How To Become A Music Librarian: What It Is and Career Path

What is a music librarian and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

King Britt

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a music librarian. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.04 an hour? That's $54,159 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 8,500 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Music Librarian?

King Britt

Assistant Teaching Professor : Music, University of California San Diego (UCSD)

We are presented with an unprecedented situation. I think we will see some 'normalcy' by fall 2021 across the globe. Until then, really need to focus on what makes you the most unique out of other musicians and truly shine a light on that aspect. You should also make yourself available for sessions or things that are out of your comfort zone in terms of audience. For example, if you are a classical harpist, your skills are definitely needed by certain composers who may not be creating classical music, but may need that sound for a project.
Think outside of the box when it comes to considering how you can include yourself in the music world.

ScoreMusic LibrarianUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $54,159

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.33%

Asian 4.91%

Black or African American 6.46%

Hispanic or Latino 7.82%

Unknown 3.59%

White 76.87%

Gender

female 57.98%

male 42.02%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress Level

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.6

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.5

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a music librarian

Explore music librarian education requirements

Most common music librarian degrees

Bachelor's

72.2 %

High School Diploma

11.6 %

Master's

7.7 %

Start to develop specific music librarian skills

Skills	Percentages
Library Database	19.87%
Music Library	12.90%
Wind Ensemble	9.43%
Sheet Music	8.60%
Collection Development	7.96%

Complete relevant music librarian training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New music librarians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a music librarian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real music librarian resumes.

Research music librarian duties and responsibilities

Achieve proficiency cataloging electronic materials (audio records, video recordings, and streaming video) and continuing resources/serials.
Dust and clean CDs and shelving as needed.
Replace lost/damage CDs and honor patron requests if possible.
Provide opportunities for students to use the library for class-relate research, individual investigation, independent reading, and personal inquiry.

Prepare your music librarian resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your music librarian resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a music librarian resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Music Librarian Resume templates

Build a professional Music Librarian resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Music Librarian resume.

Apply for music librarian jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a music librarian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams