Librarian CV Example & Template
A complete two-page librarian CV for a chartered academic liaison librarian with public library experience, followed by what shortlisters in academic, public, school and health libraries check first. Copy the structure, swap in your own numbers, and keep the systems and standards named exactly as the job advert names them.
Last reviewed September 2026
Example Librarian CV
Hannah Morgan MCLIP
Chartered Librarian — Academic Liaison and Information Literacy
Leeds, UK
Profile
Chartered librarian (MCLIP) with seven years across university and public libraries. I teach information literacy to large undergraduate cohorts, run a literature-searching service for postgraduate researchers, and manage collections from usage data rather than habit. Comfortable in Alma, Primo and Leganto, and experienced in cataloguing to MARC 21 and RDA.
Experience
Academic Liaison Librarian, Health and Social Care
Sep 2021 – Present
Northgate University Library · Leeds
- Deliver 140+ information literacy sessions a year to 3,200 undergraduates; embedded two assessed sessions in the first-year research methods module with the programme team.
- Rebuilt 38 module reading lists in Leganto with academic staff, cutting 'item not held' requests from students by 41% in one academic year.
- Led a review of 22,000 print items against loan and COUNTER e-resource data; withdrew 6,500 low-use duplicates and moved £18,000 of spend to e-book packages that are used three times as often.
- Run the systematic-search service for postgraduate researchers: around 60 one-to-one consultations a term, with search strategies documented to PRISMA reporting standards.
Library Officer (Senior Library Assistant from 2017)
Jun 2016 – Aug 2021
Brookfield Libraries, Brookfield Metropolitan Borough Council · West Yorkshire
- Coordinated the Summer Reading Challenge across four branches: 1,150 children took part and the completion rate rose from 38% to 52% over two summers.
- Catalogued and classified 3,000+ new items a year in Spydus using MARC 21 and Dewey, clearing a nine-month backlog in five months.
- Set up weekly digital-skills drop-ins with a local charity, helping 400+ residents with online benefit claims, the NHS App and job applications.
- Trained six new library assistants on circulation, reservations and safeguarding procedures.
Education
MA Librarianship (CILIP-accredited)
2019 – 2021 (part-time)
University of Sheffield
Dissertation: how first-year nursing students judge the credibility of online health information.
BA (Hons) English Literature, 2:1
2013 – 2016
University of York
Skills
Alma, Primo and Leganto · Spydus · MARC 21 and RDA cataloguing · Dewey and Library of Congress classification · Information literacy teaching · Systematic literature searching · COUNTER usage analysis · Collection development · Reader development · Zotero and EndNote support · Digital inclusion
Professional registration
- Chartered Member of CILIP (MCLIP), 2023
- Member, CILIP Information Literacy Group
Checks
- Enhanced DBS check, 2024
Why this Librarian CV works: what shortlisters check first
The qualification the post asks for, stated early
Most professional librarian posts in the UK ask for a CILIP-accredited postgraduate qualification or chartership; US academic and public posts usually ask for an ALA-accredited MLIS. Put it in your name line or profile, not only at the bottom. Library assistant and officer roles rarely require it, so say so if you are applying from that level.
Evidence that fits the sector
An academic library wants teaching and research support. A public library wants reader development, events and community partnerships. A school library wants curriculum support and reading for pleasure. An NHS or law library wants expert literature searching. Lead each job with the evidence that matches the library you are applying to.
Systems and standards named exactly
Write Alma, Koha, Spydus, Sierra or Symphony, and MARC 21, RDA, Dewey or LCC, the way the advert writes them. Recruiters scan for those words, and so do the application systems many councils and universities use. 'Library management system' on its own tells them nothing.
The numbers libraries already track
Loans, footfall, active borrowers, e-resource usage from COUNTER reports, sessions delivered and attendance, enquiries answered, satisfaction scores. You rarely need new data. Take the figures from your service's own reports and show what changed because of your work.
People, not just collections
Accessibility, digital inclusion, outreach to under-served groups and inclusive collection development are part of most librarian person specifications now. One concrete example beats a line of values language.
Key skills recruiters look for
How to write each section of a Librarian CV
Profile
Three or four sentences: your qualification or chartership, your sector, two specialisms, and one result. Write it for the library you are applying to. An academic liaison profile and a children's librarian profile should not read the same.
Experience
Start each bullet with what you did and end with what changed: more sessions, higher usage, a cleared backlog, a partnership that brought in new users. Leave routine duties such as issuing and shelving out unless the post is your first library role.
Education and chartership
List the accredited qualification first, with the dissertation title if it relates to the job. Add chartership (MCLIP), certification (ACLIP) or fellowship (FCLIP) with the year. If you are working towards chartership, say so and give your expected date.
Skills
Group them: systems; cataloguing and metadata; teaching and research support; community and outreach. Use the person specification's wording. Soft skills belong in your bullets as evidence, not in a list.
Supporting statement
Councils, universities and NHS trusts often shortlist against the person specification using an application form or supporting statement. Your CV alone may not be read. Answer each essential criterion in order, with an example, and reuse the evidence from your CV.
More example bullet points
Strong Librarian CVs lead with measurable impact. Here are examples of the kind of bullets that make recruiters stop scrolling:
Grew digital collection by 340% over 3 years, increasing eBook and database usage by 58% among underserved community patrons
Developed K-12 information literacy curriculum adopted by 6 school libraries, training 4,200 students annually in research best practices
Secured $75K in state and foundation grants to fund STEM programming that served 1,500 youth over 18 months
Relevant certifications
Common Librarian CV mistakes
- Listing duties such as 'shelving, issuing and returning items' instead of outcomes.
- Writing 'library management system' without naming the system.
- Applying for an academic liaison post with no teaching evidence on the first page.
- Leaving your accredited qualification or chartership at the bottom of page two.
- Using a two-column designer template that application systems read out of order.
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How to tailor your Librarian CV for each application
Every Librarian job posting is different. The skills they prioritize, the seniority they expect, the setting — all of it shapes what your CV should emphasize. A CV that gets an interview at one employer can miss at another, even for the same job title.
The fastest way to tailor your CV is to paste the job description into NextCV. The AI reads the posting, maps it to your experience, and rewrites your bullets to match what the employer is scanning for. 1 free preview, no signup required — you only pay when you want a clean PDF download. Sign up free for 3 more.
Librarian CV FAQ
Do you need a master's degree to be a librarian in the UK?
For most professional librarian posts, UK employers ask for a CILIP-accredited postgraduate qualification or chartership with CILIP. Library assistant and library officer roles usually don't, and some employers accept equivalent experience. Check the essential criteria in the person specification before you apply.
How long should a librarian CV be?
Two pages is standard in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. In the US, a public or school librarian resume is usually one to two pages, while tenure-track academic librarian posts often expect a longer academic CV that lists publications, presentations and service.
What skills should I put on a librarian CV?
Name the systems you use (for example Alma, Koha, Spydus or Sierra), cataloguing standards (MARC 21, RDA, Dewey, LCC), teaching and information literacy, literature searching, collection development, usage analysis and outreach. Match the wording of the job advert and prove each skill in your experience bullets.
Should I mention my DBS check on a librarian CV?
For school and children's library posts, a line saying you hold a current enhanced DBS check (or PVG membership in Scotland) helps. Give the year, not the certificate number.
What is the difference between a librarian CV and a librarian resume?
In the UK and most of Europe, 'CV' means the one- to two-page document you send with an application. In the US that document is called a resume, and 'CV' usually means the longer academic version used for faculty-status academic librarian jobs.