A book has the power to change the perception of many, helping them learn something new and use that in their lives to improve their future. Taking care of such powerful things isn't easy. But if you are still up for it, we can help you become one of those godly caretakers. And if you don't know already, yes, we are talking about none other than librarians.
A librarian plays a crucial role in our society. They take care of humanity's greatest achievement, knowledge, while helping others to reach their goal as fast as they can. As you may expect, it's not an easy job, which requires a lot of memory power to effectively become one. But don't worry, this article will guide you through all you need to know about them. For example, how to become a librarian, librarian jobs in India, and so on. We'll have a deep dive across all the hot sides of a Librarian.
What is a Librarian?
Just like in any profession, a librarian is a professional who maintains a library. So, what is a library? In short, tons of books, and the job of a librarian is to properly put each book in its proper location, maintain them, and sort them out using the DDC or LCC method. Those terms will make a comeback, so don't worry; we got you covered.
While that definition is still valid, we may have to add a bit more to it. It's the era of the internet after all, so it's not only about books anymore. Now music, videos, and even eBooks come under the influence of a librarian. For example, documentaries. They provide a deep dive into a particular topic while covering a large number of sections in an hour or two.
Most educational lectures are now recorded and can be accessed through the school's or college library. India is again slow in adapting to the digital method, but slowly a lot of universities have started integrating it. That helps greatly to recall back to a specific lecture in case someone missed it or needed to have a second look at it.
How to become a librarian in India?
Modern-day librarians have more things to handle than before. Now just having a simple knowledge of books isn't enough. You must know all of the things about computers, which makes their strenuous job more difficult. That's why most librarian job requirements include MLIS and additional certificate courses or even work experience. Let's take one step at a time, and see what kinds of programs you can enroll in for successful librarian jobs in India:
- Diploma in Library and Information Science (DLIS)
- A one-year diploma course.
- Can be taken right after the 12th.
- Some institutes have separate entrance exams.
- Aims to provide fundamental knowledge of cataloging, classifying, researching, and managing library-related resources.
- Average Annual Fee (AAF): ₹5000
- Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS)
- A one-year undergraduate degree.
- Requires a bachelor's degree.
- Can be taken as a distance course.
- Aims to provide a solid foundation for library and information management.
- Average Annual Fee (AAF): ₹9000
- Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
- A two-year-long postgraduate degree.
- Has a state or national-level entrance exam system.
- Can be taken as a distance course.
- Aims to provide the advanced knowledge necessary to become a Librarian in India.
- Average Annual Fee (AAF): ₹12000
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Can take around 3-4 years.
- The highest form of education for this profession.
- Preferred choice for those students who want to become a senior Librarian at a university.
- Average Annual Fee (AAF): ₹25000
Most courses inside the library careers last significantly less than others. For example, the typical time frame for a bachelor's degree is 2 years. But in this line of work, it hardly lasts one. It's even crazier for a master's degree. While the typical is 3 years, here it's 2 and sometimes even 1 depending on your level of knowledge.
Nonetheless, it is a demanding role that requires a lot of memory power. But if you have the passion for it, then no one can stop you. Now you know how to become a librarian, but what about librarian job qualifications? Well, before that, let's have a look at those terms we talked about a while back.
Famous Ways of Sorting Books That Librarians Use
The library holds a massive catalogue of books; now it also holds digital content that makes it even wilder. But as they say, “Modern problems require modern solutions.” So our brainiacs have come up with these techniques to sort their supermassive collections, and you will too if you are in search of “how to become a librarian”!
Dewey Decimal System (DDC)
DDC is the most popular way that each Librarian uses at least once in their life. It uses a three-digit number system and further divides them into ten classes. For example, 500 is the sixth class that includes all about mathematics. Meanwhile, 516, which is still under this class, includes geometry. This goes on until the number reaches 600, where the seventh class begins.
Remember that the classification begins with 000; that's why 100 is the second class and not the first. And as expected, the classification ends at 900, the tenth class. If you need to learn more, click here.
Library of Congress Classification (LCC)
This is the upgraded version of DDC that used alphabets, making it an alphanumeric system. It has 21 classes and uses more letters to indicate the specific part of that class. But wait! Don't we have 26 alphabets? Yes, that is true. But LCC systems excludes I, O, W, X, and Y from its main class. As for the subclasses, all 26 alphabets are used. Click here for more info.
Simple Ways of Classification
The above classifications are perfect for large and massive libraries. But what about the small ones? Well, they can use the usual ways, like cataloging by author, title, subject, etc., or giving call numbers to each book. There is no bad or wrong way of sorting books. At the end of the day, a librarian will use whichever method works the best for them.
This is the essence of sorting, so make sure the classification system is fully embedded in your brain. Otherwise, you'll barely lack the qualification for librarian in school or even college.
How to land a job as a Librarian in India?
The librarian job requirements are the same across all positions. For example, MLIS is like the standing requirements, while any form of internship or certificate course enhances the overall standing of the candidate.
So, the finding of librarian jobs in India also becomes the same as usual, and it's the online job portals. Sign in to job-hunting websites like LinkedIn, Naukri.com, Indeed, and so on. Meanwhile, Internshala is the perfect place for your internship-related needs.
If you aren't sure about what to do, then we will recommend booking a career counseling session at Infigon Futures. They use AI, making your entire process seamless. They will pinpoint your best career choices and even guide you to land a proper job.
Apart from that, make sure to gain real-world experience by working at a public library or a bookstore. Your main goal is to build up experience in library careers. Once that's done, consider yourself a shining star among others who don't have any.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How to be a librarian?
Ans. Get an MLIS degree first, then enroll in internships and get real-world experience, and finally apply to Librarian jobs through online job portals.
Q2. What are the responsibilities of librarians in 2025?
Ans. The present-day Librarians deal with a lot more than books. They also sort out the digital contents, paintings, and even physical assets if a book comes with it as a gift or present.
Q3. What are the common librarian jobs in India?
Ans. Positions like Librarian, archivist, digital resource manager, cataloguer, etc., are some of the common librarian jobs in India.
Q4. What are the common librarian job qualifications in India?
Ans. MLIS is the preferred degree for every Librarian, since the course durations are low, giving you the choice to complete both BLIS and MLIS in just 3 years. Unlike 5 in other streams.
Q5. What is the qualification for librarian in school?
Ans. You'll need an MLIS with at least 55% marks. Anything above that is just golden for any Librarian job in schools. Some institutes may allow someone with DLIS or BLIS with a special exception.
