I am an undergraduate interested in pursuing a career in special collections librarianship. What courses and/or volunteer activities might help me to prepare for this?

Almost any major can translate into a valuable qualification later in your career as a special collections librarian. (See the Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science (ODLIS) for a definition of “special collections” and related terms.)  As the American Library Association notes, “There is usually no specific program of undergraduate study required for entrance into master’s level library and information studies programs. Whatever your area of interest — be it art, music, law, psychology, medicine, etc. — there is a place for you in the field of librarianship.^“ When choosing a major as preparation for a career in rare books and manuscripts, you might consider these points:

• Consider user-focused courses
• Subject specialization: the RBMS Diversity Toolkit advises that aspiring special collections professionals consider courses and majors in “ethnic studies, American ethnic history, American ethnic literature, [and] Area Studies”
• Although history and literature are probably the most common degrees for special collections librarians, they are by no means the only possibilities. To give a few examples, an art history major could work in a prints, book arts, or binding specimen collection; a biology major could work in collection of rare scientific and medical texts; a photography major might be a future photo archivist; a chemistry major could become a conservator. Choosing a major that fits your passions is probably a better way to approach your undergraduate degree than trying to pick the “best” option. If you are attracted to the field of rare books and manuscripts because you love texts and reading, choose to become a literature major for that reason, not because you think it will look better on your resume ten years from now.
• Although some schools offer undergraduate majors in library science, a Bachelor’s degree in Library Science alone is not likely to get you a job as a professional librarian. Almost all librarian positions require a Master of Library Science (MLS) degree from an institution accredited by the American Library Association. See “What credentials do I need to become a special collections librarian?” for more information on minimum degree requirements.
• There are certain courses that are likely to be useful to you no matter what type of librarian you become, including:
  • Computer Science – Introductory programming, coding, and web development classes are useful to almost all librarians and will help you with your library school coursework
  • Writing, Research, and Assessment – The ability to write clearly and succinctly, conduct thorough research, and produce reports are skills that all librarians should master
  • Foreign Languages – Having foreign languages is a plus for any librarian. For some jobs, like rare book cataloging, it can be required. It will be much easier to put in the hours to learn a language while you are in college than it will be when you’re taking classes in library school, so take advantage!

• Work, internship, and volunteer opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students offered at academic institutions, museums and historical societies provide an introduction to and hands-on training with a variety of original primary resources. This might include training in cataloging rare books and manuscripts, processing archival collections, planning and curating exhibitions, preservation processes, and digital curation and scholarship activities. Internship, volunteer, and job shadowing opportunities are posted on sites such as Exlibris-L, Archives Gig, SHARP-L, idealist.org, and the email lists of library schools.
• Job shadowing: another way to learn about the special collections profession is to job shadow a librarian, archivist, or curator. Job shadowing provides valuable connections with a special collections professional and first-hand exposure to their work environments. Typically this takes place during the course of a day, but may lead to potential longer-term volunteer and internship activities.
• Requesting informational interviews: you can also contact special collections departments directly. Informational interviews are a useful way to learn about the corporate culture of a workplace; gain insights into a particular position’s responsibilities; hear about a professional’s personal experiences, education, and career path; and make new connections in the field.

 

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