Careers in Librarianship and Archives: Graduate School 101

Below is an overview of the different types of librarianship and the basic job expectations of each.

• Public Librarianship: Public librarians spend a lot of their time interacting with the public, helping them use the library's resources and referring them to helpful outside resources as well. 
• Academic Librarianship: Academic librarians work in private and public colleges and universities, managing the library's collection, as well as provide reference services to students and teaching classes on information literacy.
• School Librarianship: Librarians in K-12 schools manage the library's collection, promote literacy, and educate students on how to use the library. Be aware that some states require additional teaching licensure for this position.
• Archives/Preservation: The main responsibilities of an archivist include organizing, cataloging, and preserving materials so that they are accessible for historical/research purposes as well as to the general public. 
• Special Librarianship: These librarianship titles may require specific training and/or dual master's degrees. Examples of special librarianship include: law librarianship, medical librarianship, and corporate librarianship. 

Applying to grad school can be overwhelming and confusing, especially knowing where to start! Here are a few things to know when beginning the application process. 

Know your Program

• Make sure your program is ALA-accredited! 
• Professors of interest
  • Look at the program websites of your schools of interest; most likely, they will have a bio for each of their professors outlining their specialties and interests. 
• Emphasis/Track
  • In addition to their generalized curriculum, many graduate school programs offer various tracks or emphasis options, such as Archives/Preservation, Digital Librarianship, and Public Librarianship.
• Online vs. In-person 
  • Many universities offer students the option to apply to online or in-person programs; explore each option and see which option fits your goals best. 

Application Materials

• Each university has a different set of required application materials, which can be found under their program's website. 

Congratulations, you got into grad school! Now how do you afford it?

Scholarships

• Check your school's website for school-specific scholarships. There will often be general applications and program-specific scholarship applications.

Assistantships

• Graduate Assistants work for the school they attend in exchange for tuition reimbursement and/or a stipend.
• Assistantships are competitive, so look for other options as well. 

Work-Study 

• Work-study programs allow you to gain valuable work experience while getting paid. 

Loans 

• You should still fill out the FAFSA application if you are a graduate student! This will allow you to receive Federal unsubsidized loans.

Examples of Career Titles

Some library-related job titles listed on LinkedIn in 2025 included:

• Assistant Librarian at a state university
• Acquisition Librarian at the Library of Congress
• Instructional Services Reference Librarian at a university
• Archivist at a nonprofit
• Children's Services Librarian at a public library
• Health Services Librarian at a university
• Supervising Librarian at a joint library and community center
• Teen Services Librarian at a public library
• Public Services Law Librarian at a university
• School Librarian 
• School Library Media Specialist

Average Pay Outcomes

The median annual wage for librarians varies based on what type of library job they hold. The following data is the median annual wage from 2023, taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Elementary and secondary schools: $68,450
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools, state: $66,260
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools, private: $65,990
• Local government, excluding hospitals and education: $60,770
• Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services: $59,730