You know that feeling when you’re at work, helping patrons and doing work that should feel meaningful, but instead you’re just…frustrated? Resentful? Maybe even a little sad? Perhaps you start googling “What other jobs can a librarian get?” or “non-library jobs that use MLIS” or “career change for librarians.”
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. I spent years in libraries—inculding academic, public, and school settings—and I genuinely loved the mission. I believed in what we were doing. But somewhere along the way, the day-to-day reality started chipping away at that passion until I felt like I was drowning.
Maybe you’re dealing with impossible schedules that steal your weekends. Maybe you’re being asked to do everything except your actual job. Maybe the pandemic showed you what remote work could feel like, and going back on-site feels suffocating. Maybe the book bans and politics are too overwhelming. Maybe you don’t feel safe at work because of violence or harassment from patrons. Or maybe you’re facing a career ladder where the only way up is into management—which you know is not for you.
Here’s what I wish someone had told me sooner: If you feel like you need a change, you probably do. And that doesn’t make you ungrateful, weak, or a failure. It makes you human.
Why I left libraries: The five breaking points
I started working at a local library at age 16 and went on to earn my MLIS and have a decade-long career in libraries (academic/medical, public/youth services, and middle school). I loved it…until I didn’t anymore.
Let me share the real reasons I walked away from libraries—because I bet at least a few will sound familiar:
1. Schedule
With the exception of working at an academic/medical library near the beginning of my career, I always had to work some nights and weekends. I hated it, and I resented that it overflowed into my personal time. One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I need time reserved for my hobbies and downtime after work in order to function well during work. Most library jobs would not allow me to do that.
2. “Other duties as assigned” taking over
This was especially prevalent when I was working at a school. I was being asked (but really told) to take on more and more menial tasks like covering study halls, recess duty, etc. It got to the point where I didn’t have much time left to actually do my job, and that was really frustrating. Likewise, if you work at a public library, then you are definitely familiar with mission creep and vocational awe.
3. The allure of WFH/remote
Like many others, I realized during the pandemic that I loved being at home and could be extremely productive there. Remote work is certainly not ideal for everyone (and right now, it’s much rarer to find and obtain), but I felt more fulfilled and successful working from home than on-site. Plus, not having a commute every day gave me time back for my hobbies/health. Going back to campus after COVID-19 was very difficult, and it became clear to me immediately that I needed to make a change. Unfortunately, most library jobs are not conducive to a 100% remote schedule, so that factored into my decision.
4. No room for advancement
I never wanted to be a library director, so my trajectory basically halted at children’s librarian or middle school librarian. Could I have taken a director role? Sure. But I know I would have hated every minute of it. There are some things we simply know we don’t want to do.
5. Burnout/wanting something more
I’m not saying work needs to be fun…but I was frustrated, resentful, and unhappy most of the time—both at work and outside of it. I’d get bad Sunday Scaries, but then they started creeping into Saturday, too. Also, I had been copy editing/writing as a side gig for several years and wanted to pursue that full-time. I just had the feeling that there was something else out there for me and that my career wouldn’t start and end in libraries.
👑 So, I made the leap! In April 2022, I launched my own non-library job search using skills and experience I gained from my freelance editing business. It took 4 months, but I successfully transitioned from librarian to full-time, 100% remote copy editor for a digital marketing agency. (And in 2025, I did another job search and got an even better 100% remote copy editor position—this time, at a tech/cybersecurity company.)
You’re asking the wrong question
I see this question almost every day in the librarian groups I follow: “What other jobs can librarians get?”
Many librarians are eager to leave the traditional library setting—for many different reasons. But if this is you, you’re actually asking the wrong question. It’s not what jobs would fit a librarian but what jobs fit YOUR strengths and interests.
Put 10 career-changing librarians in a room, and you’ll find that they likely have 10 different strengths (which is great news—that probably means less competition for your desired path).
Think about it: I ended up in digital marketing and editing. But maybe you’re the librarian who’s always been the go-to person for research and would thrive in market research. Maybe you’re the one who loves instruction and training and would kill it in corporate learning and development. Maybe you’re the technology troubleshooter who should be looking at UX roles.
