Recruiting New Professionals to the Field

February, 2003 - Compiled and annotated by Sue Searing, with assistance from Chuck Gray

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1. Let's Hear It For Librarianship!

Guest editorial by Paula T. Kaufman, University Librarian, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

It should not be news to anyone in this profession that there is a serious shortage of librarians and that the shortage will worsen before it improves. Several interrelated factors have led to this situation: increased non-traditional opportunities for LIS-trained professionals in commercial and not-for-profit sectors; closures of LIS schools in the last quarter of the 20th century; unprecedented numbers of retirements in the profession; increased opportunities in other fields for women (who in previous generations had many fewer career choices); and general shortages of professionals in other fields that have recruited much more aggressively than we librarians.

Much has been written about how to recruit librarians to work in your library, how to keep them in your library, and how to help them develop skills to move into leadership positions. Much has also been written about how to recruit new faces into librarianship and several clever and effective programs are underway or being planned.

There is, however, an important key to success in recruiting to the profession: personal involvement by enthusiastic librarians. Most of us are passionate about this profession in which we've spent our careers. Our work is exceedingly fulfilling, intellectually challenging, an important factor in the success of those whom we support, and just made for people who long to make a difference - through our service to individuals to our participation in crafting and enacting national information policies. Although we no longer enforce quiet in most of our spaces, we've been quiet much too long. We've kept librarianship under wraps. It's time to bring it out in the open.

The study of library and information science leads to a myriad of exciting opportunities. We must get out there and tell that to our potential audiences, from K-12 students to PhDs to people working in other fields. I urge you to become personally involved. Set a goal to recruit at least one new person to the profession in the next six months.

It's time to take the "Ssshh" out of librarianship.

Defining the problem and seeking solutions

2. How young people view librarianship (it's not pretty)

Harris, Roma, and Margaret Ann Wilkinson. "(Re)Positioning Librarians: How Young People View the Information Sector." Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, vol. 42, no. 4(Fall 2001): 289-307.
First-year university students were surveyed about their perceptions of the work roles, future employment prospects, educational requirements, status, and starting salaries of twelve occupations: lawyer, reporter, internet researcher, paralegal, animator, systems analyst, librarian, database administrator, newscaster, physical therapist, computer engineer, and medical records technician.

• Students perceive librarianship as lower in prestige, educational requirements, salary, and job prospects.
• Students rated librarianship lowest in prestige.
• Most did not believe that a university degree or much computer knowledge are required to be a librarian.
• Of the twelve fields, students believed librarianship to be the most female-intensive, although it is actually second to physical therapy.
• Students under-estimated the starting salary for librarians, while over-estimating the starting salaries of the other professions.
• They believed that the job market for librarians is shrinking while the other occupations are growing or holding steady, although official projections point to shrinkage in several of the other fields.
• Students do not well understand what librarians do or what sectors they work in.

Asked to select which tasks "form a regular part of the work of each profession," students indicated that librarians educate users about libraries and library services (93.6% of respondents), check in and check out materials (92.8%), classify and catalog materials (91.2%), select and order materials (87.6%) and shelve materials (82.5%). By contrast, the main tasks they believe fall to the more prestigious internet researchers include conducting information searches from electronic sources (98.4%), conducting research (94.4%) and maintaining websites (90.8%). Students perceive that librarians are overwhelmingly employed in the government sector, while the students themselves wish to be self-employed or working in the private sector. The authors discuss the transformation of the information workforce and the implications for LIS education, but their findings also highlight the obstacles that must be overcome to recruit talented younger people to our field.

3. Baby boomers leave; who will take their place?

St. Lifer, Evan. "The Boomer Brain Drain: The Last of a Generation?" Library Journal, vol. 125, no. 8 (May 1, 2000): 38-42.
The 1960s and early 1970s were a period of unprecedented growth in the library profession. The generation hired then is moving toward retirement, and library directors see a crisis looming. Between 1990 and 2010, nearly 45% of the librarians in the U.S. will reach 65 years of age. The field has always been "older" than other professions, because it attracts many mid-life career changers, but today's librarians are retiring earlier. The number of MLS graduates has been rising since 1996, but increasing numbers choose to work outside libraries, in large part to earn higher salaries. Library leaders are beginning to question the necessity of the MLS. Improving the lackluster image of librarians won't solve the recruitment problem, according to some experts, who insist that the profession needs to be retooled and made more relevant.

