What is an Archivist and Library Media Specialist?
Archivists and Library Media Specialists are information professionals who manage, organize, preserve, and provide access to information and media. Archivists specialize in evaluating, collecting, and maintaining unique, historical, or permanently valuable records and documents. Library Media Specialists (often called school librarians) manage media centers, teach information literacy and technology skills to students, and curate collections of both published materials and digital resources.
Typical Education
Both career paths typically require a Master's degree—an MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) is the standard credential for both roles, often with a specialization in archival studies for archivists or a teaching certificate for school media specialists.
Salary Range in the United States
The typical median annual salary for Librarians and Library Media Specialists in the United States is $64,320 (May 2024 data). The median annual salary for the closely related category of Archivists is $59,910 (May 2023 data). Salaries vary based on the specific institution (K-12 school, academic library, government archives, or corporate setting).
Day in the Life
How to Become an Archivist and Library Media Specialist
The professional journey involves significant graduate-level education and practical experience in information management.
- Obtain a Bachelor's Degree: Complete an undergraduate degree, often in a field like History, English, Education, or a related liberal arts discipline.
- Earn a Master's Degree (MLIS/MIS): Enroll in a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or a Master of Information Science (MIS) program, ideally one accredited by the American Library Association (ALA).
- Choose a Specialization: Select courses in Archival Studies, Records Management, or School Library Media to focus your career path.
- Gain Practical Experience: Complete internships or practicums in archives, special collections, or a school library media center to gain hands-on experience in collection processing, cataloging, and reference services.
- Achieve Certification/Licensure: Archivists may pursue the Certified Archivist (CA) credential. Library Media Specialists often require a state teaching license or specific school library endorsement to work in K-12 settings.
Essential Skills
- Information Organization (Metadata): Proficiency in using standardized descriptive systems (e.g., MARC, DACS, Dublin Core) to catalog, arrange, and describe materials for easy retrieval.
- Preservation Techniques: Knowledge of physical and digital preservation methods to ensure the long-term integrity and accessibility of historical and cultural assets.
- Technology & Digital Literacy: Expertise in managing digital collections, electronic records, specialized databases, and instructional technologies (critical for media specialists).
- Research & Reference: The ability to effectively assist diverse users—from students to professional researchers—in locating, evaluating, and using information.
- Instructional Design (Media Specialists): Skill in creating and teaching lessons on information literacy, ethical use of data, digital citizenship, and research strategies.
Key Responsibilities
- Acquisition and Appraisal: Archivists evaluate potential collections (records, manuscripts, digital files) to determine their historical value and manage their transfer and legal ownership.
- Collection Management: Archivists arrange, describe, and physically or digitally process unique collections, creating finding aids and indexes to make them usable by researchers. Media Specialists curate a balanced collection of books, media, and digital subscriptions.
- Information Literacy Instruction: Media Specialists teach classes and workshops to students and teachers on effective research methods, critical evaluation of sources, and responsible technology use.
- Reference and Access Services: Provide assistance to patrons and researchers, interpreting library and archival policies and connecting them to the required materials, whether published or historical.
- Program Development: Media Specialists plan and host educational and cultural programs (e.g., book clubs, tech camps, author visits) to encourage reading, inquiry, and the use of the media center resources.
Five Common Interview Questions
Candidates should be prepared to address both technical aspects of collection management and public service skills.
- "Describe your process for appraising a large, mixed-media donation (e.g., paper, photos, born-digital files) for retention and eventual access."
- Purpose: To assess an Archivist's understanding of key archival principles (provenance, original order, appraisal standards) and their technical knowledge of digital materials.
- "How would you integrate a new technology, like a 3D printer or a virtual reality lab, into the curriculum of a school media center?"
- Purpose: To gauge a Media Specialist's vision for the modern library and their ability to move beyond print resources to support digital and STEM learning goals.
- "A researcher/student is frustrated because they cannot find information on a topic. How do you handle that reference interview?"
- Purpose: To evaluate communication skills, patience, and the ability to effectively translate a user's need into a successful search strategy using diverse resources.
- "What is the most pressing ethical challenge facing information professionals today (e.g., digital preservation, privacy, intellectual freedom), and how does it affect your work?"
- Purpose: To assess the candidate's awareness of professional ethics and their commitment to principles like open access, neutrality, and privacy protection.
- "If you were tasked with leading a collection development effort, how would you ensure the materials acquired are diverse, inclusive, and reflect the community you serve?"
- Purpose: To evaluate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the ability to make strategic, community-focused purchasing or acquisition decisions.
Questions?
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