How to Become a Librarian in Connecticut

Connecticut’s libraries areConnecticut Librarian Education unique in that they have a consortium working for them. The Connecticut Library Consortium (CLC) is an organization that leverages the collective power of all of its members – academic, public, school, and special libraries statewide – to find cost-effective, value-added services that will benefit all of them. The CLC was founded in 2003 and is the result of a merger of the state’s four regional cooperating library service units. The CLC advocates for funding for all libraries within the consortium. The CLC also maintains a directory of library programs available for all Connecticut libraries or schools here. 

The Connecticut Library Association (CLA) also exists, as a membership organization of professional librarians, staff, library friends, and trustees, all of whom work together to improve library services statewide. The CLA also puts on public workshops on various topics, such as equity and inclusion, and holds an annual conference each May.

If you want to become a librarian in Connecticut, you will need a master’s degree. This guide is designed to help you find your way to fulfilling your dreams of working as a Connecticut librarian.

What Does a Connecticut Librarian Do?

Librarians in Connecticut work in a wide variety of settings, including public, academic, special, and school libraries. It stands to reason, then, that there is no one job description for all librarians in Connecticut. There are certain job duties that most Connecticut librarians handle, and they include:

  • Assisting in the acquisition, reception, processing, and cataloging of library materials that have been added to or withdrawn from the library’s collection 
  • Ordering materials
  • Downloading a vendor’s bibliographic records for purchases to the catalog
  • Inspecting and confirming material deliveries to the library 
  • Creating order spreadsheets and updating received materials
  • Processing materials that come into the library, including laminating book jackets, stamping and affixing library identification, and applying spine labels
  • Maintain library supplies closet and forwarding orders as needed
  • Cataloging and updating item records for all physical library materials 
  • Instructing library users in the usage of library technology
  • Providing customer service to library users, answering their inquiries and directing them to help them find library materials as needed
  • Presenting workshops and classes for library users and the wider community

Connecticut Librarian Education

Professional librarians in Connecticut must earn a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or a Master of Library Science (MLS) from an educational program that has received accreditation through the American Library Association (ALA).  One such program is located in Connecticut – the Master of Library and Information Science degree program at Southern Connecticut State University. Two versions of the program, and Individualized Program and a School Library Media Program, are offered. This gives students flexibility in the types of courses and/or concentrations they choose.

Connecticut Librarians Certification

Connecticut public librarians need no special certification. For those wishing to work as Connecticut school librarians, teaching certification and an endorsement in Library Media is necessary in order to obtain a job in a public school. Some private schools do not require certification, but may require a MLS or MLIS degree.

Where Do Librarians Work in Connecticut?

Job seekers who wish to become Connecticut librarians may wish to consult the ALA’s  JobLIST  to find open librarian jobs in the state and nationwide. Library jobs are also featured on the Connecticut Library Jobs page of the CLC’s website, the Employment page of the Connecticut State Library’s website, and this Connecticut Library Jobs website.

Librarian Salaries in Connecticut

Librarians in Connecticut earn an hourly mean wage of $34.09, translating to an annual mean wage of $70,910, per the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for May 2021.  The figures below show what librarians working in various parts of the state earn, on average:

Area name Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Danbury $38.00 $79,040
Bridgeport -Stamford -Norwalk  $37.06 $77,090
Hartford- West Hartford – East Hartford $34.84 $72,470
New Haven $33.60 $69,880
Waterbury $31.44 $65,400
Norwich – New London – Westerly CT – RI $29.82 $62,030
Connecticut nonmetro area $26.83 $55,800

Job Prospects for Connecticut Librarians 

The websites listed above will advertise jobs for librarians in Connecticut as they become available. Online classified job sites are also good to consult for librarian jobs in Connecticut. A quick scan of available jobs as of March 2023 turned up the following job possibilities for librarians in the state of Connecticut:

  • Librarian I – City of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT
    • Wages: $64,227 per year
    • Applicants must have an MLIS or an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
    • Applicants must have a Connecticut driver’s license
    • No professional librarian experience is necessary for this position
  • Archivist, Arts Library Special Collections – Yale University, New Haven, CT
    • Wages: $58,100 to $73,600 per year
    • Applicants must have an MLIS or an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
    • Applicants must have an educational background in art history, design, or the visual arts
    • Applicants must have at least two years of professional experience post-MLS working in archives, with formal archival theory training and practice
  • Reference Librarian – Connecticut State Community Colleges, Asnuntuck Community College, Enfield, CT
    • Wages: $42.65 per hour
    • Applicants must have an MLIS or an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
    • Applicants must have at least one year of relevant library experience
    • Applicants with experience working in higher education are preferred
  • Chief Medical Librarian – Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT
    • Wages: $55,100 to $69,800 per year
    • Applicants must have an MLIS or an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
    • Applicants must have three years of experience in managing or leading library sciences in a healthcare setting
    • Applicants must have three years of experience in using online search engines and electronic sources in research
    • Applicants must have three years of experience in literature searching for clinical and research documents
  • Library Director – Library Association of Warehouse Point, East Windsor, CT
    • Wages: $60,000 to $69,000 per year
    • Applicants must have an MLIS or an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
    • Applicants must have three years of progressive library administrative experience, with at least one year as a supervisor
    • Applicants must have two to three years of experience in budget management
    • Applicants must have a valid driver’s license