| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Education and Teaching |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Vice Principal |
| Direct reports | Library Assistant |
| Experience | Fresher or up to 5 years in a library |
Librarian job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Librarian
Department: Education and Teaching
Reports to: Vice Principal
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Librarian runs the school or college library, managing the collection, helping readers, and building a culture of reading. They acquire and catalogue books, issue and track loans, guide students to resources, and organise reading activities. The role reports to the Principal or Vice Principal. A good librarian keeps the collection organised and current, makes the library a place students want to use, supports the curriculum with the right resources, and keeps accurate records of a well maintained collection.
Key responsibilities
- Acquire, catalogue and classify books and resources and keep the catalogue current.
- Issue and return books, track loans, and follow up on overdue and lost items.
- Help students and teachers find books, references and information for their work.
- Organise the collection on shelves so readers can find material easily.
- Run reading activities, book displays and library periods to build reading habits.
- Maintain the library management software and generate usage and stock reports.
- Recommend new titles that support the curriculum and student interests.
- Conduct periodic stock verification and weed out damaged or outdated books.
- Maintain library rules, discipline and a quiet, welcoming reading environment.
- Manage the library budget and keep purchase and accession records.
Requirements
- Bachelor or Master in Library Science (B.Lib or M.Lib)
- Knowledge of library management software
- Reading and organisational skills
- Fresher or up to 5 years in a library
KRAs and KPIs for a Librarian
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Collection upkeep | Catalogue accurate and stock verified with discrepancies below the target |
| Circulation | Book issues and library usage meeting the reading engagement target |
| Reader service | Reader requests for books and references met within the agreed time |
| Reading activities | Reading activities and displays run to the library calendar |
| Overdue recovery | Overdue and lost book recovery kept above the target rate |
| Records | Accession, issue and budget records complete and up to date |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Library management software, Barcode scanner, Accession register, Cataloguing standards, Book display units.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Librarian, Head Librarian, Information Resource Manager
Interview questions for a Librarian
- How do you catalogue and classify a new set of books?
- How do you encourage students who never visit the library to start reading?
- How do you run a stock verification and handle missing books?
- How do you help a student find references for a project?
- How do you choose new titles within a limited budget?
- Tell me about a reading activity you organised and its response.
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What does a school librarian do?
A school librarian runs the library, managing the collection and helping readers. They acquire, catalogue and classify books, issue and track loans, guide students to resources, and organise reading activities. They maintain the library software, verify stock, recommend titles that support the curriculum, and build a culture of reading in the school.
What qualifications do you need to be a librarian?
Most librarians hold a bachelor or master degree in library science, such as a B.Lib or M.Lib. Employers look for knowledge of cataloguing and classification, familiarity with library management software, good reader service, and organisational skills. A genuine interest in books and reading helps a librarian bring the library to life.
What software does a librarian use?
Librarians use library management software to catalogue books, manage issues and returns, track overdue items, and generate usage and stock reports. Many Indian institutions use systems such as Koha or other library packages, along with barcode scanners for quick circulation. Knowing at least one library management system is expected in most roles.