I have a degree but it's not in librarianship or information management. How can I get started?
To become a librarian or information professional, you will need some library experience either as an assistant or a CILIP Graduate Trainee.
As well as checking local and national papers and vacancies website, you can find suitable jobs advertised on www.lgjobs.com, www.jobs.ac.uk and CILIP's own www.lisjobnet.com. If the post asks for previous library experience or a CILIP qualification it is not likely to be an entry level position. It may be worth calling ahead to see if transferable customer and administration experience would be acceptabe.
While you are working, you can apply for university courses which should be accredited by CILIP. You can find their contact details here to check on fees and attendance requirements.
Once you're qualified you are eligible to apply for posts asking for qualified librarians and information managers and you can become Chartered.
I'd like to become a librarian or an information scientist, how can I get started?
You can apply for a Bachelors degree accredited by CILIP. There may not be a Bachelors offered by the university closest to you, so there are distance learning options. You will need library experience or be working in information to study part-time or by distance learning.
Once you're qualified you are eligible to apply for posts asking for qualified librarians and information managers and you can become Chartered.
I work in an information service and would like to qualify but I can't afford to follow an accredited course
An accredited qualification is ideal because it will be widely recognized and is more easily used overseas. By investigating alternatives, you are not ruling out studying for an accredited qualification in the future.
You can consider CILIP's own qualifications. This would generally be gaining ACLIP Certification. If you are in a suitable professional role, you could then work towards Chartership (the professional qualification normally gained after completing an accredited course).
The nature of CILIP's qualifications is that they are about continuing professional development and measure how members are performing in their workplace, applying their learning and maintaining their awareness.
By following this route you may become a Chartered Member of CILIP which broadens your career prospects as well as recognizing you as a professional librarian / information manager.
If circumstances change you could still go on to follow a CILIP accredited qualification. Some universities will give you credits for your Chartership, allowing you to do part of the course rather than follow a whole programme.