction
Library Instruction Sessions

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.

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Outreach Librarian Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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