When I graduated from library school and was about to start my first job as a public librarian, I remember what I most wanted to know was: what will my typical day be like?
While library school prepares you well for the duties at hand, it's still nice to know the practicalities of what the job entails on an everyday basis.
Here are some of the typical things that a public librarian is expected to do during a typical day.
Reference & Public Service Desk
Depending on whether the library has separate desks for reference inquiries and circulation inquiries, a typical public librarian may be expected to do anything from checking in and checking out library materials, collecting fines, answering phones, and providing reference service while on the reference or public service desk.
Working the desk(s) is usually the main task of the public librarian, whose primary function is to serve the public. Larger libraries usually have a Reference desk that is distinct from the Circulation desk, and in those cases the circulation procedures are usually the domain of the paraprofessional staff, although this certainly isn't always the case. Also, in many larger library systems, telephone reference questions may be handled in an area distinct from the Reference desk so that librarians are able to concentrate on helping the members of the public who are physically in the building. Similarly, in some cases the library will have a separate reference desk for children's and adult reference service, while some libraries will have one desk to serve all patrons.
Public librarians get reference questions on a wide variety of subjects -- on any given day you might be asked for reading recommendations (readers' advisory), local company information, the population of Peru, a map of China, biographical information on Matisse, the location of the nearest bus stop, or how to use the Internet to find information. This variety can be one of the best aspects of the public librarian's job. Each day is different from the next in this respect, which is a very attractive job feature to many. See The Reference Process and Readers' Advisory categories of links for more on this aspect of the librarian's job.
It is typical in many public libraries that the librarians spend up to half of their time on the Reference desk. The other half of their day may be spent in any of the following ways.
Collection Development
In general, a librarian is assigned a part of the library's collection. The librarian is responsible for selecting and ordering new items, "weeding" those that are out-of-date, and generally making sure their collection is as current, comprehensive, and attractive as the library's materials budget will allow.
