What Do Library Science Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Library Science Professors teach courses in library science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. They also conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and present findings in professional journals, books, electronic media, or at professional conferences.

Other tasks include:

• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, giving presentations at conferences, and serving on committees in professional associations.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as collection development, archival methods, and indexing and abstracting.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

We asked Library Science Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Library Science Professors keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, giving presentations at conferences, and serving on committees in professional associations. They maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Library Science Teacher will also include:

• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and present findings in professional journals, books, electronic media, or at professional conferences.
• Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Develop and teach online courses.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

We asked some Library Science Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	21% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	42% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	35% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	31% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	28% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Library Science Professors also maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. They may also prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as collection development, archival methods, and indexing and abstracting.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Library Science Professors Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. They might also Participate in campus and community events.

In addition, they Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Act as advisers to student organizations.

To some Library Science Professors, it is also their responsibility to Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Library Science Teacher, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/