4. Where are librarian shortages hurting most?

Lynch, Mary Jo. "Vacancies: How Many? Where? Why?" Library Personnel News, vol. 15, no. 4 (Fall 2002): 1-3.
Lynch, director of ALA's Office for Research and Statistics, reports the results from a survey of medium- and large-sized public and academic libraries.

• Overall, 29.1% percent of the responding libraries had position vacancies at the time of the survey (spring 2002).
• On average, university libraries had 7.8% of their total funded positions vacant, while large public libraries had a 5.6% vacancy rate. The percentages in other types of libraries were lower.
• Most vacancies were in the West & Southwest regions.
• Short-term vacancies are normal, but responses indicated that 53.4% of the vacancies reported in this survey had been open for six months or more. The most common reasons given were "shortage of people with particular specialty" (23.1%), "low salaries at your institution" (16.2%) and "lack of MLS degree holders generally" (16.2%).

5. How the librarian shortage affects public libraries

"Recruitment of Public Librarians: A Report to the Executive Committee of the Public Library Association." Public Libraries, vol. 39, no. 3 (May/June 2000): 168-172.
The PLA Committee on the Recruitment of Public Librarians concluded that a shortage exists of MLS librarians going into public library work. This report makes a strong case that low salaries deter librarians from seeking jobs in public libraries. Personnel expenditures as a percentage of total library budgets have gone down, and librarian salaries lag dramatically behind the salaries of teachers with comparable education. Furthermore, young people are unaware of the potential for challenging responsibilities in library jobs, including working with emerging technologies. Other issues include inflexible job definitions, scarcity of minority librarians, and scant encouragement of public library careers by library schools. "Long term strategies" and "short wins" are recommended for ALA and PLA to foster a systematic approach to the problem. Suggestions are also made for local libraries:

• Each library professional must be a recruiter.
• Jobs should be restructured.
• Careers paths should be defined for employees at all levels.

A response to the report by a self-identified "under-thirty-year-old white male" public librarian in the September-October 2000 issue of Public Libraries provides a personal perspective on the problems of salary and image.

6. How the librarian shortage affects urban public libraries

Urban Libraries Council. MLS Supply & Demand. Evanston, IL: Urban Libraries Council, November 1999. 319 + 90 pp.
This "Frequent Fast Facts Survey" documents in broad strokes the shortage of Master's level librarians in urban public libraries. Many libraries lack internal data to answer questions about future retirements and anticipated new positions, so the report avoids making projections and comparisons. Facsimiles of all returned surveys are included in the report, and an appendix reprints organization charts.

• 47 of the 81 responding libraries noted vacancies of more than two months duration due to lack of qualified candidates, notably in public services and youth services positions.
• 30% of respondents reported removing the requirement of an MLS from some positions over the past five years in order to fill them.
• Libraries use both local and national advertising to attract applicants, but they judge the local advertising to be more effective. In-house incentives for recruitment are the most effective strategy, but only 31% of the libraries offer them. Visiting library schools was considered the least effective tactic.
• Three-fourths of the respondents offer tuition or other support to staff who pursue MLS degrees.

7. How the librarian shortage affects children's librarians

Somerville, Mary. "Facing the shortage of children's librarians: Updating the challenge." American Libraries 29, no. 9 (October 1998): 50-51, 53-54.
In 1987 Sommerville wrote an eye-opening article on recruiting children's librarians. She revisits the issues by posing questions to public library directors, children's services coordinators, and library educators.

• Is there still a shortage of children's librarians? Yes. Many libraries report fewer applicants and longer time spans to fill vacant positions. Sometimes they must convince librarians who'd rather work in other areas to become children's librarians. Another strategy is to encourage paraprofessionals to attend library school, while providing scholarships, mentoring, and trainee programs.
• Do library schools provide adequate training for children's librarians? Yes and no. Coursework in children's literature is available but not mandatory. Less common are courses on children's programming, outreach, marketing, or child development. Technology courses are crowding out electives such as storytelling. Library schools need more tenured faculty who specialize in youth services.
• Are libraries providing career ladders for children's librarians? Yes. For example, children's librarians may be promoted to branch managers.
• Does staff recruitment reflect your library's community? Not yet. Hiring minority librarians is a nationwide problem. ALA's Spectrum scholarships, new distance education options, and innovative state and local grants and internship programs are steps in the right direction. At least one library provides incentive pay for bilingual staff.
• What are your strategies for recruiting and keeping children's librarians? Public libraries retain staff by offering strong programs for continuing professional development. Mentoring and monitoring new hires is critical, as is including children's librarians on high-level teams and recognizing their accomplishments publicly.
• Are children's services more, as, or less important than they were 11 years ago? The majority of those questioned said "more important," citing increased demands for service to poor, immigrant and home-schooled children.

