How to become a Librarian
Official title: Librarians
Also called: Librarian, Film librarian, Media librarian, Branch librarian, Picture librarian, Hospital librarian, Magazine librarian, Chartered librarian, Newspaper librarian, Technical librarian, University librarian, Audio visual librarian
Librarians appraise, obtain, index, collate and make available library acquisitions and organise and control other library services.
Main tasks
- Selects and arranges for the acquisition of books, periodicals, audio-visual and other material
- Collects, classifies and catalogues information, books and other material
- Prepares and circulates abstracts, bibliographies, book lists, etc.
- Identifies the information needs of clients, seeks out and evaluates information sources
- Establishes information storage systems to deal with queries and to maintain up to date records
- Manages library borrowing and inter-library loan facilities
- Promotes library services through displays and talks
- Provides learning and cultural experiences through events such as author talks, reading groups, formal and informal teaching
How to become one
Entry will normally require an accredited degree or postgraduate qualification. Most postgraduate courses require applicants to have had prior relevant work experience. Professional and relevant vocational qualifications at levels 2 and 3.
Ways in
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £38,068 a year The middle half earn £32,191 to null.
- About 21,700 people work in this job now, and about 24,300 are projected by 2035. (+12.2%)
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Librarian?
Entry will normally require an accredited degree or postgraduate qualification. Most postgraduate courses require applicants to have had prior relevant work experience. Professional and relevant vocational qualifications at levels 2 and 3.
How much does a Librarian earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £38,068 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a Librarian a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 21,700 to about 24,300 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a Librarian?
Usually. 78% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.