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Librarian

A librarian is a professional that works in a library. Although librarians are traditionally associated with collections of books, they are experts in the organization and retrieval of information in any format.

Examples:

• Gramophone records and compact discs
• Photographs and videotapes
• Newspapers, magazines and scientific journals
• Computer databases
• Online resources
• Referrals to other community organizations and government offices.
• Suggesting appropriate books for children of different reading levels, and recommending novels for recreational reading.

Librarians can be found in many areas. Public libraries, public schools and university libraries are the most common employers. Librarians can also be found at businesses, government departments, hospitals, law firms, museums, and other large organizations where academic research is performed or that store large quantities of information.

In the United States it is usual for a librarian to have a one- or two-year master's degree in library science or information science (called an MSLS, MLS, MIS, MLIS or MILS) from an accredited university. These degrees are accredited by the

Elsewhere, such as the United Kingdom, it is more common for a librarian to have a three- or four-year bachelor's degree in librarianship and information studies or information science, however, like the U.S., master's degrees are also available. In the United Kingdom, these degrees are accredited by the .

Librarians may also specialise their studies and qualifications within fields such as archiving and records management.

reference desk. Some specialize in serving adults or children. (In larger libraries they may specialize in teen services, the periodicals or another special collection.)

• Technical service librarians work "behind the scenes" ordering library materials and database subscriptions, computers and other equipment, and supervise the 2004 a group of researchers in University of Castello, Spain have developed UJI Online Robot, a robotic librarian. Currently it is only capable of navigating the library, looking for the needed book and carefully taking it from the shelf, no reference functions are implemented. Similar projects are being implemented in the USA and Japan.

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In the US, Saint Jerome is most often considered the patron saint of librarians and translators.

In Western Europe, Saint Lawrence is most often considered the patron saint of librarians.

Among some Orthodox Christians, Saint Catherine of Alexandria is most often considered the saint (patroness) of librarians.

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Librarians in fiction

• In the Discworld book series by Terry Pratchett there is a librarian who has been magically turned into an orangutan.
• In the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Anthony Stewart Head plays the role of school librarian Rupert Giles, Buffy's watcher.
• In the comic book series Batman, Barbara Gordon (aka Oracle) is a computer-savvy librarian who has been confined to a wheelchair.
• In the comic book series The Sandman, Lucien is the keeper of the Library of The Dreaming.

See also: List of librarians