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40 Most Asked Librarian Interview Questions

with Answers

Here are the top 10 most asked librarian interview questions, along with
suggestions on how to respond to each of them so you can ace the
interview.

1. What attracts you to this role?

The interviewer wants to know that you applied for this role because it
will ful�ll you. You are going to spend a signi�cant amount of time
carrying out the job. The interviewer wants to hire someone who will stay
for a while. Show the interviewer you have a genuine interest in the role.
Think speci�cally about the library or institution you are interviewing for.
Try to avoid giving a generic answer, but rather, tailor your answer with as
much speci�c information as you can. Before the interview, research the
library or institution and its current or recent projects. Highlight any
aspects of those projects that would be interesting to you.

Answer:
As a librarian, I want the library I work in to be part of the community. A
library isn’t just about books, but also about bringing people together. I
followed the recent drive you had to increase the number of community
groups using the library, including o�ering extended opening hours to
allow more groups to make use of the facilities. Projects like that are the
reason I want to work here.

2. In what way do you think your role as a librarian can positively a�ect
the community?

A library is more than a place to store and lend books. Libraries and
librarians have a role in the community. The interviewer wants to know

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that you see the full extent of the role and will ensure that the library,
and you, as the librarian, have a positive impact on the community. Show
that you understand this and give examples of ways in which your role
can contribute positively to the community.

Answer:
A library and its librarian exist to educate and help the community. Of
course, the library stores and lends books, but that is the method to
connect to and assist the surrounding community. If a librarian
understands the demographics of the community, then they can make
sure the library’s outreach is targeted to that demographic. For example, I
understand that unemployment is a particular issue in the area
surrounding this library. If I worked here, I would be eager to introduce a
program to provide employment help to the locals. At the beginning of my
job here, I would also investigate what other issues are negatively
a�ecting the community and use that information to plan additional
programs. I see the library as a hub for people to come together, learn,
and grow as a society.

3. How do you de�ne your collection development and maintenance

strategy?

Part of the role of a librarian is to curate and maintain a collection that

meets the needs of the library users. Show the interviewer you
understand this and have strategies to make sure that the collection you
develop and maintain is appropriate for the community.

Answer:
Developing and maintaining a collection is an important part of the role. It
is important that the collections we house here meet the needs of the
community. To understand the needs of the users, I undertake regular
surveys to �nd out what the users want to see in the library. I also keep
up-to-date with professional reviews and follow the book press to ensure

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I am aware of upcoming releases. I follow recommendations on collection

development tools, and of course, I love to read and do it as much as I
can. Maintaining the collection also means regularly weeding the
collection to make way for recent releases.

4. How would you describe your management style?

As a librarian, part of your role will involve supervising and managing

others. The interviewer wants to know you can be an e�ective leader.
Your answer should show this without bragging, on the one hand, and
without being too humble on the other hand. Before the interview, think
about the de�nition of good management. Think about what added value
you can add to that de�nition. If you feel it would help, provide an
example of your management style, and make sure you rehearse this
answer in front of a mirror to check for body language as well as your
tone.

Answer:
I think that a good manager gives instruction and direction but doesn’t
micromanage people. Instead, they provide guidance and help when
needed. That is what I think of as my management style. I also think it is
important that I know my team and when they need help. That means
staying in touch with them and checking in on the quality of their work,
but also how they are doing on a personal level.

5. What part do you think social media has to play in your role as a
librarian and in promoting the library?

Social media is a part of everyday life. As a result, establishing and

maintaining an online presence will help increase community engagement
with the library. The interviewer wants to know how comfortable you are
with social media and how you plan to use social media as a marketing
tool for the library. Show your experience with social media and your

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understanding of target audiences and marketing strategies.

Answer:
Social media is one way of promoting the library, particularly when you
consider the number of people using di�erent social media daily. Each
type of social media has a di�erent demographic, and I see the bene�t of
using various social media platforms to reach a wide range of audiences
and increase overall attendance. It is important to have a marketing
strategy for social media. Failing to have a proper marketing strategy
would reduce the e�cacy of using social media. I have previously
managed Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. I used those
accounts to share information about events, new collections, and general
library news. Our attendance at events increased by a third, and our
lending also increased.

