Library Media Specialists
Overview
Introduction
Library media specialists, sometimes called librarian/media specialists, library media teachers, audiovisual specialists, audiovisual collections specialists, school media specialists, or school media center directors, manage their organization's media center. They are school staff members who help teachers and students find and use the information available to them through print and audiovisual sources. They acquire and maintain their schools' resources, which may include cameras, slide and film projectors, overhead and op...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) does not provide salary information for library media specialists, but it does provide salary data for librarians (a category which includes library media specialists who have a master's degree in library and information science). Librarians had median annual earnings of $59,050 in May 2018, according to the DOL. Ten percent earned less than $34,630, and 10 pe...
Work Environment
Most library media specialists work in grade schools or high schools, and they usually work in library media centers that have facilities for previewing software, making audiovisual aids, and storing equipment. Specialists deal with students and teachers every day and often face frequent interruptions to answer questions or to provide instruction. Teachers often visit them to discuss materials ...
Outlook
The Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that opportunities for librarians, including library media specialists, should be good in the next decade. Through 2028, about 14,700 job openings will be available for librarians on an annual basis, according to the DOL. Openings will exist in school library media centers, as well as media centers in public libraries and other organizations. As the use of...
