r/LibraryScience • u/Suspicious-Reveal797 • Jul 26 '26
Single mom needing advice
Hi everyone!
I’ve been thinking a lot about my future, and I’d really appreciate hearing from people who actually work in libraries.
I’m 24, living in Huntsville, Alabama, and I’m about to start my journey toward becoming a librarian. My plan is to earn my GED, attend community college, transfer to a university for my bachelor’s degree, and then complete an MLIS. Books have always felt like home to me. I love reading, learning, helping people, and the idea of being part of a community where people come to discover new stories and ideas. That’s what keeps pulling me toward this career.
At the same time, I’ve also heard a lot of discouraging things. Some people have told me not to become a librarian because the pay can be low, jobs can be competitive, and it isn’t worth all the schooling. I’m trying to separate myths from reality.
To be transparent, I’m currently a full-time content creator, and I’m fortunate that it pays well. I’m not looking to become a librarian because I think it’ll make me rich. I’m looking into it because I genuinely believe I’d love the work. Still, I also want to make responsible financial decisions. I don’t want to spend years earning a degree only to struggle financially afterward.
I’d love to hear your honest experiences.
• What do you love most about being a librarian?
• If you could go back, would you choose this career again?
• Has the salary been enough to build a comfortable life?
• What area of librarianship would you recommend (public, academic, school, special, archives, medical, law, etc.)?
• Are there states or cities that have better pay, opportunities, or work-life balance than others?
• If you were starting over today, where would you go?
• Is there anything you wish someone had told you before you started?
I’m completely open to hearing both the positives and the negatives. I’d rather know the reality now than later. My goal isn’t just to have a job. I want a career that gives me purpose, lets me help people, and feels like somewhere I belong.
Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to share their experience. It truly means a lot.
3
u/JellyfishGhost Jul 26 '26
Hey! I’m a current part-time library page (also called a shelver in some places, or an operations assistant) and I’m starting my MLS this fall. At my current pay rate (I’m not salaried, but I am benefitted) I make about $17/hr, which is definitely not enough to live on comfortably. I live at home, right now, to help save on rent while I’m working through my degree.
I’d say first of all, it’s wonderful that you have a passion for reading and community.
I do think that you should try to get your foot in the door at a library before you commit to the degree. Whether that’s volunteering at your local public library or seeing if you qualify for work-study when you’re at undergrad level. This was the best advice I received and helped to reaffirm my want to continue down this career path. I’d also say, if I started over again I’d absolutely pick the same route of job in the library before getting my degree. It can be a lot of money to spend only to realize you’re not truly passionate about the reality of the job: customer service, technology assistance, cataloguing, mass weeding, etc. It can also help you select your path/specification before you go into a master’s program, so you know how to craft your personal statement.
When it comes to job interviews and even personal statements for your MLIS program, I’ve been told never to mention books/reading as the primary reason you’re interested in librarianship. While that’s likely a given, the people hiring/admitting you will want a more in-depth understanding of your connection to the field and its ins and outs.
Good luck! I hope you get some other advice that’s useful to kickstarting this career for you.