Learn How to Become a Librarian

While certification is not required for all librarians, advanced education is often the barrier to entry for all. Here you can learn what is required for your chosen librarianship career path. Get started today.

Learn How to Become a Librarian

While certification is not required for all librarians, advanced education is often the barrier to entry for all. Here you can learn what is required for your chosen librarianship career path. Get started today.

Certification Pathways

ONLINE & CAMPUS-BASED MLIS PROGRAMS

Get the Credentials to be Part of a Library Team


America needs talented, qualified information professionals now more than ever. Whether your interest lies in school libraries, public libraries, art, music, law, psychology, medicine, or some other information discipline entirely -- you will find a place in the field of librarianship.

Browse LIS degree concentration guides, research available schools and compare library and information science degree programs to find the best fit for your needs.

Program Accreditation

All schools listed throughout LibrarianCertification.com have either institutional or programmatic accreditation (or both). The American Library Association (ALA) accreditation is an example of programmatic accreditation and is the gold standard for MLIS accreditation.

Program Concentrations

Prepare yourself for a specific information-based career path. All MLIS concentrations provide core library & information science knowledge in addition to concentration subject matter.

**School Library Media programs can be stand alone programs or additions to an MLIS program.


A Guide to Understanding Librarian Licensure

What is Librarian Licensure/Certification?

Librarian licensure represents a patchwork of career requirements for school and public librarians. Licensure in any field can bring with it both good and bad things for a community. Along with gatekeeping processes, comes higher costs for employment. In the case of school and public librarians, costs of employment for school districts, cities and states can be a burden on the whole system. Yet, most would agree the costs do not outweigh the benefits.

  • For librarians: greater job security and better job benefits
  • For the community: assurance that librarians, who often interact with children and sensitive groups, are background checked and a level of education and training that is documented and verified

What do Librarians do?

What is a librarian? Fundamentally, a librarian connects people with information for their professional, personal, or research objectives. The explosion of data-driven analytics in the 21st century has opened new employment opportunities for librarians. The skills and training of a modern librarian are now sought in fields spanning medicine, law, government, and academics.

School Librarians

School librarians work in K-12 schools teaching students to access information and resources. They may also assist faculty in the development of lesson plans by sourcing instructional material. Many public schools now call their librarians “media specialists.”

Public Library Librarians

Public librarians serve the patrons of a public library. They locate print and digital media for checkout or research and plan events like book fairs and story time sessions for children.