Librarians and the library facilities they staff play crucial roles in their communities. Whether a librarian is working in a public library system, a K-12 school library, or an academic library, they are performing work specifically tailored to meet the needs of the community using it. 

While many people perceive libraries as “book warehouses” of sorts, they are far more than that. Libraries’ shelves aren’t just storage areas for thousands of books – they are living, breathing, and constantly-evolving collections that are hand-selected to meet the informational and entertainment needs of the community it serves. Besides books, libraries offer a plethora of other resources and services. For example, many libraries offer free classes, storytimes, WiFi access, technology access, study areas, reference services, and checkouts of non-book media and items, just to name a few. 

In order to provide such a robust amount of services to the public, librarians are specially trained to work in the different libraries they serve. All states across America have specific requirements for prospective librarians to meet in order to qualify for the position, and Wisconsin is no different. In order to become a librarian in Wisconsin, prospective librarians wanting to work in either public, K-12 school, or academic libraries must adhere to some specific requirements for qualification. 

How to Become a Public Services Librarian in Wisconsin 

In 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction reported that Wisconsin’s public libraries…

• Had over 41,000,000 circulations 
• Were open for over 760,000 service hours 
• Served over 2,800,000 individual borrowers of all ages
• Experienced over 12,300,000 visits
• Saw over 1,000,000 program attendees

…that’s a very busy and bustling public library system! In order to keep up with Wisconsin’s public library demands, there are specific steps a prospective librarian needs to take in order to accept a position in one of these facilities. 

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in any subject area.

The educational journey to meet public librarian requirements in Wisconsin starts with a bachelor’s degree in any subject area. Librarians often enter the profession from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds. While some people opt to study library science during their undergraduate years, doing so is rarely a firm requirement before entering any further schooling for librarianship. 

2. Earn a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. 

In Wisconsin, librarians hold MLIS degrees. These master’s programs may or may not need to be ALA-accredited – before committing to any specific MLIS program, check the requirements listed on librarian job postings in Wisconsin’s different public library systems. While some public library systems do not care about ALA accreditation, others may require it as a part of their hiring process. 

Why does having an ALA-accredited degree carry any significant weight? ALA accredited schools earn this specific label by being recognized as a library science program that adheres to the ALA’s standards for library service and sets the standard for excellence across America’s many libraries. By participating (and graduating from) an ALA-accredited program, the librarian can assure future employers that they were trained under a program that adheres to these high standards for excellence.

3. Apply for Wisconsin’s public librarian certification.

Wisconsin wants highly qualified librarians staffing its public libraries. To ensure its librarians meet these expectations, librarians should apply for their Wisconsin Public Librarian Certification upon graduation from their MLIS program. This certificate is issued after careful review of a librarian’s education, training, and experience.

There is an additional level of certification required of Wisconsin’s library directors. While fresh MLIS graduates seeking their first public librarian roles will not be ready to apply for directorship, it is worth noting that Wisconsin’s public library systems require this extra layer of certification to hold these higher level positions.

How to Become a K-12 School Librarian in Wisconsin 

Unlike many other states across America, Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction oversees requirements for its public libraries as well as its K-12 school libraries. In other states, these two categories of libraries are supervised by separate entities, such as a department of education and a state library system. In Wisconsin, the Department of Public Instruction oversees both. 

To qualify for a K-12 school librarian position in Wisconsin, the following requirements must be met, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction:

1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree in any subject area – though a bachelor’s in education is a plus. 

Like many other states, Wisconsin considers its K-12 school librarians to also be educators, meaning they are licensed to teach in the state as well as manage a school library facility. This does not mean that every potential K-12 school librarian needs to complete their bachelor’s degree in education first. 

Many educational programs will help a prospective K-12 school librarian meet the requirements they need in order to work in a school library, even if they don’t have an undergraduate background in education. Some prospective K-12 school librarians may have bachelor’s degrees in non-education-related fields, and that is fine – their master’s programs will help them obtain the proper credentials they need to move forward with obtaining an educator’s license.

2. Earn a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree.

MLIS programs come in all shapes and sizes, varieties and flavors – there are specific programs tailored to prepare prospective librarians to work in K-12 school libraries, including the work needed to obtain a teaching license. This is also the case in Wisconsin, as many Wisconsin colleges and universities offer a variety of MLIS programs with courses of study designed to prepare future K-12 school librarians to succeed in these library environments. For prospective K-12 school librarians who don’t have a background in education, these courses of study will also include assistance with becoming licensed teachers in the state of Wisconsin as well. 

3. Apply for licensure in the state of Wisconsin.

At the end of a school library track MLIS program, students will take licensure exams and prepare themselves to apply for licensure in the state of Wisconsin. This typically involves taking the Praxis Exam #5312 for School Library Media and earning at least a minimum passing score, and then applying for official licensure on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Educator Licensing Online (ELO) portal. On the portal, prospective K-12 school librarians will upload all relevant documents, such as final MLIS program portfolios, test scores, and official transcripts, plus pay a processing fee, to apply for their licensure. 

How to Become an Academic Librarian in Wisconsin 

Academic librarianship is a crucial part of any campus’ academic resources. Whether they are working on a small campus or a large, sprawling state campus, academic librarians work hard to support the students and faculty that make up their user communities. 

Wisconsin colleges and universities also depend on academic librarians to support the technology and research needs of their campuses. To become an academic librarian in the state of Wisconsin, a prospective candidate would need to complete the following: 

1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree in any subject area.

Similarly to K-12 school and public librarians, academic librarians tend to also have varied educational backgrounds. Because the majority of MLIS programs do not have a certain type of undergraduate degree requirement, many people from many different educational fields end up entering librarianship. 

2. Obtain an MLIS degree. 

Academic librarians tend to hold MLIS degrees. Many MLIS programs offer an academic library pathway for study, ensuring that prospective academic librarians are exposed to classes and experiences that will best prepare them to serve the needs of a college campus. Like public and K-12 school libraries in Wisconsin, some academic libraries are more flexible than others regarding the necessity of an ALA-accredited MLIS degree. Before committing to an MLIS program, check job postings and position requirements at various colleges and universities to gauge their preferences for MLIS degrees from ALA-accredited programs.

3. Check for any other academic requirements, such as additional coursework, certifications, or degrees. 

Academic libraries – especially larger ones – tend to have specific wings (and even whole, separate library facilities) designed to serve different academic departments on campus. For example, schools with large art programs may have libraries completely dedicated to supporting the students and faculty involved in the art program. 

In schools like these, librarians may be expected to hold additional degrees, certifications, or coursework in specific areas of study to ensure that they are best equipped to work in those specialized library departments. Wisconsin academic libraries – especially ones at larger campuses such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison – may have librarians who are specifically assigned to assist various departments, ensuring that they are skilled to perform research in those areas. For example, the librarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are assigned to help students and faculty in the campus’ various departments, as outlined in their online directory. These subject area librarians are listed as resources to contact when students or faculty need research assistance in their areas of study. 

While this isn’t the case in every academic library, many of them – including some in the state of Wisconsin – may expect their prospective librarians to have this additional knowledge.