We guide you through the process of securing a place on a library and information course at postgraduate level. We've covered how to find a course and the application procedure and interviews, drawing on the personal experiences of previous and current trainees. The particularly confusing topic of funding is also covered. It might also be useful to see our Library Timeline page which takes you through the process of becoming a librarian: qualification is only the beginning! Our Careers page highlights the different areas and sectors in which librarians can be found.
There are a wide range of Masters degrees available and it is important to choose the right one for you. Course content can vary, as can the emphasis given to different elements, for example, some courses are more IT-oriented than others. We've given a brief outline below of some of the courses on offer. Most courses require a good first degree and a year's library experience. More detailed information can be found on the universities' websites and the CILIP ‘Where to Study’ pages.
For all courses, candidates are strongly advised to apply as early as possible to increase their chances of being accepted. If you wish to apply for AHRC funding, you will need to apply for some courses well before the closing date to ensure you have obtained a place and can complete your AHRC application in time. It is particularly important to bear this in mind when applying for courses with late closing dates.
Library School applications are probably the last thing on your mind when you have only just started a traineeship. Unfortunately, it is something you need to think about fairly soon after beginning work because some closing dates for courses are very early. The closing date for applications at UCL is usually December 1st.
Early closing dates also have advantages when it comes to applying for AHRC funding. The closing date is usually the start of May and universities need to process your application, interview you, offer you a place, decide whether to put you forward for funding and still leave time for you, two referees and the department to fill in the AHRC form. It is therefore worth putting in your course applications as early as you can, regardless of closing dates and whether or not you are certain that you wish to take up the place, to give yourself the best chance possible.
Help is at hand when you're deciding where to apply and filling in forms. A session on applications is usually held at the end of November with previous trainees giving their personal experiences and guest lecturers from library schools share their wisdom!
The Personal Statement is the most important part of any application form and is often regarded as the most difficult. Here are some pointers which may help you to get started.
One thing to remember is that your statement isn't binding. If you express an interest in rare books only to avoid all related modules the following year, it won't be a problem! Your priority at this stage is to put together an intelligent and well-thought out statement which will impress course decision makers. On the other hand, remember that your Personal Statement is likely to be the main basis for interview questions and discussion so don't write anything you're not prepared to talk about'
I attended an open day in the Arts Policy Department prior to my interview which gave me the opportunity to take in the atmosphere of the department, meet some of the lecturers and gain greater insight into the contents of the arts and heritage aspect of the course. As the library part of the course and the arts and heritage part of the course are taught by two different departments and kept clearly distinct from one another the open day did not allow much opportunity for detailed discussion about the information aspects of this MA. However, the staff from Arts Policy department were friendly and extremely helpful. I was given contact names of people within the library department so that I could ask them my related questions.
My actual interview for the course was quite informal. It allowed the interviewer to find out what my interests were in order to decide whether or not I was suitable for the course as well as giving me the opportunity to ask more questions. I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the staff and by the forward thinking nature of the course. However, as the course is only in its second year combined options such as the above MA are still developing their policies on funding and department integration.
Sarah Wilcock
After looking at a few prospectuses and university websites I decided to apply for the MA/MSc in Information and Library Management at Loughborough. I sent in my application form late in December and received an email early in January asking me to attend an open day and interview at the department of Information Science. Having navigated around the campus and followed the directions to the 'upside down pyramid' that is the University Library I was greeted by two of the current students and the other applicants.
Two of the course tutors then came and gave us a very in-depth and informative talk about the course, describing exactly what the modules entailed, coursework and assessment, guest lecturers and funding. Although they stressed the realities of the difficulty of getting funding they nevertheless promised their support, help and advice for those students who sought funding. It is worth remembering, however, that the department does not support everyone's application for funding and that they also use the interview to decide whether they will support your application. We were given an information pack which included information about the funding application process and all the details about the modules on offer at the department. We had the opportunity to ask the tutors anything about the course and also chat to current students over lunch.
After lunch we had our interviews. My interview was with one of the tutors who had spoken to us in the morning. It was a friendly and fairly informal interview and we started off by talking about my undergraduate degree and in particular the topic of my undergraduate dissertation, what conclusions I'd reached and what aspects of Classics I'd studied at Durham. We then talked about why I'd chosen to go into library and information science and what career I would like to go into. I told her about my job at Christ's and we discussed the system of college libraries in Cambridge.
While the other applicants' interviews were taking place we had the opportunity to chat to the current students who also gave us a brief tour of the department and the library. All in all the department seemed to be very welcoming and friendly and the tutors could not have been more helpful and informative about the course.
Eleanor Murphy, 11 April 2006
I applied to the MA Librarianship course in January. By early February I had an interview date. I travelled up by car and after a restorative cup of coffee in town I found the Department of Information Studies. I had been provided with maps of Sheffield and the University by post. There were only two of us for interview as we had left it quite late and most of the interviews had taken place in January. We were handed copies of the intinerary for the day and were able to flick through a folder of previous dissertation topics for light relief whilst waiting to be called.
The first part involved an informal chat with students about the course and life at Sheffield, however, as it was half term everyone had gone home so we chatted with a tutor instead. She had previously done the same course herself so she had some perspective. The course leader gave us a presentation on the University and the course, with statistics relating to numbers of students, ratio of research to taught students etc. Then we went for a tour of the department. We looked into the newly refurbished computer suite and visited the department library, although we didn't see the main University Library. On our return it was straight into the private interviews.
