Education & Careers

A curated selection of resources on library science education, career advancement, and professional development.

Continuing Education for Library Professionals

Visit ALA eLearning to browse or search the comprehensive catalog of continuing education opportunities from across ALA's divisions.

Here you'll find all online courses, live and recorded webinars, discussions, panels, workshops, and more, for library and information workers in all types of libraries and related organizations.

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Go to eLearning . Browse Free Events

Upcoming eLearning Events

19
May
13
Jun

eLearning

Connecting Information Literacy Efforts to Student Retention is a four-week asynchronous course discussing the difference a librarian makes as teachers of information literacy, study skills, time management

19
May
27
Jun

eLearning

This 6-week online course introduces the fundamental aspects of collection assessment in libraries. The course is designed for those who are responsible for or interested in collection assessment in all types

21
May

eLearning

The presentation will focus on the lived experience of a librarian who recently moved into a large middle management role at a sizable R1 institution, while adjusting to a new discovery of their neurodiversity.

28
May

eLearning

Webinar

Don’t wait! Celebrate the PLA 2026 Conference early with a conversation between four amazing authors.

28
May

eLearning

The Core Competencies for Cataloging & Metadata Professional Librarians provides an important framework to assess professional-level cataloging and metadata skills, knowledge, and behavior.

29
May

eLearning

Webinar

Library consultant Toby Greenwalt demonstrates the capabilities of Super Searchers and Meet LEO and showcases potential applications in the library workspace.

02
Jun
27
Jun

eLearning

This 4 week course Fundamentals of Management is designed for new managers to build the skill set they need to successfully lead their department or organization, as well as support existing managers looking to

02
Jun

eLearning

Webinar

Learn about pathways to leadership in PLA and the public library profession.

04
Jun

eLearning

This 90 minute webinar will cover the similarities and the differences in Canada and the US's approach to copyright.

04
Jun

eLearning

Webinar

Learn how a library created a classification system that people bought into, was collaborative, and was scalable.

Job Search Resources

JobList Placement and Career Development Center is ALA's online job board and career center for positions in library and information science and technology.

Here, job seekers can search hundreds of current library job openings, confidentially upload resumes for consideration, research employers, and find career advice. Employers can post jobs, search for potential candidates in the resume bank, and save promising candidates. Search by organization type, job type, location, and more.

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Go to JobList

Career Development

Cover of HRDR's Career Development Resource Guide PDF

Career Development Resource Guide

ALA's Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR) publishes this comprehensive Career Development Resources Guide, covering such topics as job search strategies, library workplace types and positions, self-marketing, resume and cover letter tips, interviewing, salary negotiation, and much more. The Guide is a rich source of information and advice for both established library professionals and recent graduates.

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Download the Guide (PDF)

A young librarian being mentored by a professional librarian

Mentoring Resources

Mentoring benefits both the new librarian and the experienced professional as each learns from the insights and perspectives of the other. Divisions, Sections and Round Tables all run mentoring programs. Learn how you can be involved!

Learn more about ALA Mentoring Programs, Mentoring Discussion Groups, and Affiliate Mentoring Programs.

Quick Links

ALA's Emerging Leaders, Class of 2022

ALA Emerging Leaders Program

Emerging Leaders enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism as well as other professional library-related organizations.

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Learn more!

Image of a group of young professionals working together

Volunteer!

ALA is an incredibly rich and varied organization and offers something for everyone, whether you want to get involved with colleagues who work in the same kind of library, network with members who share your interests, find a forum to discuss key issues, or work on specific projects. ALA carries out its work through committees and subcommittees, Divisions, Round Tables, and several other types of volunteer groups. Find out which ones are right for you!

A librarian in the library

Become a Librarian

What is your passion? Are you fascinated by art, biology, business, technology? Combine your passion with a desire to help others and become a librarian!

Learn about different types of libraries, trends in library positions, education requirements, salaries, and more.

If the proverbial career ladder feels more like a treadmill, it’s time for a different approach.

It can feel like everything gets harder, more political, and further under-resourced with each passing year. Thriving as a Mid-Career Librarian offers strategies of community, support, and advocacy that can help make it possible for us to thrive.

New school librarians as well as those already in the profession can set the tone for rewarding career with this one-stop, hands-on guide.

Academia is governed by traditions that can be opaque to those that have never worked within its unique corridors. The academic job search is a very specific process that only superficially resembles a job search in other fields.

Building with pillars with a tree in the foreground with a graduation cap icon and text that reads ALA Scholarship Program

ALA Scholarships

ALA and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for studies toward master's degrees in library and information science.

University of Washington in Seattle with cherry blossom trees

ALA Accredited Programs

Accreditation assures quality, innovation, and value in library and information studies education. Find out more about . . .

  • our accreditation process, including resources for reviewers and administrators
  • schools that offer accredited Master's degrees programs in library and information science
  • guidelines for choosing a school and program