Washington State is a northwestern state that borders Canada. The state is home to plenty of natural beauty and outdoor recreation, including 16 National Parks and Sites. Some of the outdoor recreation activities include fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, boating, camping, hunting, and much more. Additionally, the state prioritizes art, culture, and history; making them a library loving state. They house the archives of Northwest Heritage, fund hundreds of grants to go towards art creation and preservation, and offer a Master’s of Library and Information Science program that is ranked #2 by the U.S. News and World Report. 

There are many types and levels of librarianship in Washington State, and each type of librarian position requires varying qualifications. Most librarian positions in Washington require a MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program and prefer some library experience. However, there are some positions that focus more on information science and will be satisfied with a bachelor’s or higher in information studies.  It is important to familiarize yourself with the various types of librarianship and their qualifications if you are interested in starting a career in librarianship in Washington. 

This article will highlight the most common current librarian positions in Washington within the academic environment, the public library systems, and how to become a school librarian in the state. For each librarian position, the article will cover the basic job expectations, skills required, education qualifications, and common preferred qualifications. It will also go into depth on the certification process for those who are interested in becoming school librarian in Washington State. 

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How to Become an Academic Librarian in Washington State

In Washington State, librarians in an academic setting are typically required to have their degree in library science from an ALA-accredited program. Library assistants and library technicians will not be required to have a master’s, but they may need a bachelor’s degree depending on the level of the position and library experience is always preferable. Also, some academic librarians are instructors for the university, or are expected to provide library instruction to students. Below are some of the most common types of academic library positions in Washington State. For each job position, it will cover what the job consists of and what are the required and preferred qualifications are.

Access Services (Public Services) Librarian

This is a supervisory role over two or three other full-time and part-time staff, they insure coverage for the circulation desk, help students and faculty find information, and they handle inter-library loans. This position involves a high level of customer service and strong communication skills with staff members, other librarians, and faculty. This position typically requires a year of library work and an MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program. Other required or preferred qualifications may include knowledge of library integrated systems, strong technology skills, experience supervising, and some teaching or training experience.

Library and Archives Paraprofessional/Archives Librarian

This position is responsible for respiratory management, digital archive creation and maintenance, copy cataloging, book binding, thermal binding, and material minding, preservation, and maintenance. Some of their daily tasks include scanning, organizing, sorting, selecting, creating ways to provide access to the archives and promoting the collection. This position requires strong communication skills, a knowledge of library management systems, knowledge of OCLC, the MARC system, and other cataloging rules and formats. Some employers may require a MLIS degree that is ALA-accredited, but others may only require a highschool diploma and three years of experience working in archives. Some may also accept other related education or experience to qualify. 

Reference Librarian

A reference librarian at university aids students and faculty in finding research and information. They may also help with research paper writing, works citing in various formats, and providing access to an inter-library loan service. Some academic reference librarians may specialize in a subject such as literature, psychology, history, health science, etc. They may also be a professor in the field of library science, or another field. If they are additionally a professor, teaching experience may be required. Other requirements for this position will be an MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program, a year or more of library experience, and knowledge for locating quality resources. Other preferred skills may include proficiency in basic computer skills, knowledge of integrated-library-systems, knowledge of how to use OCLC, and a basic understanding of cataloging systems and languages. 

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Library Director

A library director of an academic library will communicate with the president of the university and each college’s and department’s dean. They’re main objective is to provide library services and resources to the university or college’s students and faculty. To complete this task they must analyze what each department of college needs and communicate the need clearly to the university’s administration. They also must manage the library(ies) budget, train and oversee staff and librarians, ensure a robust collection, and communicate and negotiate with various vendors that provide online access to digital resources. Some of the requirements for library director positions include holding an MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program, or equivalent from outside the USA. They will also need at least three years of professional library experience, including years of staff management.  

How to Become a School Librarian in Washington State

School librarians, also known as library media specialists, are librarians who work within a k-12 school system. Some of them serve one school and other’s serve multiple schools in the same county or district. Some of the job expectations include managing a school library collection, providing storytimes, creating STEAM activities, hosting a book fair, aid teachers with research and library instruction, and help students find books and research. It is also common that a library media specialist will be an aid to teachers and school administrators in other ways including setting up a makerspace or art room, laminating material, printing out material, creating presentations, and directing the use of technology in the school. 

To become a  school librarian you must be certified as a library media specialist. To do so you must have a library media endorsement as part of your higher education. There are multiple state approved endorsements offered by various universities across all disciplines including library media. Antioch University offers the library media endorsement. Their endorsement includes the field experience necessary for becoming certified. Library media specialists also need a Washington State teaching certificate or an equivalent teaching certificate from another state, and they must pass the WEST-E 042 test. If you do not hold a teacher’s certificate, Washington State offers alternative routes to earn a teacher’s certificate, including routes for those with a bachelor’s degree and a route for someone with an associates degree. 

How to Become a Public Librarian in Washington State

Public librarians service the local community by providing access to books, computers, the internet, and much more. Most public libraries offer a children’s program with children’s books, storytimes, and summer reading programs. Large libraries will staff librarians for various departments including children’s, teens, young adults, archives and ancestry research, and adult services. There are also librarians that focus on cataloging, collection development, library administration, and library outreach. Below are the most common public librarian positions to show the various levels and types of librarianship Washington State offers. 

Public Library Librarian

In Washington, a standard librarian job may take on a variety of tasks to help the library run smoothly and add services to the community. Some librarians may also be supervisors over library staff. Depending on the size of the library, public librarians are also in charge of the children’s services and programs, teen programs, and the management of the whole collection. They may work under a branch head librarian onsite, or under a regional branch head on or off site. The basic requirements for this position are an MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program, or other equivalent degree, and two years of library experience within a public library system. Some preferred qualifications include knowledge of classic literature and some current reading materials, an understanding for various technology devices and systems, strong computer skills, knowledge and experience working with integrated library systems, knowledge of OCLC and other library databases, and strong communication skills. 

Branch Head Librarian/Regional Branch Head Librarian

The job of a branch head librarian and a regional branch head librarian are only different in that a regional branch head is over a library(ies) that serve a large region, whereas a branch head librarian will likely serve a smaller community and be over only one library. The common job responsibilities of a branch head librarian and a regional branch head librarian are planning and coordinating library programs and services, implementing necessary changes, supervising staff, training staff, providing outreach services, evaluating the resources and services available, developing the collection, implementing new technologies, and ensuring the daily tasks are being completed. Some branch head librarians will also be responsible for their own budget. If that’s the case, they will need experience in budgeting, or have some education in budgeting. Other requirements for these positions are holding a master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited program, two or more years of library experience, and two or more years being in a supervisory role. A regional branch head position may require five or more years of professional library experience and three years of staff management. 

Additional Resources

For current library  job listings in Washington State and surrounding states visit: https://www.wla.org/library-jobs

For job listings in the Pacific Northwest, visit: https://pnla.org/jobs/

For current library job listings in the USA visit: https://joblist.ala.org/jobs/