8. How the librarian shortage affects school libraries

Everhart, Nancy. "Filling the Void: Many States Are Taking Steps to Remedy the Rising Shortage of School Librarians." School Library Journal, vol. 48, no. 6 (June 2002): 44-49.
A 2002 staffing survey documented "severe" or "extremely severe" shortages of certified school library media specialists in 43 states. In twelve states, there are nearly twice the number of open jobs as there are qualified candidates. Emergency certification -- hiring teachers who lack library training but promise to get it -- is on the rise. Many states have streamlined the certification process, and online degree programs are attracting increased enrollments at library schools. The ratio of students to librarians has improved since 2000; states that mandate the employment of certified library media specialists have the best ratios. But in states that don't have such a requirement, the economic downturn has prompted budget cuts and layoffs.

Hopeful developments include:

• Laura Bush's proposal for $10 million initiative to recruit librarians;
• Efforts underway to boost the number of library school faculty with backgrounds in school library media;
• Recruitment projects in several states.
• A state-by-state guide accompanying the article briefly describes job outlooks and educational options around the country.

9. How the librarian shortage affects academic libraries

"Recruitment, Retention, & Restructuring: Human Resources in Academic Libraries." - http://www.ala.org/acrl/recruit-wp.html
The Personnel Administrators & Staff Development Officers Discussion Group of the Association of College & Research Libraries established an Ad Hoc Task Force on Recruitment & Retention Issues to deal with the issue of the shrinking library workforce. This white paper presents their findings and recommendations concerning recruitment to the profession in general and to academic libraries in particular. Surging retirements, an insufficient number of MLS graduates, low salaries, and competition from the information industry have created a supply/demand gap. This paper reviews the available data and projections on the number of potential applicants and discusses such issues as the impact of faculty status on hiring and the use of non-MLS functional specialists for some kinds of work. Extensive lists of ideas for attacking the problem are aimed at the major stakeholders -- professional associations, LIS educational programs, individual academic libraries, and their parent colleges and universities. The list of actions recommended for individual libraries is the longest. They range from outreach on the home campus to assessing the hidden costs of employee turnover and recruitment, from redesigning search processes to restructuring jobs. A literature review and annotated bibliography are appended to the report.

10. How the librarian shortage affects research libraries

Kaufman, Paula T. "Where Do the Next 'We' Come From? Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Our Successors." ARL no. 221, April 2002: 1-5.
Research libraries face a serious problem with recruitment. In addition, it is increasingly difficult to interest frontline librarians in becoming managers or to interest middle managers in aspiring to senior positions. In the past, the boring nature of many professional jobs prompted librarians to move from library to library and into management in search of richer challenges, more participation in decision-making, and better pay. Today librarians are more content to stay in their current positions and institutions, and this fact adds to the problems created by fewer available graduates, more non-library career options, and escalating retirements. Successful recruitment and retention strategies recognize generational differences.

In addition to proven recruitment techniques, such as supplementing advertising with personal contacts and offering financial incentives, the following approaches are recommended:

• Create "post-job" libraries by hiring talented people and designing jobs around them.
• Expand internship and development programs, both internally and across institutions.
• Develop partnerships to identify and mentor high school and undergraduate students.
• Work with library schools to offer accelerated LIS degrees for scholars who already hold advanced degrees.
• Change workplace environments to welcome and support minority librarians.
• Invest time in individual mentoring.

A sampling of recruitment strategies

11. What professional associations are doing

Lenzini, Rebecca T. "The Graying of the Library Profession: A Survey of Our Professional Associations." Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals v.10, no.7 (July/August 2002): 88-97.
Lenzini surveys major professional associations to see how they view the librarian shortage and what they are doing about it. Four of the five associations surveyed perceive a serious problem and are developing recruitment strategies.

• The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) created a recruitment committee to spread the word about opportunities within law librarianship.
• The American Library Association (ALA) places a high priority on recruiting new people to the field, raising the public image of librarians, and improving librarians' salaries and status. ALA's efforts have included the Spectrum Initiative for minority scholarships and a teleconference "town hall meeting" on recruitment, along with an extensive public relations campaign to increase awareness of the role of librarians in the age of the Internet.
• The Medical Library Association (MLA), concerned that open positions have outnumbered applicants at its conference placement center for the past five years, is developing a comprehensive recruitment strategy aimed at Generation Y, those born between 1982 and 2002.
• The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is working through its specialized divisions and regional chapters to reach out to students.
• The Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP) has not noticed a shortage of self-employed information specialists; in fact, this career option may be drawing experienced librarians away from library jobs.

Lenzini identifies recurring themes in the associations' recruitment strategies:

• Motivating and mobilizing at the local level;
• Mentoring and facilitating entry to the profession;
• Partnering across organizations to send a clearer message about career opportunities in libraries;
• Improving the image of library work;
• Increasing librarians' salaries.

12. Hire 'em young

Multnomah County Library - Teen Intern Initiative. - http://www.multcolib.org/tii/index.html
In partnership with the Business Education Compact, a local organization, the Multnomah County Library hires teenagers to work as branch assistants, administrative assistants, outreach assistants, and technology assistants. The goal of the program is to introduce students to the public library system as a potential career path and a vital community resource. Each intern works eight to ten hours a week. The program targets sophomores and juniors and encourages a two- or three-year commitment. Library staff members who mentor interns attend professional mentor training.

13. Career open houses and more

Recruiting Librarians: The Time Is Now! - http://www.cjrlc.org/becomealibrarian/recruit.htm
The Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative created this web site for librarians who would like to get word out about career opportunities in their libraries. A section on how to plan an open house for potential librarians provides guidelines for hosting, a link to a PowerPoint presentation titled "Librarians in the 21^st Century," and a sample press release. Also included are: model fact sheets, applications, and evaluation forms for a job shadowing program; and a PDF file with two recruiting brochures.

14. What do librarians do all day? -- Job shadowing

Wallace, Linda. "Groundhog Job Shadow Day Shatters Stereotypes." American Libraries, vol. 32, no. 5 (May 2001): 38-39.
Job Shadow Day is a national event that gives junior high, high school, and college students a behind-the-scenes look at the world of work. As guests of the Chicago Library System, a large multi-type consortium, teens visited special libraries at the Chicago Tribune and the Art Institute of Chicago. These settings were a change of pace from their familiar school and public libraries. By the end of the day, the teens' impressions of librarians had changed from "geeky" and "shy" to "smart," "very exciting," and "fun." NOTE: For guidelines and materials for launching a job shadow program, see: http://www.jobshadow.org/. See also the web site for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day: http://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/

15. Ideas for local activities

The Great Librarian Adventure - http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/GLA/index.cfm
A project of the Alliance Library System in Illinois, "The Great Librarian Adventure" aims to communicate the thrill of a career as an "information navigator" to 100,000 people. The web site is sparse, but the half dozen success stories hint at a range of recruitment strategies: scavenger hunts, travelling displays, tie-ins to summer reading programs, and career fairs.

16. Recruiting for diversity

Reese, Gregory L., and Ernestine L. Hawkins. Stop Talking, Start Doing! Attracting People of Color to the Library Profession. Chicago: American Library Association, 1999.
Contending that members of minority communities do not enter librarianship due to limited exposure to the profession, Reese and Hawkins examine the problem and present practical strategies for recruitment.

