5 Reasons to Earn a Bachelor’s in Library Science

5 Reasons To Get A Library Science Bachelor’s Degree

• Become a Librarian
• Work in Different Kinds of Libraries
• Opens the Door to Getting a Master’s Degree
• Good Pay
• Personal Enrichment

A Bachelor’s in Library Science is an excellent degree for students with certain career aspirations. Most notably, it is the degree students need to earn to become a librarian. Here are some of the most convincing reasons to choose this degree.

1. Become a Librarian

A library science degree is what is needed to become a librarian. Typically, librarians must go on to get a master’s degree in the subject, but a bachelor’s degree is the first step. While these are the base requirements, some jobs may need more such as a teaching certificate or degrees in another field, such as law or medicine. Teaching certificates are usually required for public school librarians. Some states require public librarians to have certification as well.

2. Work in Different Kinds of Libraries

Librarians work in libraries to curate and maintain collections. However, there is a significant amount of flexibility when it comes to where they can work. Librarians can work in government libraries, maintaining historically-important collections. They can specialize in law and maintain law libraries. They can also focus on education and choose to work in school libraries, where they may function as a teacher in many regards. School librarians, especially in grade schools, often create lesson plans and run classes on library-related topics. Finally, they can work in public libraries, maintaining collections for the community to use.

3. Opens the Door to Getting a Master’s Degree

As previously mentioned, getting a job as a librarian usually requires a master’s degree. To go on to get a master’s degree, a student will need to earn a bachelor’s degree first. While librarians can get an undergraduate degree in any subject, library science is a good one to prepare for entering a graduate program. An undergraduate degree in library science will teach students the basics of library systems, handling and restoring materials, and more. This knowledge will leave them better prepared to succeed in a graduate program than students who may have gotten a degree in a different subject.

4. Good Pay

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), librarians earn an average of $59,050 per year. Salary will often depend on funding to the library, such as from local community taxes, donations, school funding and more. The highest percentile can earn over $90,000 a year. The BLS indicates that librarians at colleges and universities have the highest average salaries. This is also a good career for professionals who would prefer union protections because a high percentage of librarians have union memberships.

Related Resource: 10 Best Affordable Bachelor’s in Library Science

5. Personal Enrichment

A Bachelor’s in Library Science helps students become more well-rounded individuals. Librarians learn so much on a wide breadth of topics that they are often well-informed, well-educated and understand much of the world around them. Reading fiction has been shown to increase empathy for different peoples, cultures and viewpoints. Librarians also get rich personal enrichment from working with students and visitors, discussing materials they love and often forging strong relationships. This enrichment can lead librarians to living a more fulfilled life.

Communities are increasingly turning to their libraries, meaning librarians continue to be needed. They are also regarded with a high degree of respect in society. A Bachelor’s in Library Science is the first major step towards becoming a curator of knowledge.