Librarians, Archivists, Conservators and Curators (NOC 511)

What They Do Librarians select, develop, organize, and maintain library collections and provide advisory services for users. They perform manual/on-line reference searches, arrange inter-library loans, and supervise technicians, assistants, and clerks. They may specialize in particular collections or work in information management areas such as maintaining websites or providing training in Internet resources. Archivists manage, process, store, and disseminate information contained in an organization's archives. They acquire, store, and research historical documents, photographs, and maps as well as audio-visual and other materials. They develop policies/procedures and design programs to manage, store, and retrieve current/semi-current archives. Conservators restore and conserve paintings, photographs, sculptures, furniture, pottery, and other works of art/antiquity. They provide consultation to museums, art galleries, and individuals, and supervise conservation technicians/other museum technicians. They may specialize in a particular conservation field. Curators recommend the acquisition of paintings, photographs, sculptures, documents, and other museum/gallery artifacts. They research the origin/history of artifacts, develop the storyline/theme of displays/exhibitions, and supervise curatorial assistants/other museum technicians. They may specialize in particular collections.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Information and cultural industries 53% Public administration 13% Arts entertainment and recreation 11% Educational services 7% People in this group work in schools and for government, libraries, archives, museums, art galleries, and other organizations. The unionization rate (63%) is above the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Librarians, Archivists, Conservators and Curators are found in Newfoundland and Saskatchewan while the lowest concentrations are in Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

Related Occupation(s) Technical Occupations in Libraries, Archives, Museums and Art Galleries (NOC 521) Managers in Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport (NOC 051) Librarians (NOC 5111)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Continually updating specialized knowledge Improving interpersonal skills Learning business management Researching social trends

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need You usually need a university degree. To be a librarian, you need a master's degree in library science. To be an archivist, you need a bachelor's degree with either a minor in archival studies or a certificate in archival studies. You may also need a master's degree in archival studies, archival studies and information science, library science or history. To be a conservator, you need a master's degree in art conservation or a college diploma in conservation technology and several years' experience in conservation work. To be a curator, you must have a bachelor's or master's degree in museology, art history or a field related to your area of work. Most recent entrants have a graduate degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Library and Records Science (M430) History (U420) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Researching Organizing Knowledge of history Customer service		Useful High School Subjects Computer-related courses English French History Sciences
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated FAIR because: Employement grew at an average rate. The retirement rate is above average, and the number of retiring workers contributes to job openings. Hourly wages ($22.65) are close to the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (4%) is close to the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Fair   2009   Fair

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be FAIR because: The employment growth rate will likely be average because jobs gained from the recent government spending on arts/culture should balance possible job losses resulting from technological advances in information systems. The retirement rate will likely be above average and the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You'll be competing with a large number of recent graduates. You're more likely to succeed if you have Internet skills and can use computerized information management systems.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $15.43 $11.74 25-54 $22.88 $19.76 55+ $22.06 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $22.65 $18.07		Hourly wages ($22.65) are close to the national average ($18.07). These earnings are above average for occupations in the art, culture, recreation and sport sector and are below average for all professional occupations. These wages grew at an average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Close to the average
The unemployment rate (4%) is close to the 2004 average (7%). This rate is close to the average for professionnal occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 3% 10% 1992 4% 11% 1993 3% 11% 1994 3% 10% 1995 3% 10% 1996 5% 10% 1997 3% 9% 1998 3% 8% 1999 2% 8% 2000 4% 7% 2001 2% 7% 2002 3% 8% 2003 5% 8% 2004 4% 7%

% of Part-time work is above average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 75% 81% Part-time 25% 19%		There were 14,100 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 5% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers (25%) is above the 2004 average (19%) and has risen since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Average
The percentage of self-employed workers (3%) is close to the 2004 average (15%)		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 3% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 1% 10% 25-54 77% 72% 55+ 23% 12%		The relatively low percentage of younger workers suggests few entry-level job openings, and could point to a greater need for workers with experience or a number of years of training. The older-than-average age (46) of worker will likely result in an above-average retirement rate to 2009.
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

Above average
The percentage of women (73%) is above the 2004 average of 48% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 73% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31