Is your demon-slaying up to scratch? This, of course, is the big question facing would-be librarians in the post Buffy the Vampire Slayer era. Rupert Giles, the US television programme’s librarian, spent most of his time saving the world through thorough research. The rest of the time he was getting hit over the head by murderous bloodsuckers, but it’s best not to think about that part of the deal.

“I once said I was inspired by Giles in an interview and I don’t think it went down very well,” says Michael Stead, a 26-year-old e-resources librarian. Better to emphasise your logical mind and attention to detail. (“My DVDs at home are in alphabetical order, my books are arranged properly, but my girlfriend won’t let me order her CDs,” he says.) Other important characteristics include persistence and curiosity, says Marion Huckle, head of qualifications and professional development at the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. “You need to have an interest in information almost as a commodity.” Potential librarians also need to enjoy helping people find things out, because they may have to assist customers from a range of backgrounds, sometimes in difficult circumstances. For example, they may be asked to find health information for someone who has recently had a serious illness diagnosed.

Graduates who want to become librarians typically complete some work experience in the field then undertake an accredited course, either a masters degree or a short course plus work-based learning. Public libraries and academic insitutions are the best known employers, but librarians also work in health, government, finance and engineering — wherever there’s a lot of information to be handled. Salaries for qualified librarians vary: a newly qualified employee at a public library would typically earn about £18,000 rising to about £26,000 for a chartered librarian with five years’ experience. The head of a law library can expect to earn about £70,000.

www.cilip.org.uk

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