There are approximately 170 universities and university sector colleges in England according to LISA (Library and Information statistics tables 2002-3). Library jobs exist in universities, colleges of further and higher education and research institutes attached to academic institutions. The institutions can range in size from large institutions on more than one campus, with a variety of qualified librarians working on different sites to smaller institutions, with one information centre, where the academic librarian may carry out a variety of tasks.
Job description
The HE librarians support students, researchers and lecturing staff. Many posts are involved in assisting learning by teaching information retrieval skills to students and staff. This can be in the classroom or within a virtual learning environment. Most libraries provide both traditional and electronic services. As well as the library they may include computer services, media services, archives and learning support units. Senior posts are likely to involve managing staff and budgets and resources.
Listed below is a range of tasks typically undertaken:
- Responsible for a specific subject area, developing expertise and supporting departments and research groups;
- Choosing, acquiring, cataloguing, classifying and exploiting information, using specialised library and information software;
- Setting up and managing online and networked information resources; this can involve dealing with web management, copyright, licences and metadata;
- Answering enquiries from students and staff;
- Planning, delivering and teaching transferable information and learning skills to students and staff;
- Conducting literature searches for users using a wide range of computer databases, printed resources, CD-ROM or the internet;
- May be a specialist in a particular function, such as IT development;
- Liase with academic staff in departments;
- Championing the service to obtain resources for the information centre;
- Contribute to academic course development;
Pay and conditions
CILIP publishes a regular survey of members’ salaries in Higher Education
Further Information
CILIP members can join a special interest group, University, College and Research Group (UC&R)
CILIP members can access an Academic law librarian's job description in the members part of the website.
Updated: 17 April 2008