Acquisition librarians Work Information: Education & Training Requirements, Job Outlook and Salary
Submitted by: Gypsy Santiago
Job Overview: Acquisition librarians are responsible for building, updating and maintaining library items such as books, newspapers, CDs and DVDs, art, music and other resources to be made available to library patrons. They work in all kinds of libraries in universities, government or private firms.
Education, Training and knowledge Requirements: In high school, those interested in this field should take up mathematics, foreign language, science, business, computer and English. Entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree in library science and information science can lead to better opportunities with higher pay. Continuing education is needed, particularly in libraries that use advanced technologies for archives. Some librarians can obtain a graduate degree to hold a Ph.D. in library or information science. There is no certification requirement in this field.
Skills & Abilities: To be successful in this field, one should love information and possess effective written and verbal communication skills, strong business acumen and interpersonal skills, organization and management skills, excellent problem-solving skills and advanced computer skills. He/she must also be good in negotiations and organizing fund-raising events, should the library needs additional funds.
Duties: The job of acquisition librarians is to build, organize and maintain a library’s collection of resources. Since they are mainly responsible for choosing which items to buy that will be included in the library collection, they must work with library directors to determine the needs versus wants of library patrons, while working with a specified budget. If the library has budget restrictions that limits his/her buying of resources, the librarian may also seek out funding through public or private grants, donations or other methods.
In order to know what items or formats are needed in their assigned library, acquisition librarians must have extensive knowledge in current resources, such as magazines that have recently made an online format available.
They also attend trade shows and read trade publication reviews to help in purchasing decisions. Aside from the buying aspect of this position, these types of librarians are also responsible for helping in the maintenance and cataloging of existing resources.
Earnings & Job Outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor expects the employment of acquisition librarians to grow more slowly than average through 2014. Job vacancies come after librarians retire or leave their jobs for other reasons. The reported median annual salary in 2005 for all librarians was $47,400, with a small percent of librarians earnings up to $90,000.
Gypsy Santiago is a professional resume writer and career search strategy/career branding coach with years of experience in assisting job seekers prepare for the job market. She helps create career-targeted resumes, provides useful tips about career transition, offers future career ideas and guide jobseekers about effective job search techniques.
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