From the beginning stages of career exploration all the way through to a job offer, ILS faculty and staff are here to help you launch a long and fruitful career as a librarian or information professional.
Prepare for a career doing what you love
Imagine a future where anything is possible
ILS grads go on to work in a dynamic range of settings, including museums, libraries, and archives—such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress—and top technology companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, and GE. Wherever you land, you’ll be prepared to innovate and meaningfully contribute to the fields of information and library science.
Put simply, I would not envision being in the position I am today without the education I received at IU.
Brendan Fay, MLS/MA ’08
Get the experience employers are looking for
Our local and national recruiters rely on ILS grads to come well-equipped with relevant, hands-on experience.
As you work to expand your skill set, we encourage you to take a holistic approach and consider all of your options.
Most ILS students work part time to enhance their resumes and help with finances. Check out the following resources to get started in your search for a part-time job.
- African American Arts Institute(Assistantships)
- Career Development Center (More helpful links)
- Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center (With Dr. Katy Borner, ILS)
- GradGrants Center (IU Student academic appointment vacancies)
- IU Human Resources (Search for hourly or fulltime jobs)
- IU Libraries (Hires many ILS students)
- IU Orientation Student Jobs
- Indiana Daily Student (student newspaper jobs)
- Ivy Tech Community College (Search "Bloomington")
- Monroe County Public Library
- Recreational Sports
- Residential Programs (IU dorms, etc.)
- Student Academic Center Jobs
- Teaching–IU Collins Living-Learning Center
- UITS (University Information Technology Services job list)
- Writing Tutorial Services Jobs
You can log into Handshake to find current job postings and part-time opportunities.
Volunteer work is a great way to get relevant career experience and build your professional network.
Here are a few places where recent ILS students have volunteered:
- Art Museum
- Black Film Center Archive
- Bloomington Parks and Recreation
- City of Bloomington Volunteer Network
- The Sage Fashion Collection, IU Bloomington
- Fairview Elementary School Media Center, Bloomington
- GLBTSSS Library, IU Bloomington
- Kinsey Institute
- Liberian Collections Project
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Monroe County History Center
- Monroe County Public Library
- Summit Elementary School Library, Bloomington
*contact Ben Strawn - Wylie House Museum
An internship is an ideal way to gain practical experience in a real-world setting under the guidance of a knowledgeable, experienced, and successful supervisor.
Your internship can be established in any setting in which information is gathered, stored, managed, retrieved, and disseminated. It’s expected that you’ll take an active part in such activities as program planning, task analysis, program implementation, direct contact with information users, attending meetings or training sessions, recommending options, and evaluating decisions. It’s also expected that you’ll work independently or with minimal supervision during a substantial portion of your internship.
Learn how to get credit for your internship with ILS-Z 605.
When you’re ready to plan for your internship, log into Handshake and schedule an appointment with an ILS student career analyst.
Getting involved in a professional organization is a wonderful way to expand your network and learn more about the profession. Many of the following organizations have student chapters and students memberships.
- African American Male Librarians Association
- Africana Librarians Council
- American Association of Law Libraries (AALL)
- American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
- American Communication Association (ACA)
- American Indian Library Association (AILA)
- American Institute for Conservation
- American Library Association (ALA)
- ALA International Relations Office
- ALA IU Student Chapter
- American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
- American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST)
- ASIST Indiana Chapter
- ASIST Student Chapter
- American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
- American Society for Indexing (ASI)
- American Theological Library Association (ATLA)
- Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)
- Arts Section, Association of College and Research Libraries
- Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
- Association for Computers and the Humanities (ACH)
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- ACM Student Chapter
- Association for Information Systems (AIS)
- Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
- Association for Library Trustees and Advocates
- Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE)
- Association of American Publishers, Inc. (AAP)
- Association of Architecture School Librarians
- Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
- ACRLScience and Technology Section
- Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP)
- Association of Indiana School Library Educators (AISLE)
- Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
- Association of Mental Health Librarians
- The Association of Specialized, Government and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASGCLA)
- Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA)
- Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
- Atmospheric Science Librarians International (ASLI)
- Beta Phi Mu (International Library and Information Studies Honor Society)
- Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)
- Center for Research and P-16 & Collaboration
- Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
- Chemistry Division (SLA)
- Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA)
- Classification Research Special Interest Group (ASIST)
- Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
- Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group (ACM)
- Computing Research Association (CRA)
- Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
- Council of State Archivists
- Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
- Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)
- Digital Libraries Special Interest Group (ASIST)
- Education for Information Science Special Interest Group (ASIST)
- Electronic Commerce Special Interest Group (ACM)
- History and Foundations of Information Science Special Interest Group (ASIST)
- Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
- Indiana Black Librarians Network
- Indiana Library Federation (ILF)
- Indiana Online Users Group (IOLUG)
- Information Retrieval Special Interest Group (ACM)
- Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
- Institute of Museum and Library Services
- International Assoc. for Social Science Information Service and Technology (IASSIST)
- International Association for Computing and Philosophy (IACAP)
- International Association for the Development of the Information Society (IADIS)
- International Association of Law Libraries
- International Association of Libraries & Museums of the Performing Arts (SIBMAS)
- International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres
- International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA)
- International Library Associations
- Internet Society (ISOC)
- Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)
- Medical Library Association (MLA)
- MLA Job Page
- Middle East Librarians Association (MELA)
- Midwest Archives Conference
- Military Librarians Division (SLA)
- Music Library Association (MLA)
- North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG)
- Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG)
- Public Library Association (PLA)
- Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries
- Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
- Reforma (National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking)
- Scholarly Societies Project
- Society for Information Management (SIM)
- Society for Social Studies of Science (4S)
- Society of American Archivists (SAA)
- SAA Student Chapter
- Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP)
- Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) Job Page
- Special Libraries Association (SLA)
- SLA Indiana Directory
- SLA Illinois
- Strategic Planning Society - International Association for Strategic Planning (SPS)
- TechPoint (Indiana Technology)
- The Association of Moving Image Archivists
- The Bibliographical Society of America
- Theatre Library Association
- United States Agricultural Information Network
- University and College Computing Services Special Interest Group (ACM)
- Urban Libraries Council (ULC)
- Visual Resources Association (VRA)
- Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
Consider getting involved with the following student organizations:
- American Library Association—Student Chapter
- Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIST)—Student Chapter
- Society of American Archivists—Student Chapter
- Society of Art Librarianship Association
- Students of Music Librarianship Group
Visit the Luddy website to discover a full list of Luddy student organizations.
Many employers value technology skills. Build your skills with award-winning, online courses provided by University Information Technology Services (UITS) at IU.
Keep your eye on tomorrow by reviewing current, full-time job postings
You might not be looking for a full-time job just yet, but reading descriptions for full-time work while you're still in school is a great way to discover new career possibilities, along with the job skills employers are seeking.
Start your search for full-time job postings here:
To find even more career resources, visit Luddy Career Services, our school-wide career services office.
More about Handshake
Handshake is the digital portal where you can:
- Search for open positions and apply for jobs online
- Make resumes, cover letters, and other documents available to recruiters
- Request interviews with employers interviewing on campus
- Search and RSVP for employer-related events
- Schedule an appointment with an ILS Student Career Analyst