librarian

[JinxtheCat]

what qualifications are needed to become a librarian? what is the pay like?

[hairylemon]

 Good grief....havn't you seen the new kit kat ad??  stay away from the library mate. it will bore you to death...and death by boredom is a painfull way to go!

[Hgrove]

Nowadays you need an MA in Information Management or similar.  You only need to have NVQs to be a library assistant but that is very different from librarian.  It is very poorly paid work, about the same as secretaries.  The professional organisation for librarians is Cilip http://www.cilip.org.uk/

[yummy]

What a helpful link you provided Hgrove. I tried rating you, but couldn't find the dam buttons! Here * * * * You get four stars!

[5029]

It is badly paid unfortunately.  A friend of mine who works for a large library in a university is paid under �10K

[JinxtheCat]

thanks guys, really helpful

[Hermia]

"10K"!!!! Tell him to get another job! I'm in my first post-MA job in a public library and I get �20k (includes London weighting). Pay is much higher in the commercial sector, but not as well paid as in other professions obviously.

Basically, it's a vocational profession. You do it because you believe in it. And I certainly don't think it's boring!

[DebMich]

5029 - is your friend a Library Assistant or an Assistant Librarian? The titles may sound similar but they are completely different: you need a postgraduate qualification to be a Librarian, whereas anyone can be a Library Assistant.

Library Assistant jobs generally pay under �15K, Librarian jobs pay over �15K. I would be incredibly suprised if a qualified Librarian were earning under �10K, unless they were working part time!