Deirdre Root dedicated 35 years of her life to a career as a librarian.
And I never regretted a minute of it, she told me.
Ultimately, she spent those 35 years making people happy, she said.
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
Some people ask if books and therefore libraries are going away, Root said.
Books are still relatively cheap, very portable, a stable platform and dont run out of battery.
Even if they were to disappear tomorrow, though, librarieswould still be important.
Libraries will be there to help.
Roots thoughts on the future oflibrariesseem to be in line with Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections.
In fact, the BLSestimatesthatjob demand for librarians will increase by 9% between now and 2026.
The average growth rate across all occupations is 7%.
That makes now as good a time as any to take the plunge to become a librarian.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
I asked Root to tell me what general qualities are necessary to be successful.
You also need awillingness to be flexible and open to new technologies.
According to LearnHowToBecome.org, librarians also needpatience, interpersonal and communication skills, technical literacy and attention to detail.
(Itisa very intensive customer service job, she added.)
Some libraries will also hire library technicians with a high school diploma, though others require postsecondary education.
From Root, I learned that there is no firm day-to-day routine.
The role of a librarian can be varied and changes with each patrons needs.
Librarians can be found working in museums, colleges, schools, businesses, hospitals and libraries.
In short, the job is so much more than alphabetizing biographies and connecting computers to the internet.
There are a number ofALA-accredited programsfor library science.
Better safe than sorry.
LearnHowToBecome.org recommends taking courses in your undergraduate studies that focus oninformation technology, history and education.
The skills learned in these areas of study are likely to influence your professional career as a librarian.
Employment as a Librarian
Your career as a librarian can take several routes.
Jobs trigger the gamut, from outreach librarian or school librarian to library manager or even library director.
Need help finding a job?
The ALA is agood resource for gaining employmentas a librarian when you obtain earned your degree.
I hear the library is a good place to start.
Timothy Moore is an editor, freelance writer and avid reader.
It sounds appealing right?
Check it out here!
