What is a librarian?

Librarians are information professionals who select, organize, preserve, and provide access to information in a wide range of formats. Guided by professional values such as access, equity, intellectual freedom, privacy, and lifelong learning, librarians support education, research, and community engagement by helping people locate, evaluate, and use information effectively in both physical and digital environments.

Library work spans many settings and areas of specialization. Librarians may manage library technologies and online catalogs, curate physical and digital collections, teach research and information‑literacy skills, design public programs, or provide targeted services to specific populations such as seniors, students, researchers, or non‑English‑speaking communities. While many librarian positions are full‑time, libraries also rely on part‑time and substitute librarians to extend service hours and ensure consistent access for users.

Common library career paths include:

• Academic librarians (college and university libraries)
• Public librarians (community libraries)
• School librarians / media specialists
• Law librarians
• Medical and health sciences librarians
• Archives and special collections librarians
• Special librarians (corporate, government, nonprofit, or museum libraries)
• Digital librarians and systems librarians

Across all roles, librarians share a common mission: to connect people with reliable information and support learning at every stage of life.