School libraries change lives

Working in a school library can be a deeply rewarding role focusing on fostering students’ love of reading, teaching researching and critical thinking skills, and creating a vibrant space in the school in which students feel safe and welcome. School libraries are often a place where recreation, in the form of reading, activities and events, meets academia, in the form of teaching, learning and intellectual discovery.

There is a wide variety of job titles, qualification prerequisites and staffing models operating in school libraries around Australia. Below are some of the roles you will find in school libraries, along with suggestions about the qualifications these roles may require. Note that school library staffing structures have as much variety as schools themselves: this list is not intended to be prescriptive or exhaustively representative, and there are often significant overlaps between roles depending on staffing levels and school community needs.

Library Assistant:

A library assistant need not have any official library qualifications. They typically work as part of a team assisting other library staff with daily work tasks.

Library Technician:

The standard qualification for a library technician is a Diploma of Library and Information Services (typically delivered through the TAFE vocational education system). Library technicians may focus on the technical aspects of library work, in addition to customer interaction.

Librarian:

A professional librarian in Australia generally holds an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Library and Information Science that is accredited by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). The librarian may be responsible for implementing technology systems, promoting the school library and designing services to meet the information needs of students and staff.

Teacher Librarian:

A teacher librarian in Australia is a dual-qualified professional who holds both recognised teaching credentials and a postgraduate degree in library and information science. They may be responsible for designing and teaching library lesson programs, collaborating with subject teachers to deliver subject-specific information sessions to students and fostering a strong reading culture throughout a school community.

See also: 

A day in the life of my school library

ALIA: Becoming a library and information professional

ALIA accredited courses

ALIA ACSL statement on school library staffing