• Chapter 1, "The Browning of America," reviews the demographic and economic trends that make recruitment of people of color to libraries so important.
• Chapter 2, "Employment Opportunities for Ethnic Minorities in the Library Field," argues that library managers must understand what it feels like to be different and recounts several incidents that illustrate the discrimination that minority librarians encounter. Formal mentoring programs are described and championed.
• Chapter 3, "Target-Marketing the Profession," makes the point that African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans hold different group values and face different forms of racism; thus recruitment tactics for these groups, and the sub-groups within them, should be carefully researched and targeted. A quality video can be an effective recruitment tool; instructions for producing one are included, from initial funding proposal to distribution. A model statement for public libraries in Colorado is reproduced, with goals for achieving greater diversity and measurable outcomes.
• Chapter 4, "Recruitment at the Junior and Senior High School Levels," includes insights from two teens in a high school library club who report on successful recruitment efforts in Louisiana. There are also ideas for conducting a classroom visit and organizing student internships.
• Chapter 5, "Library Schools and Recruiting Ethnic Minorities," relates the experiences of African Americans who were deterred from advanced study or had difficulty getting into library school and argues for admission policies that measure true merit. Statistical tables showing racial and gender breakdowns for students and faculty round out the chapter.
• A short bibliography and index conclude the book.

17. Getting teens excited about library careers

Caywood, Carolyn. "I Want to Grow Up to Be a Librarian." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 24, no. 5 (December 2001): 338-341.
"We promote libraries and we promote reading, but when do we promote librarianship to kids?" Caywood asks. She spotlights some existing resources, such as materials from ALA's Spectrum Initiative, but suggests that much more should be done to counteract the image of the profession held by most teenagers. Cool web sites and inspiring biographies would help. Locally, youth services librarians can assemble career information, take part in career fairs, weave recruitment into book talks, participate in job shadowing days, work with school counselors and news media, and more. Recruiting teens as library volunteers, advisory board members, and employees will open their eyes. National associations should do more to support local recruitment efforts by creating a library career-oriented youth organization and working to make library school more affordable and accessible. Ultimately, "the best way we can contend with an unappealing professional stereotype is by having staff challenge the gray-haired shush-er image."

18. The federal initiative to recruit librarians

White House Proposed Initiative to Recruit and Educate Librarians. - http://www.imls.gov/grants/library/lib_bdre.htm
In early 2002, First Lady Laura Bush announced that the President's FY2003 budget request would include $10 million to recruit and educate librarians. Although the money has not yet been appropriated, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services has developed guidelines for applying for grants. The priorities for the initiative are:

• Recruit and educate the next generation of librarians.
• Develop faculty to educate the next generation of library professionals.
• Enable pre-professional library staff to make the transition to librarianship, especially in locations where recruitment is historically difficult.
• Provide the library community with information needed to support successful recruitment and education of the next generation of librarians.
• Grants will range from $50,000 to $500,000, and libraries of all types are eligible to apply. Check the IMLS web site for additional details and application deadlines once Congress approves the funding.

Information sources for potential recruits

19. Web sites

"BLS Career Information: Jobs for Kids Who Like Reading." - http://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_read.htm
This web site distills information from the Occupational Outlook Handbook (described below) for younger readers. Librarian is one of the five jobs profiled.

Become A Librarian! - http://www.becomealibrarian.org/
This site provides information about what a librarian does and how one becomes a librarian. Photos of a diverse group of ten New Jersey librarians, who work in a wide range of library settings, are featured, along with their stories of how they chose librarianship and what they like about their jobs. Links lead to information on types of libraries, scholarships, library schools, and more.

Careers in Libraries - http://www.ala.org/hrdr/careers.html
The ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment offers a wide selection of resources for people interested in the library field. A list of printed and electronic material on careers in library science is available, as well as an article from American Libraries titled "Places an MLS Can Take You: Alternative Careers for Librarians" in PDF format. Information on different types of librarians, such as law, medical, music, etc., in addition to links for working as support staff at a library, can be surfed to from another list of links.

"Librarians." In Occupational Outlook Handbook, by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. - http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm
This up-to-date overview describes the nature of professional library work in various types of libraries, emphasizing the wide range of responsibilities and tasks and the interactions with people and technology. Working conditions, educational requirements, and salaries are described. Employment of librarians is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations, due primarily to automation; the best opportunities will be outside traditional library settings. Links point to the web sites of major professional associations and to profiles in the handbook for archivists, database administrators, and other related professions.

Librarians in the 21st Century - http://istweb.syr.edu/21stcenlib/
This site was created by a group of students in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University. Its goal is to provide information on library science at the opening of the 21^st century and explore the directions in which the field is headed. The site describes varied career possibilities: academic librarian, archivist, government documents librarian, information architect, K-12 librarian, law librarian, and public librarian. The resources for those interested in becoming a librarian include US News and World Report's list of top library schools. Those who are interested in the future of library science can find out more from links to other pages on censorship, digital libraries, e-books, electronic publishing, etc.

