HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path is to finish secondary school and then take a college program in library and information technology or a related field, such as the library and information technician programs offered at some Canadian colleges. Students often build useful skills in English, history, computers, and research, and some get early experience through part-time work, volunteering, or student placements in a library, school, or community setting. After training, new workers usually start in entry-level roles supporting circulation, cataloguing, simple reference help, and programs. Requirements can vary by employer, province, and the type of library or archive.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Assist library users in accessing books, films, photographs, maps, documents, electronic materials and other library materials
- Catalogue new library acquisitions under the direction of a librarian
- Issue for circulation library books and other materials
- Perform manual and on-line reference searches and make interlibrary loans for users
- Assist librarians in giving tours and providing children's and other specialized library programs
- Enter the checkout and return of books and other library materials if necessary.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Audio-visual equipment PlanningResearching