I was having a conversation with a friend recently about librarians moving to jobs in other fields. Taking the leap from libraries to a corporate job sounds scary. But it did get me thinking about what marketable skills we develop as children’s librarians. Being a children’s librarian sounds like a very specific career. And we certainly develop specific expertise. But many of the programs and projects we undertake build very marketable skills. I hope for you that you’re in youth librarianship because you love it. If you’re feeling like a change might be nice, though, consider the following as you peruse job ads.
First of all, keep in mind ALSC’s and ALA’s resources for career development and job seekers. You might be interested in the ALSC Mentorship Program or ALA’s Career Development Resources.
I took a look at a bunch of non-library job ads to see what they’re looking for and found some common qualifications. These skills may or may not apply to you and you may feel stronger in some than in others. And you may enjoy some of these areas more than others. But if you’ve ever felt like all you’re qualified to do is be a children’s librarian, I challenge you to look deeper. Own your strengths!
Project Management
Tons of job ads call for skills in project management. Hey, if you’ve ever run a Summer Reading Program, you’ve developed these marketable skills. From determining desired outcomes, setting and meeting deadlines, and mobilizing or coordinating teams, Summer Reading hits lots of these skills.
Self-Starter
Have you ever dreamed up a new program or service and taken initiative to make it happen at your library? You’re a self-starter. If you notice a task that needs to be done and do it before someone tells you to, you’re a self-starter. We’re also experts in research and finding information. We don’t know everything, but we know how to find out, which is just as good and a super valuable skill.
Communication Skills
Another competency I see in a lot of job ads is good communication skills. You might have practiced these marketable skills if you’ve emailed your library staff updates about school breaks, written blurbs for publicity calendars, coordinated with teachers for school visits, or written book reviews or blog posts. All of those tasks, which you probably do pretty often, help build your communication skills. We communicate with many diverse patrons every day. We explain library policies, help them find what they are looking for, and listen to their questions.
Collaborative Work
I bet you collaborate frequently as a children’s librarian. Consider these collaborations you may have developed:
- Working closely with a teen librarian to develop tween programming
- Partnering with a community organization to offer a program or service at your library
- Approaching local schools about how your library can help their students
Any or all of those are great examples of collaborative work.
Detail Oriented
Okay, probably catalogers win the top prize for being detail oriented in the library. But some children’s librarians might come in second. From noticing whether an easy reader is misshelved with the picture books to keeping your children’s area clean for safety, I bet you keep track of details all day long.
Multitasking
There are so many different things you do all day long. I saw one job ad asking for applicants who can “Remain poised in a dynamic environment”. If your library is anything like my library, we get lots of practice at this.
Don’t let imposter syndrome convince you not to try!
Whether or not you see any of these marketable skills in your own skillset, don’t let imposter syndrome convince you that you can’t go for a job you want. The public likes to think that librarians sit and read books all day. People love to imagine that children’s librarianship is just blowing bubbles and having fun with kids. Yes, we love that part of it, for sure. And we’re competent professionals who are growing and learning every day in our jobs. Whether you stay at your library for the rest of your career or want to try something different, the skills you’ve developed in your library job can set you up for whatever comes next.
What other marketable skills have you developed through your work in libraries?