Librarian (Research Support)
Impact: Indirect
Librarians specializing in research support assist patrons, typically in academic or specialized libraries, with in-depth research needs. This involves guiding users through complex databases, digital archives, and specialized collections, providing instruction on research methodologies, and managing information resources. They often help with literature reviews, data management, and scholarly communication, ensuring access to relevant and credible information for academic and professional endeavors.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- Balanced
- Client facing
- Always
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Low
- Schedule flexibility
- Moderate
- Remote work
- Hybrid
- Typical work hours
- 40 hours
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $65,000
- Entry-level
- $50,000
- Senior
- $85,000
- Growth by 2033
- 5%
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- High
- Typical student debt
- $40,000 - $70,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Research Methods
- Database Management
- Digital Curation
- Information Retrieval
- Data Analysis
Soft skills
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Communication
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Master's degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Assistant Librarian
- Research Support Librarian
- Head of Research Services
- Library Director
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- Low
- AI disruption risk
- Moderate
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 4/10
- Meaning
- 4/10
- Work-life balance
- 4/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High