On the Fence? Hedge Your Bets
Your field of interest will dictate the kind of librarianship you pursue.
Public Service Librarians work in local libraries worldwide, advocating reading competence that aids in early learning for children. Reference and Research Librarians help with research. In addition to giving directions about the proper database and its use, they locate and organise all specialised information required.
Individuals with excellent organisational and communication skills and an avid interest in research may opt to become Technical Service Librarians who handle the ordering, processing, and cataloguing of new materials, subscriptions, and any other equipment needed by the library.
Archivists are specialised librarians who handle manuscripts, documents, and records. Their duties and subject matter vary by country or region. A sound computer background helps Systems Librarians develop and maintain the computer systems used for record keeping.
Knowledge of licencing for and use of electronic resources, including specific journals, databases, and e-books, prepares one to become an Electronic Resources LIbrarian responsible for managing databases licensed from third-party vendors.
Outreach Librarians are active in campus social networking forums, visit residence halls, and develop physical/online exhibits to promote library resources and services while encouraging student research proficiency.
School Librarians direct students in using available systems and recommend appropriate technological and traditional materials to promote learning; they also help teachers develop a good curriculum and acquire necessary materials for conducting classes.
Employed by hospitals, insurance companies, medical schools and other facilities dealing with medical information, Medical Librarians focus on helping others access medical sciences and healthcare data.
Serials Librarians keep track of sequential magazines, journals, and periodicals and their subscriptions. They stamp all new arrivals, add a strip so they will beep in case of unauthorised possession, reinforce the binding, if necessary, and shelve them. They also get rid of old publications after the lapse of a certain period.
Catalogue Librarians identify and enter information about the author, title, publication date/place, edition, ISBN, illustrations, subject, and size into a Machine Readable Cataloguing format (MARC format), so the patrons can easily search for and locate the book they need.
Get the Low-Down
Benjamin Franklin loved reading so much that he set up his own lending library. Between 1886 and 1919, Andrew Carnegie donated around 1.6 million in today’s dollars to open 2509 libraries worldwide.
The Library of Congress (LOC), which houses 168 million items, is the world’s largest library in terms of catalogue depth. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House sits right on the border between the United States and Canada. One can enter from Stanstead, Quebec and exit into Derby Line, Vermont, without a passport but have to return to their country of origin or risk fines.
The most popular genres in prison libraries are paranormal romance, young adult titles, and the Left Behind series. The CIA pays up to six figures to its Librarians.
One of the most overdue library books in the world was returned after 122 years. The Guinness Book of World Records is the book most often stolen from public libraries.
In around 150 libraries, you can check out humans as living books and listen to their stories.