6. Tell me about a time you made a poor decision or a mistake. Did you
learn from it?

No one likes to admit to mistakes. This question shows that the

interviewer realizes mistakes happen and that they can provide an
opportunity to learn and grow. This is your opportunity to show how you
handle mistakes. Choose an example of a mistake that gives you an
opportunity to show growth. Explain the mistake without dwelling on it.
Talk about improvements you made and what you learned after making
that mistake. Share your thoughts on how you would avoid making the
same mistake again, if appropriate. When preparing for this question,
think about the skills or qualities you gained from making the mistake
and how those relate to the job you are currently interviewing for. Don’t
choose a mistake that would be fatal for the role you are interviewing for
or that show �aws in your character.

Answer:
When I �rst became a librarian, I struggled with delegating and tried to do

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too much myself. That left me feeling burned out. I had to learn to
delegate and make use of the library assistant to ensure tasks were done
e�ciently and e�ectively. By learning to delegate more e�ectively, I
allowed myself more time to focus on important responsibilities that
were crucial to my role.

7. Which of your skills do you think are most relevant for a librarian?

Librarians require many skills. A librarian must deal with information in

physical and digital formats. They also must interface with library users
and library assistants. In developing and maintaining collections, they will
have to manage budgets. The interviewer wants to know that you
understand the job you are applying for. Show the interviewer you have
the skills for the role. Before the interview, make sure you understand the
role and the responsibilities involved. Think about your own skills and
their applicability to the position.

Answer:
One of the key skills I consider most relevant is excellent communication
skills. As a librarian, I have to communicate with many types of people.
That communication, whether it is written or verbal, has to be easily
understood by the person I am communicating with. My analytical skills
are also relevant to the role, as I understand part of the job would include
testing the services we provide and stakeholder needs. And, of course,
excellent collection management skills are important for a librarian.
Ensuring we have a collection that meets the needs of the library users is
an important ongoing goal for the library.

8. Tell me about your experience with teamwork. What techniques do you

use to promote and foster teamwork and create e�ective working
relationships?

A library requires a team to run e�ciently and e�ectively. Show the

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interviewer you understand this and that you can work well as part of a
team. As a librarian, you will have to promote and foster teamwork, and
the interviewer wants to hear that you have experience doing this. Provide
examples of the techniques you used to create an e�ective team.

Answer:
I think the most important part of e�ective teamwork is making sure that
there are clear team objectives and that the team is all working towards
those goals. In my last role, we would hold regular team meetings. During
those meetings, I would communicate the goals to each member of the
team and we would share status reports. I also used team meetings as an
opportunity to discuss ideas. I would give the team goals to work
towards, and I would also give them an appropriate amount of autonomy
to make decisions. That showed my trust and con�dence in them and
helped them to feel part of the team, rather than simply an employee
being told what to do.

9. A patron approaches you and tells you that another patron is looking at
something inappropriate on one of the computers. What would you do?

Your answer to this question will show the interviewer how comfortable
you are dealing with di�cult situations. Before the interview, research the
library policy on the type of material users are not allowed to access on
the library computers. What is inappropriate to one person may not be
inappropriate to another, and so you should understand that library’s
usage policy. If you are not familiar with the policy, ask the interviewer
before you answer the question. If you are familiar with the policy, make
that clear in your answer. Make sure to remain very calm while answering
this question to show the interviewer that you would be con�dent and in
control of the situation.

Answer:
Although I would assume the patron is referring to pornography, the �rst

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thing I would do would be to ask the person speci�cally what he or she

saw. I �rst need this clari�cation so I could make sure to handle the
situation in line with the library usage policy. For example, I understand
that the library usage policy forbids the accessing of pornographic
material on library computers. In such a situation, I would approach the
other patron, calmly explain the policy to them, and ask them not to
access such sites. If they were di�cult about it, I would point out to
them they have agreed to follow the usage policy and that if they are not
prepared to do so, I would have to ask them to end their session and
leave. Throughout the encounter, I would remain professional, courteous,
and respectful, even if the patron becomes upset or agitated.

