Exclusive Crowdcast Event! On Tuesday, December 1 at 6 p.m. ET, join New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Chris Riddell as they celebrate the release of their new book Pirate Stew! Purchase your copy of Pirate Stew from one of our five partnering bookstores, and on 12/1 you’ll receive an exclusive link to join the event. The first 100 people to purchase a copy from each store will receive signed bookplates from Neil and Chris with their copy! You don’t want to miss this swashbuckling, riotous event! This post was born out of my need for a Plan B. For me, my backup was working in writing and editing and finding gigs with companies where my Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS or MLS) was an asset. But you don’t need a major mental illness to need or want to look beyond working in a brick-and-mortar library once you’ve earned your MLS. The MLS is a versatile degree that intersects with multiple career industries beyond an in-person library. Whether you’re looking for your own Plan B to escape the brutal library science job search or are just curious as to where your degree can take you, I hope this post is helpful. To research this post, I asked a large Facebook group of librarians the following question: “I’m doing research for an article about non-traditional careers for MLS holders. If you have an MLS and a career or job outside libraries, care to share what line of work you’re in?” From those responses, I organized real-life job titles of “non-traditional” careers that MLS librarians hold into different categories. I also added in adjacent careers to round out the fields profiled. A quick note: Although I posed this question to MLS holders, this article is also relevant for non-MLS degreed librarians and paraprofessionals who also hold similar professional experience and are looking further afield.
Careers in Research
Librarians are at the heart of research. Library science requires special talent in searching, locating, compiling, and analyzing research information. Librarians are taught advanced searching and information retrieval tactics, making them great fits for research careers.
Examples
Here are some real careers of library science grads working in this field:
Team Member and Library Liaison in a university’s research unitCorporate Reference Worker for an information services company in the healthcare industryWorker for an academic research consortiumArchivistResearch Assistant
Careers in Web Design and Computer Science
The structures of web design and computer science often overlap with library science. A librarian offers crucial point of view with skills in search design, function, and behavior. Librarians also have keen instincts in the best way to seamlessly organize content with information architecture (IA) for an intuitive user experience (UX).
Examples
Digital LibrarianIT ManagerUser Experience (UX) AnalystInformation ArchitectFrameworks (knowledge, content, and standards) management and development for a supply chain and logistics trade association
Careers in Digital Data and Metadata
One of the things you learn in library school is the importance of organizing information effectively. An exciting career in the booming field of data science could be a great fit for a library science grad who loves collection, crunching, and analyzing digital data. Librarians also use their skills in characterizing data and metadata, the data about the data. Describing and working with metadata is increasingly being taught in library schools. Taking an intro to digital libraries course is a great way to learn more about metadata.
Examples
Data Team Worker for a machine learning startupData AnalystData LibrarianBusiness Intelligence AnalystData Mining SpecialistGlobal Information System (GIS) Technician
Careers in Records, Knowledge, and Information Management
If there’s one part of my library science program I didn’t expect I’d come to love, it’s information science. I started out the degree unable to manage a basic spreadsheet, but I found I really loved my classes about information organization, both material information and digital information. This opened a whole world of new career possibilities beyond a traditional library. In fact, information science is a field experiencing a ton of growth, and librarians fit right in. For this category, I combined records and information management (RIM) with digital information science.
Examples
Managing a Records and Information Management (RIM) team in a universityKnowledge ManagerWorking for a county’s Register of DeedsRecords Manager at a city government’s engineering departmentDigital Asset Manager for a corporate retailerManager of a federal repository’s data taxonomyDatabase Manager and TrainerInformation Policy WorkerAbstractor and IndexerContent CuratorDigitization Specialist
Careers in Project Management
Project Management is a great career for library science graduates. Librarians draw on their skills working on conceptualizing, organizing, and implementing projects in this field, which could include projects as diverse as within IT fields, the energy industry, or even construction.
Examples
Project AdministratorProject ManagerProject Manager for a government’s visual information servicesDocument Controller
Careers in Education and Instructional Design
This is a big one. Education and Industrial Design are natural fits for librarians. The education career prospects for librarians are almost limitless, with librarians at the forefront of educating, and its subfields, including training, and instructional design.
Examples
Quality Control Specialist who works with instructional designersAcademic Advisor in a medical schoolProfessor in a library science degree programCorporate Trainer for a drug manufacturerAssistant Director at a university’s tutoring centerProgram Manager for Continuing Education and Professional DevelopmentTeacherInstructional Designer for online coursesDirector of Online Academic EngagementLeader of a College’s Institutional Effectiveness and Research Department
Careers in Development and Nonprofits
Librarians are no strangers to the world of nonprofits and development. In fact, librarians offer experience that nonprofits need. With this field, librarians can assist with marketing, development and fundraising, as well as serving nonprofits in traditional library roles, like archives, RIM, and research.
Examples
Working in development for a small museumProspect Researcher in a university’s development officeMarketing Manager for a nonprofit
Careers Working With Library Vendors
Library vendors—and their competitive corporate salaries—are the perfect fit for librarians wanting the best of both worlds. Where there’s a library vendor, there’s a career for a librarian.
Examples
Vendor RepresentativeVendor Sales PersonSubject Matter Expert for a library software companyTrainer, Documentation Writer, and Customer Success Specialist at a library software companyTrainer of library vendor productsTechnical Customer Support Training and Consulting Partner
Careers in Writing, Editing, and Communications
My own career turned to writing, editing, and communications when I realized I wouldn’t be working in an in-person library anytime soon. Instead, I get to talk about books and libraries on Book Riot and other places, as well as do front-facing reader’s advisory through Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations (TBR) service. The field of communications is a great fit for librarians who love to express themselves through writing and editing.
Examples
Grant WriterAuthor of library science textbooksFreelance Writer and/or EditorDigital MarketerContent StrategistAlternative Text Writer
Miscellaneous Careers for Library Science Grads
Don’t think that the possibilities of a non-traditional library jobs are limited to the nine career fields this article has profiled so far. There are even more creative ways to use your library science skills in an exciting field. Here are a few miscellaneous careers that are also open to hiring librarians.
Examples
ConsultantProperty ManagerQuality Assurance ManagerParalegal PractitionerPublic Broadcasting WorkerExecutive Recruiter
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