Non- MLS Library Cereers: What Other Backgrounds Bring to Libraries

By Marci Cohen (Head, Music Library, Boston University, Retired)

In this issue of Against the Grain , Wes Smith and Marianne Siener will discuss non-MLS professional careers in libraries. They touch on how their career paths led them to libraries and how their skills complement those of librarians. They bring different rather than lesser skills to the library environment. I met both at training workshops aimed primarily at librarians, ACRL Immersion 2019 with Wes and BLC (Boston Library Consortium) Leads 2017 with Marianne. I was impressed by their willingness to dive into settings where there was an assumption that everyone’s background included library school.

I was curious about what brought them to libraries, since so much library recruiting happens through library-specific channels. And I wanted to know about how people with different specialized skills help libraries carry out their missions.

Marianne has built her career at Lamar Soutter Library, UMass Chan Medical School, starting in a variety of public and technical services paraprofessional roles. When she saw her work with print materials potentially disappearing with the shift to electronic resources, she studied accounting and moved into new financial roles at the library. She brings her education and experience to dealing with budget systems and evaluating vendor packages in consultation with the librarians.

Wes came to libraries as a graduate assistant who already had a background in multimedia production. His work included instructional design and supporting students in media-based scholarly communication. Despite doing work that embodied library values, he repeatedly encountered people who treated him as less than rather than parallel to peers with library degrees. His essay brings voice to how libraries can recruit and retain people with skills that fall outside traditional library training and duties.