10. What is your vision for the library?

The interviewer is looking to �nd out how you see the library in the
future. Share your views on how you see the library �tting into the
community and what role you see the library serving its users. Your
answer should show that you see the library as an inclusive place for all
people, that it should be part of the community it serves, whether that
community is in an educational setting or out in the local community.

Answer:
For me, I see a library as a critical part of the community. I am fully aware
that society is increasingly becoming more digital, including digital forms
of books and digital research. This does not mean the end of libraries.
Libraries are a “third place,” they are neither work nor home, but rather a
place where people can freely come together in a safe space to read, to
learn, to interact, and to randomly browse shelves. The library is a public
space where everyone is welcome, free of charge, to come and be
provided our excellent customer service.

One idea I would like to explore is the idea of various “maker spaces,”
where an area of the library is used for library patrons to make and

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display their own art. Another idea is to host self-publishing and print-on-
demand technologies. I think that libraries of the future are headed away
from passive silent spaces, to become interactive creative places of local
culture. The emphasis is on user-generated content at the community
level, where people come together to grow and thrive.

Next 30 Most Asked Librarian Interview Questions

• What are you reading?
• Tell me about yourself.
• Where do you see yourself in �ve years?
• What professional organizations do you belong to?
• What has been your biggest achievement in the last twelve
months?
• As a librarian, you will have di�erent tasks and projects. How do
you prioritize your tasks and projects?
• What do you consider to be your chief weakness?
• How would you measure the e�ectiveness of the library service?
• What is your de�nition of excellent customer service?
• Tell me about your experience in cataloging.
• How would you promote reading?
• How would you approach library instruction with a beginner
compared to a more advanced library user or researcher?
• What gives you the most satisfaction in your role as a librarian?
• What would you hope to achieve in your �rst 90 days in the role?
• Talk me through a typical day in your current role.
• What is your least favorite part of your current role?
• Why should I hire you instead of the other candidates?
• How do you deal with budgeting restraints?
• What do you see as the biggest changes for libraries in the next �ve
years? Do you see those changes as positive or negative?
• What classi�cations and subject heading lists are you familiar with?

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• How would you propose to create an environment that is inviting

and promotes learning?
• A junior member of your team disagrees with you in front of other
members of the team. How would you handle that?
• Why did you choose to become a librarian?
• What strategies do you use to cope with stress?
• What is important to you in a job?
• How do you keep track of the tasks you are required to do?
• How do you deal with team members who have performance or
disciplinary problems?
• What methods of training do you �nd most e�ective when training
employees?
• How would your current colleagues describe you?
• What methods do you use to keep up-to-date with changes in
librarianship and library technology?

10 Best Questions to Ask in a Librarian Interview

An interview is a two-way process. It provides an opportunity for the
interviewer to get to know you and an opportunity for you to get to know
more about the role and your potential workplace. Once the interviewer
has �nished asking questions, they will normally give you an opportunity
to ask questions of them. If they don’t and if you are interested in the job,
speak up and ask if there is time for you to ask some questions. The
questions you ask will show your interest in the role and will give you
more insight into your potential workplace. If you face any resistance to
you asking questions, that is likely a red �ag.

• What does a typical day look like in this role?

• How many library assistants are there?
• Why do you enjoy working here?
• What do you expect of me in the �rst ninety days?
• Are there any planned changes or upgrades to the current

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technology being used in the library?

• What qualities do you look for in a librarian?
• What challenges do you see for the library in the next twelve
months? How do you see the librarian assisting with those
challenges?
• How secure is the funding for the library?
• How will success be measured?
• How would you describe the culture?

It is important to research the role and the place you hope to work before
you attend the interview. Become familiar with the job listing, the library,
and the skills necessary to be successful in the role. Use the interview to
show the interviewer that your skills align with the position and that you
would perform the job with enthusiasm and excellence.

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