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RESEARCH GUIDES

Research and Teaching Fellowship

So You Want to be an Academic Librarian Slides

Additional Resources

Where to Find Academic Librarian Job Ads

Email Listservs

MLIS Program Listservs and Job Boards

Regional (Every state will have their own Library Association!)

Online Aggregators

Help with Reading Job Postings

These are some common terms you might see in job postings:

  • Faculty vs. staff positions
  • 9 month vs. 12 month 
  • Tenure-track/permanent status vs. not
  • Temporary/visiting vs. permanent
  • Contract position or not

Scheduling Informational Interviews

The great thing about librarians is that they are all generally willing to talk to MLIS students or early-career professionals about their careers. It may feel awkward, but it is okay to reach out to someone whose job you are interested in learning more about to discuss their career.

Who to Ask for Informational Interviews

What is a CV (Curriculum Vitae)

  • Full history of your academic and work experience.
  • No standard length (they are usually long).
  • Used for academic and research jobs.
  • Sections include:
    • Education
    • Work experience
    • Service & Scholarship
    • Teaching Experience
    • Relevant Coursework
    • Awards
    • Skills

Resources for Creating a CV

Recommended Courses in MLIS Program for Anyone Interested in Academic Librarianship

  • LBSC734: Seminar in the Academic Library: Role of the academic library within the framework of higher education. Planning programs and services, collections, support, fiscal management, physical plant, and cooperation.
  • INST620: Diverse Populations, Inclusion, and Information: Importance of equality of information access. Social, political, and technological barriers to information. Information needs of diverse and underrepresented populations. Principles of inclusive information services.
  • EDHI672: Modes of Inquiry in Education Research: Importance of equality of information access. Social, political, and technological barriers to information. Information needs of diverse and underrepresented populations. Principles of inclusive information services.
  • LBSC644: Collection Development: Activities through which library collections are systematically developed and managed are explored, especially the formulation and implementation of written collection development policies. Other specific topics include identification of user needs; collection evaluation; fund allocation among competing departments, subjects, and/or media; selection methods; intellectual freedom; storage alternatives; and cooperative collection development.
  • LBSC702: User Instruction: Critical analysis of the rationale, content, and processes of user instruction in library and information settings.
  • LBSC770: Metadata and Tools for Information Professionals: Principles, standards, and practices of information representation to facilitate accessing needed information in digital bibliographic environments. Includes exposure to Metadata, XML, RDA/AACR2R, DTDs, MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, ISBN and ISSN, FRBR, FRAD, Classification systems, and Controlled Vocabularies such as LCSH, SEARS, NLM, Getty and ERIC Thesauri, and others.

Field Study

There are many academic libraries near College Park! Past MLIS students have completed field studies in nearby academic libraries.

Local Conferences

Below is a list of local conferences about academic librarianship: