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Examples:

• Gramophone records and compact discs
• Photographs and videotapes
• Newspapers, magazines and scientific journals
• Computer databases
• Online resources
• Referrals to other community organization s and government offices.
• Suggesting appropriate books for children of different reading levels, and recommending novels for recreational reading.

Librarians can be found in many areas. Public libraries, public schools, and university libraries are the most common employers. Librarians can also be found in businesses, government departments, hospitals, law firms, museums, and other large organizations where academic research is performed or where large quantities of information are stored.

In the United States and Canada it is usual for a librarian to have a one- or two-year master's degree in library science or information scienceInformation Science or Informatics is the science of information. It is often, though not exclusively, studied as a branch of computer science and information technology and is related to database, ontology and software engineering. Information science is (called an MSLS, MLS, MIS, MLIS or MILS) from an accredited university. These degrees are accredited by the American Library Association.

Elsewhere, such as the United Kingdom, it is more common for a librarian to have a three- or four-year bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course that generally lasts three or four years. Note that some postgraduate degrees are entitled Bachelor of. the University of Oxford Bachelor of Civil Law. Honours degrees In in librarianship and information studies or information scienceInformation Science or Informatics is the science of information. It is often, though not exclusively, studied as a branch of computer science and information technology and is related to database, ontology and software engineering. Information science is; however, master's degrees are also available. In the United Kingdom, these degrees are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

Librarians may also specialise their studies and qualifications within fields such as archivingFor alternate uses see: Archive (disambiguation). An archive is a collection of records, charters and other documents belonging to any state, community or family, and the building(s) it's kept in. These documents are normally unpublished records instead o and records management .

The specific duties vary depending on the size and type of library and number of employees, but most librarians spend most of their time working in one of the following areas of a library:

• Public service librarians work with the public, frequently at the reference deskWikipedia has its own reference desk which can be found here . The reference desk or information desk of a library is a public service desk where professional librarians offer help to library users. Library users can consult the staff at the desk for help. Some specialize in serving adults or childrenThere is some debate as to what constitutes children's literature . Some would have it that children's literature is literature written specially for children, though many books that were originally intended for adults are now commonly thought of as works. (In larger libraries they may specialize in teenYoung adult (YA) literature while only recognized as a legitimate genre a relatively short time, is a collection of books that can range from Science Fiction to Autobiography. The genre usually is described as works of realistic fiction that involve ideas services, the periodicals or another special collection.)
• Technical service librarians work "behind the scenes" ordering library materials and database subscriptions, computers and other equipment, and supervise the cataloguing and physical processing of new books.
• Experienced librarians may be promoted to administrative positions such as the library director, or the director of a group of libraries. Similar to the president of any other business, they are concerned with the long-term planning of the library as a business, and its relationship with its parent organization (the city or county for a public library, or the college for an academic library).

The two largest library associations in the United States are the American Library Association and the Special Libraries Association. Many states have their own library association, as well. Librarians may also join one organizations like the Association of College & Research Libraries and the Public Library Association.

In the United Kingdom, the professional body for Librarians is the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (formally known as the Library Association).

In 2004 a group of researchers in University of Castello , Spain developed UJI Online Robot, a robotic librarian. Currently it is only capable of navigating the library, looking for the needed book and carefully taking it from the shelf; no reference functions are implemented. Similar projects are being implemented in the USA and Japan.

In the US, Saint Jerome is most often considered the patron saint of librarians and translators.

In Western Europe, Saint Lawrence is most often considered the patron saint of librarians.

Among some Orthodox Christians, Saint Catherine of Alexandria is most often considered the saint (patroness) of librarians.