The point is, generic “jobs for librarians” lists aren’t going to help you figure out what you should pursue for your career change. They might give you some ideas to research, but they can’t tell you what will actually make you excited to get up in the morning.
Start here: Four questions that will actually get you moving
Instead of starting with job titles, start with yourself. Before you even think about updating your resume or browsing job boards, sit down and really think through these questions:
📖 Which parts of my job do I love and not want to give up?
📖 Which parts of my job do I hate and not want to do, if I can help it?
📖 What am I the “go-to person” for at work? Is that something I want to keep doing?
📖 Which skills or professional interests do I feel drawn to and want to keep developing?
🔹 Write down the answers to these questions, and then start your research to find out which new career path may be a great fit!
But here’s the thing: Once you figure out what direction feels right, you’ll need to help potential employers see the connection, too. It’s your job (not theirs) to make the connection between your skills and their needs. Hiring managers are busy and don’t have time to translate your library experience into their language. That’s work you’ll need to do—but it starts with getting clear on what you actually want first.
(Don’t believe me? Check out the interviews from hiring managers on the Hiring Librarians website.)
You don’t need to justify your feelings
If the thought of leaving libraries makes you feel sad, upset, frustrated, or angry, know that those feelings are valid. It can be hard to leave behind something that you thought was going to make you happy.
You don’t need to apologize for wanting better work-life balance. You don’t need to feel guilty about discovering you hate managing people. You don’t need to defend your desire to work remotely or your need for predictable hours.
The library world has this way of making people feel like they’re supposed to be martyrs for the cause. Like wanting a sustainable career somehow means you don’t care about serving the public or supporting intellectual freedom. That’s not true.
You can love libraries and still need to leave them. You can believe in the mission and still acknowledge that the working conditions aren’t sustainable for you. You can be grateful for your MLIS education and still wish the career options were different.
Your frustration doesn’t make you weak. Your resentment doesn’t make you ungrateful. Your desire for something better doesn’t make you selfish.
It makes you someone who’s paying attention to what you need to thrive.
What career change for librarians actually looks like
Here’s what I wish someone had told me: career transition is mostly about self-discovery, and only secondarily about job hunting.
Yes, you’ll eventually need to update your resume and apply for jobs. You’ll need to learn how to talk about your skills in non-library language. But all of that comes after you get clear on what you actually want.
This isn’t a quick process. I spent months thinking through those questions I shared with you. I spent time researching different career paths, talking to people who’d made similar transitions, and honestly examining what I needed from work to be happy.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to figure it all out before you start. You just need to take the first step, which is getting honest about where you are and what you need.
The process might look like:
- Self-reflection: Those 4 questions are your starting point.
- Research: What do those career paths actually involve day-to-day? (Note: Listening to the Librarian Linkover podcast is a great way to learn more about roles that librarians have transitioned to.)
- Skill assessment: What do you have; what do you need?
- Networking: Finding people who can give you the real scoop.
- Testing it out: Maybe through volunteer work, side projects, or informational interviews.
- Planning: You need a transition strategy; you can’t just wing it and apply to hundreds of jobs.
It’s not linear. You’ll probably circle back to some steps multiple times. It can get very messy and frustrating. And that’s completely normal.
Ready to leap into your librarian career change?
If you’re still reading, I’m guessing something in this post resonated with you. Maybe you’re nodding along thinking “yes, this is exactly how I feel.” Maybe you’re feeling a little hopeful for the first time in a while.
Here’s what I want you to do next:
Start with those 4 questions. Really think about them. Write down your answers. Be honest, even if (especially if) your answers surprise you.
This is just the beginning of figuring out what comes next for you, but it’s the most important beginning. Everything else builds from here.
If you want to keep exploring this together, I share insights about career transitions, remote work strategies, and life after libraries on my social media. Follow along—I’d love to have you in the #LeapingLibrarians community.
And if you’re ready to dig deeper into your specific situation, let’s talk. I offer strategy sessions where we can explore your unique librarian career change strategy—because your transition strategy should be as individual as you are.
Remember: If you feel like you need a change, you probably do. Trust that feeling. Your future self will thank you.
👑 I’m Alison King, and I help librarians make the next bold leap in their careers. If you’re ready to do the hard work (with support, structure, and guidance along the way from a fellow library transitioner) so you can land in a better place, contact me.