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Librarians are Information Specialists
Librarians are information specialists, gatherers and keepers of knowledge. They help us hunt the information we need using their experience in a wide variety of ways and means. They understand the organization of information and are here to help you locate just what you need.
But not all librarians are in the local library you normally think of. Librarian means so much more today and the job of librarian is varied and sometimes extremely specialized.
Medical or Hospital Librarian - When your doctor needs information on a new technique or drug he uses specialized medical librarians that do the research for him or her. These librarians spend a lot of time reading medical journals and getting the information for the doctor to make an informed decision.
Corporate Librarian - These librarians keep all documentation and information organized for employees to access. When Disney's Imagineers need information on roller coasters or older Disney films for reference they go to their in house library and archives. Companies that use catalogues need them organized and data entered so products and information can be found when requested.
Specialized Librarian - Many animation facilities keep a library of art, scripts and drawings. These librarians need skills in the handling and storage of valuable and fragile artwork. Most have a background in film studies with emphasis on animation. Since many images are captured electronically experience with Photoshop is sometimes required.
The Getty and many museums use photo librarians to organize and identify photos of art in their collection. In a natural history museum there are collections of study bones, skins and artifacts that need cataloguing and organization. Archiving is another facet of being a librarian that is needed in museums and companies. Magazines like "People" have thousands of celebrity photos archived and must have them available when needed.
Film and Tape libraries are housed in broadcast facilities that need to be handled by people trained to handle film and deal with tape and its many formats.
Find what you love and do what you love is a saying I like to use. I think as a new Library Science student I will love being a librarian and I will love doing a librarians work at a facility in a field I love. Sometimes we need a little nudge to see the possibilities and the different opportunities to use a library degree for a career in a field you enjoy.
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Lisa Reinert
MLIS Student & CLA Member
Posted on November 25, 2009 9:15 AM | Permalink