20. Videos

Me? A Librarian? 1998 (videocassette) - Aimed at middle and high school students, this 10-minute video pokes fun at the stereotype of the librarian who's always saying "sshhh" and portrays real-life librarians in a variety of jobs and settings. It comes with an instructor's guide and handouts. $20.00 + S&H. Order from the Ohio Library Council: http://www.olc.org/publications.html

21. Articles

Crosby, Olivia. "Librarians: Information Experts in the Information Age." Occupational Outlook Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 4 (Winter 2000-01): 1-15. http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2000/winter/contents.htm
This readable article explains how technology has changed the work, earnings, job prospects and education of librarians. Using many real-life examples and quotations from librarians, Crosby details various aspects of library work: reference; reader's advisory; teaching; collection development; cataloging; information architecture; and management. Positions in special libraries and those dealing with technology command better salaries, but the real rewards of a library career are not monetary. Library work can sometimes be stressful. The article concludes by explaining educational requirements and recommending further sources of information.

Spear, Martha J. "The Top 10 Reasons to be a Librarian." American Libraries, v.33, no.9 (October 2002): 54-55. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/10morereasons.html
Writing in a warmly humorous and personal style, high school library media specialist Martha J. Spear (with a nod to David Letterman) elaborates on ten reasons why she loves her profession: 10) Ever-changing and renewing. 9) Romance. 8) Useful skills. 7) Great conferences. 6) Time off. 5) A job with scope. 4) It pays the rent. 3) Good working conditions. 2) Cool coworkers. 1) Grand purpose.

22. Books

Eberts, Marjorie, and Margaret Gisler. Careers for Bookworms and Other Literary Types. 3^rd edition. Chicago: VGM Career Books, 2003. 149pp.
After the introductory chapter, careers in libraries are the first to be spotlighted in this readable guide that's suitable for teens as well as adults. Working in a library allows you to indulge a love of reading while helping others, the authors declare. They describe various types of libraries, explain the educational requirements, and list "necessary personal qualifications." (Do you have a genuine love of books? Do you possess intellectual curiosity? Do you like to work with computers? Can you get along with all types of people? etc.) Eight short vignettes reveal what librarians do and why they love their jobs. "Good things about being a librarian" are listed, along with half a dozen cautionary "things to consider about being a librarian." The latter include relatively low pay and evening and weekend hours. The authors also proffer advice on job hunting, average salaries, and related professions.

McCook, Kathleen de la Pena, and Margaret Myers; revised by Blythe Camenson. Opportunities in Library and Information Science Careers. Chicago: VGM Career Books, 2002. 152pp.
This information-packed book should appeal to people of college age and older who are already contemplating a library career. Chapter 1, "The Evolution of Libraries," briefly discusses the history of libraries and information science. Chapter 2, "Information Professionals on the Job," explains the kinds of work that information professionals do, the settings they work in, and specializations within the field. The work of library support staff is briefly covered. Chapter 3, "Education for the Information Professions," focuses on preparation for library careers at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Chapter 4, "Placement of Information Professionals," suggests strategies and resources for job hunting. Chapter 5, "The Future of the Information Professions," addresses the enduring values of librarianship and predicts changes in the field. Appendices list professional organizations, accredited LIS programs, and ALA serial publications.

23. Recruitment materials for specific sub-fields

• Academic libraries - "Your Major + Academic Librarianship = A Great Career." - http://www.ala.org/acrl/recruiting.pdf
• Archives - "So You Want to Be an Archivist." - http://www.archivists.org/prof-education/arprof.asp
• Law libraries - "Education for a Career in Law Librarianship." - http://www.aallnet.org/committee/tfedu/education.html
• Medical libraries - "Find Out What It Takes to Become a Medical Librarian." - http://mlanet.org/career/career_explore.html
• Music libraries - "Music Librarianship: Is It for You?" - http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/isit/isit.htm
• Public libraries - "Public Librarianship: It's More Than You Think." - http://www.pla.org/projects/recruitment.html
• School libraries - "School Librarianship as a Career." - http://www.ala.org/aasl/resources/career.html
• Technical services in libraries - "Careers in Libraries and Information Science: Technical Services." - http://www.ala.org/hrdr/techsvcs.html