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Hailey Carrell

LIS 5033

Dr. White

30 April 2017

Career Report: Young Adult Librarian

Position Description

According to ALA and YALSA, Young Adult (YA) Librarians generally work with teens

aged 12-18. They assist these young adults in preparing for college, research skills, digital

literacy, and encourage them to become lifelong learners. It is a duty of a YA Librarian to

conduct outreach with local schools and communities as well as other programs structured for

teens. YA Librarians make sure that the library's collection contains appropriate materials and

resources for young adults. YA Librarians perform various leadership roles from program

planning to guiding other employees and volunteers working with teens. YA Librarians also

perform general library duties, such as assisting customers in finding materials, answering

reference questions, and other assorted duties, depending on the location of the position.

Requirements for a career in YA Librarianship include experience working with

children/teens and working in a library environment. Most YA Librarian positions require a

Master's in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program, though some

may hire an individual currently working towards an MLIS degree.

Other possible titles of this position include "Teen Librarian," "Youth Librarian," "Teen

Services Librarian," and School Library Media Specialist."

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Environment

YA Librarian positions are common in public libraries. These positions are also present

in school libraries, which are commonly titled School Library Media Specialists.

The location of the library is an important factor in determining the duties of the YA

Librarian position. For example, a large branch of a public library in a big city will have larger

departments than a small branch in a small town. Larger branches are able to divide the library

into departments which specialize in certain demographics, such as children's and teen's. These

branches are able to have multiple people in each of their departments. In contrast, small libraries

do not have the same staffing structure. While they do have teen and children's collections, they

may only have one staff member who specializes in youth services, not a specific department.

This also determines the level of outreach and other programming the librarian is able to

conduct.

Location also affects the duties of a School Library Media Specialist. The size and

location of the school will determine the duties of the librarian. The duties of a School Library

Media Specialist at a school for kindergarten to eighth grade will be different than those at a high

school. This will affect the type of collection the librarian manages as well as any programs they

may conduct.

Position Characteristics

There are multiple characteristics of the YA Librarian position that qualify it as an

information profession. This includes teaching patrons how to operate these technologies. YA

Librarians help teens prepare for college, helping them learn to research and other helpful skills.

Another important part of this profession is to promote digital literacy and new technologies.
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This can range from demonstrating 3D printers and other makerspace technologies to teaching

patrons how to use e-readers, public computers, printers/scanners, self-check machines, and

other technology in the library.

YA Librarians are in charge of managing the library's teen collection, including both

print and digital items. YA Librarians order new items, weed old or low circulating items, and

organize the collections. These can include fiction, nonfiction, and audio items. YA Librarians

must assess the content of the materials in order to decide what is relevant and appropriate in

their location.

Another important duty of a YA Librarian, or any librarian, is to assist customers with

reference questions. This can be helping a customer locate a book in the library or helping them

with internet searches.

These are just some of the duties that a YA Librarian may have. Like most positions in a

library setting, information is central to everyday duties.

Profile

According to a YALSA sample job description, YA Librarians are required to have a

Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from a program accredited by the ALA, at

least one year of experience in a library setting, and experience working with teens age 12 to 18.

YA Librarians should be creative and energetic. They should stay current on popular culture and

technology. They should have strong leadership skills and be passionate about helping patrons,

especially teens, continue to learn new skills.

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Career Opportunities

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 143,100 Librarian jobs in 2014. The

growth is below average, at 2%. For Library Technicians and Assistant, there were 210,700 jobs.

The growth outlook from 2014-2024 is average, at 5%.

Average Salary

Salary for YA Librarian positions vary widely. Factors that affect the salary include

location, whether it is a full-time or a part-time position, if it is a manager or a staff position, or if

the individual has a degree.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for librarians in 2016 was

$57,680 per year, or $27.73 per hour. The average for Library Technicians and Assistants in

2016 was $28,440 per year or $13.67 per hour. According to Payscale, the average salary for a

Youth Librarian is $48,293, ranging from $32,760 to $68,712, last updated in 2016. In addition,

it states that bonuses for this position can range from $98.63 to $8,204.
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References

American Library Association. 2017. “Become a librarian who serves children and young
adults!” Accessed April 21.
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=careersinlibraries&Template=/ContentManag
ement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4761

American Library Association. 2017. “Why YA? Recruiting for YA Librarianship.” Young Adult
Library Services Association. Accessed April 21.
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/getinvolved/recruitment/recruitment

Payscale, Inc. 2017. “Youth Librarian Salary.” Accessed April 24.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Youth_Librarian/Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. “Librarians.” Occupational Outlook

Handbook, 2016-17 Edition. Accessed April 24. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-
training-and-library/librarians.htm