How To Become A Public Services Librarian: What It Is and Career Path

What is a public services librarian and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Kerol Harrod

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a public services librarian. For example, did you know that they make an average of $23.97 an hour? That's $49,867 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 8,500 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a public services librarian?

Kerol Harrod

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

Much of what I would advise involves just sticking to the basics. Show up to work on time. Have a good attitude and a growth mindset. Don't complain about menial tasks, and always be looking to learn the skills of the next position above you. I started out as the transit driver in my library system, loading and unloading boxes of books that circulated among the different library branches. I worked my way up, and now I am teaching graduate students how to become librarians. Put in the time and do the work. Networking is a huge part of success, so it's important to maintain good connections with co-workers, former professors, and fellow librarians. Finally, consider establishing a mentorship with a successful, trusted colleague who has experience in the position you want to attain. Personal connections go a long way.

ScorePublic Services LibrarianUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,867

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.33%

Asian 4.87%

Black or African American 6.38%

Hispanic or Latino 7.75%

Unknown 3.59%

White 77.08%

Gender

female 58.13%

male 41.87%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.5

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a public services librarian

Explore public services librarian education requirements

Most common public services librarian degrees

Bachelor's

46.3 %

Master's

30.6 %

Associate

12.7 %

Start to develop specific public services librarian skills

Skills	Percentages
Library Services	14.73%
Collection Development	9.77%
Reference Services	8.70%
Library Policies	7.81%
Technical Publications	6.94%

Complete relevant public services librarian training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New public services 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 public services librarian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real public services librarian resumes.

Research public services librarian duties and responsibilities

Manage integrated library system including OPAC, serials control, cataloging and acquisitions.
Perform original and copy cataloging of new acquisitions.
Perform various technical services including cataloging, weeding, and authority control.
Provide opportunities for students to use the library for class-relate research, individual investigation, independent reading, and personal inquiry.

Prepare your public services librarian resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your public services 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 public services 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 public services librarian resume templates

Build a professional public services 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 public services librarian resume.

Apply for public services librarian jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a public services 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 do public services librarians rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Public services librarian reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

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.

Cons

The pay. The stereotypes. The people who ask, "do they even still have libraries"?