It’s a question I absolutely love. “How did you get into working in school libraries and is that something I can do?”

Working in a school libraries is the best job in the world (I’m biased, but just try and prove me wrong!). Yet becoming someone who works in a school library is a path shrouded in mystery. I know I certainly didn’t realise it was an option that was open to me until much later on in my search for a career that felt right and fit me.

In my years working in school libraries and sharing about my work online, I’ve been approached by lots of people wanting to know how they might become a school library staff member. So, this post series is all about celebrating the people who work in school libraries, exploring the different roles available and the steps you can take to become a school library staff member.

In this post in the series, we are going to discuss some of the typical roles you might find in a school library.

The roles of a school library staff member are very specific and guide the tasks you might do. The below is just from my experience in Australian school libraries and each role varies a lot, depending on who they work with, their school system and the job description provided to them. The below should be used as a guide only. Check the library association guidelines in your area for information around staff roles, qualifications and appropriate qualifications. In Australia, check out the ALIA guidelines. 

Library Volunteer

School libraries might rely on volunteers to help get the work done. Volunteers might be students at the school, parents or family members of students or even members of the community, retired librarians, librarians just starting out, work experience students or preservice teachers, or even members of the community completing volunteer work. They help out with everything from dusting shelves to sharpening pencils, sorting or reshelving books, helping with loans and returns, creating displays or just assisting with the never-ending to-do lists.

Qualifications needed: none. Just a willingness to do whatever it takes to help. You will need to meet the requirements of working with children and volunteering in your country/state/school.

How to get started: talk to the staff at your local school library and see if they take volunteers. Remember, while you are there to help, managing volunteers requires lots of time and resources, so if they say no it might be a matter of not having these available to them. Check what safety checks and requirements you need to meet. Be prepared to learn as you go.

Library Assistant

A school library assistant is responsible for a wide range of tasks in the school library. These tasks might include loaning and returning books, reshelving returned items and tidying shelves, helping staff and students find resources, creating digital and physical displays in the library, assisting teachers with library lessons or research classes, managing text hire resources, preparing and helping to run activities and events, fielding inquiries and lots more. Depending on what other staff are in the school library, this role might also help with cataloguing and catalogue maintenance or even running the library.

Qualifications: some schools require assistants to have a certification in library science, like a Cert 3 or Cert 4, or a teacher aide qualification. Some assistants might have a diploma in library science or no qualification at all. Check the requirements of the position.

How to get started: becoming a library volunteer is a great way to get started as a library assistant as you learn many of the skills needed. You might also like to start studying a cert 3 in information services or library services. You’ll need to be open to a wide range of tasks and ready to help with anything.

Library Technician

A school library technician is responsible for a wide range of tasks in the school library. Depending on how many other staff are in the library, these tasks might include tasks similar to those completed by a library assistant, including loaning and returning, reshelving, and managing resources but tasks also include cataloguing, maintaining the collection, curating physical and digital resources, compiling lists of resources or research guides, responding to staff and students requests, making purchases, and more. They might also oversee the work of other library staff, such as library assistants.

Qualifications: A Library technician usually holds a diploma in library or information science.

How to get started: Completing a diploma in library or information science is a great way to get started. Some might start work as a library assistant before completing qualifications or changing position. Working in another sector, such as the public library or academic library sector and moving over to the school library sector is another way to get into the role.

Teacher Librarian

A teacher librarian is, you guessed it, responsible for a wide range of tasks in the school library. They are both a qualified teacher and hold library science qualifications and bridge the gap between the classroom and library. Teacher librarians might be allocated timetabled classes outside the library, the amount of which varies depending on the arrangement at the school, but is otherwise responsible for teaching library sessions that focus on reading, literacy, information literacy and digital literacy. This might be with a flexible or fixed timetable. Depending on other staff in the library, a teacher librarian might be responsible for leading the library, reader advisory, creating research guides, curating physical and digital resources, responding to resource requests, collection development and maintenance, and overseeing the library space.

Qualifications: A teacher librarian usually holds a bachelor degree in teaching and a postgraduate diploma or masters in library science. They might hold a bachelor in library or information science and a postgraduate qualification in teaching.

How to get started: Completing your first degree is a great way to get started. Some might start work as in the role while completing the second qualification. Working as a classroom teacher or as a library staff member in another role is a great way to get experience in a school or school library setting.

Librarian

A librarian is responsible for a wide range of tasks in the school library.  A librarian might be responsible for readers advisory, research skills and resources, circulation desk tasks, cataloguing and collection development. Depending on other staff in the library, a librarian might be responsible for leading the library and overseeing the library collection, team and space. Unfortunately, not all school sectors recognise the unique role of librarians and might instead place them within the role of library assistant, a grave misunderstanding of the role.

Qualifications: They hold a degree or higher qualifications in library or information science.

How to get started: Working as a library assistant or technician might be one way to start, otherwise completing the library science degree is a good starting place. Librarians might have experience in or move between the public, academic or special library sectors.

Other roles

Other roles in the library might include teacher in the library or a head of library services.

 

What is your role in the school library and what does your role involve? How did you get started in your school library position?