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Career Profile: Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in library science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 5,500 people employed as library science teachers, postsecondary in the United States. The median annual salary is $77,100. Entry level employees earn approximately $48,390 per year and senior employees earn approximately $124,680 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  • Develop and teach online courses.
  • Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  • Edit manuscripts for professional journals.
  • Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  • Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  • Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
  • Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  • Participate in campus and community events.
  • Act as advisers to student organizations.
  • Select and invite guest speakers to speak to classes.
  • Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, giving presentations at conferences, and serving on committees in professional associations.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as collection development, archival methods, and indexing and abstracting.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  • Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and present findings in professional journals, books, electronic media, or at professional conferences.

Career List

Job Outlook


Total Current Jobs:
5,500
Annual Openings:
500
Increase in Openings by 2031:
8%
Annual Salary Range:
$48,390 - $124,680
Education Requirements:
Master's degree or higher