Explore careers

Useful experience for librarians includes:

• volunteer or paid work in libraries
• research or computer work
• community service
• te ao Māori and Pacific culture knowledge
• work in archives or records management
• teaching experience in early childhood and adult literacy.

Librarians may do some or all of the following:

• help customers or students to find information and items they need
• plan and manage library services
• select and buy books and other items and classify them
• update and maintain electronic resources and databases
• research information for customers or students
• support customers to access information on their own devices
• organise or run training courses and events
• manage a library's website and social media channels.

Demand for qualified librarians

There is a high demand for qualified librarians. Many organisations are looking for librarians with tertiary qualifications to make sure their information is organised and accessible. 

Retirements provide opportunities 

Libraries in New Zealand have an ageing workforce. Many librarians are over 60, so vacancies are likely to increase as they retire.

According to the Census, 4,038 librarians worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Better librarian opportunities with digital and educational skills and knowledge

Chances of getting a job as a librarian are best if you have strong information technology and educational skills, as well as a wide knowledge of books.

You can further increase your job chances if you:

• have knowledge and understanding of tikanga Māori
• are qualified and willing to work in rural areas
• have work experience or have volunteered in libraries.

You can start as a library assistant or school librarian and gain qualifications while you work. 

Grants for library and information tertiary study

LIANZA and SLANZA grants are available for tertiary qualifications in library and information studies.

You can apply if you're taking library and information qualifications at any level at Victoria University of Wellington, Open Polytechnic or Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

• LIANZA website - find out about grants and awards

Most librarians work in public libraries

Most librarians work for public libraries and about a quarter work for tertiary libraries.

Librarians may also work for:

• the National Library of New Zealand
• libraries or information services for government departments, organisations or companies (special libraries)
• school libraries
• law libraries
• prison libraries
• museum and heritage libraries.

Open Polytechnic

0508 650 200 x 5518 or (04) 913 5948 - Amanda.Cossham@openpolytechnic.ac.nz - www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz

Library and Information Association of NZ Aotearoa (LIANZA)

027 347 5326 - officeadmin@lianza.org.nz - www.lianza.org.nz

Victoria University of Wellington

0800 04 04 04 -  chris.king@vuw.ac.nz - www.wgtn.ac.nz

Te Wānanga o Raukawa

 0800 WANANGA - tetomonga@twor-otaki.ac.nz - www.wananga.com

Librarians with two to three years' experience may progress into more specialised senior roles, such as acquisitions, cataloguing, collection development or reference services.

After about five years' experience, librarians may become team leaders and manage staff, or sole-charge librarians who run school or special libraries (government, organisational or corporate libraries).

With five to 10 years' library experience, as well as management and leadership skills, librarians may manage the operations, policy and planning of library services.

Librarians may specialise as:

• school librarians
• research advisors
• cataloguers
• technology support and digital advisors
• outreach and events coordinators, literacy leads 
• community experiences and diversity team leaders
• health sciences librarians
• Māori services librarians
• records and information officers
• children and young persons' librarians.

Librarians need to be:

• good at listening and understanding customers' requests
• analytical and good problem solvers
• good communicators who are patient with people
• able to work with different groups of people
• accurate, quick, efficient and logical
• able to work on their own or as part of a team
• good at project management and planning.