LIS Career Trends Report

The San José State University School of Information’s MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot of Job Postings report provides insight into the skills and knowledge needed in the 21st century information profession.

The report is an excellent resource for:

• Future MLIS students exploring career paths for information professionals
• Current MLIS students preparing to enter the job market and/or planning the courses they will take to develop marketable skills
• Practitioners interested in learning how they might expand their career options
• Information center leaders who are responsible for creating and recruiting for tomorrow’s jobs
• Educators who are preparing students for successful careers in the information profession

The MLIS degree is required or preferred in 71% of LIS job posts. — page 17 

The most recent jobs report analyzes and discusses a sample of 400 job postings for library and information science (LIS) professionals posted on LIS-specific and general job search websites during February and April 2022. The data cover employer types, job titles, in-demand skills, job-specific experience, and job duties filtered from a broad range of job postings from organizations representing all 50 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

The time frame of this snapshot view coincided with the on-going COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and around the world. This data reflects a period of ongoing changes as institutions and companies continue to reassess workflow and operations.

In our analysis, we have identified trends that can help LIS professionals and students prepare themselves to engage in this market as either a job candidate or a hiring decision-maker. At the same time, we acknowledge that there is no way to predict the new reality as circumstances continue to develop and libraries and other institutions adapt in response.

Download the MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot of Job Postings report.