What Will I Learn in a Library Science Degree Program?

You can turn your love of books into a career with a degree in library science. In this program, you will bring a variety of skills together as you learn how to manage and maintain a library system. Some of the skills you will learn are organization, preservation, information technology, management, education and collection. You will take courses on collection management, research methods, statistics, reference, cataloging, preservation and information systems. You may decide to specialize in one area, such as administration, cataloging or special collections.

What Can I Do With a Library Science Degree?

This degree is specially designed for students who would like to become librarians. It is rare for someone with this degree to go on to work in a different field, but there are many options that you can choose in your library science career. Librarians can work as part of a public school system, public libraries, media centers, colleges or special collections. You may also decide to specialize in a particular group of readers or type of books, such as antiques or children’s literature.

What Is the Career Outlook for Library Science Degree Students?

Library science degree students will enter a field with a healthy job outlook. Job growth for librarians should be as fast as the average for all occupations through 2018, and employment opportunities will be favorable. Many librarians are expected to retire in the next decade, and they will leave behind positions for new librarians to fill. However, there is still competition for the best jobs, and there are a large number of graduates from library science programs, so you should also plan to get experience in the field for the best opportunities. The average annual wage for a librarian is $53,000.