My first question related to my application form: "Do you want to be put in for AHRC funding even though you've said it's not necessary for your acceptance of a place?"
"Yes."
"That's good."
We went on to discuss what attracted me to librarianship (he was checking if I was just there for a nice cosy job), current issues (professional awareness) and my study techniques and ability to cope under pressure. He explained the form which he had to fill in, which consisted of scoring my answers and adding up a) if I was to be offered a place and b) if I would be put forward for funding. To my immense relief the numbers added up and I was accepted for both.
Afterwards I received an official letter offering me a place and also information on university accomodation.
Anna Baines
On 25 January 2007 I travelled down from Cambridge to UCL for an interview at SLAIS - the School of Library, Archive, and Information Sudies. It was fortunate that I had been warned that the building which houses the School was somewhat complex to find, so I allowed plenty of time to locate where my interview was to be held.
I didn't quite know what to expect of the interview so had prepared myself by reading up on current issues in the library world, both in public and academic sectors. The interview itself was far less frightening than I had imagined and was a very relaxed affair. We discussed my current job at Trinity and what my regular duties entailed, the experience I am gaining working with manuscript collections (both ancient and modern) and early printed books and how this related to the papers which I want to study as part of the UCL course. This was contrasted with discussing the HTML courses I have been on and how the CATALOG website works as a collaboration between all of the Cambridge trainees. Funding was the other big issue which was raised as this is obviously one of the major factors to be considered when making an application, and it was interesting to hear how the process works in terms of making an application. Future plans for my career were also of interest to my interviewees and it was particularly interesting to hear what previous graduates from the course had gone on to do. I left UCL with a very positive impression of the School as everyone had been so friendly and had really put me at ease and made me feel welcome there. I am delighted to have been offered a place on the full-time course, beginning in October 2007.
Steven Archer, 08 February 2007
The interview was held in the Henry Morley Building, which houses UCL's School of Library, Archive, and Information Studies. I realised why several people had stressed the point of arriving early in order to actually find this location as I made my way through the complex of buildings and departments sitting back from Gordon Square.
According to those who had attended the interview previously, everybody was quite friendly and the interviews, although formal, felt quite relaxed. However, I wasn't quite sure what to expect as the topics and questions that had been brought up by the interviewers all seemed fairly different with each person. In some, funding had dominated, whereas others had talked about the graduate traineeships, cataloguing, and different aspects and areas of librarianship. Needless to say, it is advisable to arrive at the interview prepared, which means background reading about both major and current aspects of the library and information sector, and to be able to show awareness of these issues. More importantly, you need to be aware of your career aspirations as an information professional and be prepared to talk about and explain them. Most people I spoke to were asked about which area of the profession they were most interested in and why.
The interview lasted about 30 minutes. We chatted mostly about my responsibilities and experiences as Graduate Trainee at Trinity College Library, my interest in rare books librarianship, and the joint management of the CATALOG website. The end of the interview was taken up with the questions I had about certain aspects of the course and the department.
Beth Brook, 11 April 2006
My interview at UCL followed a very similar pattern. I would also recommend allowing plenty of time in which to locate the building. As there is no official open day for SLAIS at UCL, I found it was very useful to have extra time in which to have a good look around and get a feel for the place. In the interview itself, most of the questions were centred around the things I had said in my application form, focussing on what I had said in my personal statement. I would strongly recommend preparing for the interview by making sure your professional awareness is up to scratch and researching the areas that you may have mentioned in your application form. With regards to the funding aspect of my application, the interviewers were very realistic about the numbers of candidates who successfully receive funding each year. They explained that it was important to have a back-up option as funding is far from being guaranteed. At the end of the interview I was asked if I had any questions. I was particularly interested in the range of work placements offered at UCL and due to the relaxed atmosphere at this point I felt confident in asking genuine questions. I think it is important to remember that the interview is a two-way process as it is also about you deciding that the course and the institution are right for you.
Sarah Turk, 11 April 2006
It is vital to have your place at library school organised as early as possible if you want to apply for funding, particularly from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Many alternative sources of funding such as charities and the universities themselves, as well as the AHRC also have early closing dates. In this section we'll share our own experiences of applying to try and make your lives easier next year! We'll also look at funding in Scotland and alternative sources to try.
The main source of funding for Library and Information courses is the AHRC. Most CILIP accredited LIS courses qualify for application for the Professional Preparation Master's Scheme. The scheme aims to facilitate the study of courses which develop high-level skills in professional practice and aid career development. The application needs to be made through the university you will study at and only one application can be made. This means you have to decide in time which offer to accept. No keeping your options open, unfortunately! Competition is particularly fierce as the number of awards reduces each year whilst the number of eligible courses increases. It is important to give yourself plenty of time and be organised about your application to have the best possible chance. Here is our step-by-step guide to completing the form!
REMEMBER! Most universities will need to have your form by April 1st to give them time to complete their section. You don't pass it on to the AHRC yourself, your university does that for you. Applications sent by fax or email or any that arrive late will not be accepted so always be aware of the deadline!
The Library and Information courses at The Robert Gordon University and the University of Strathclyde are funded by SAAS through their Postgraduate Student's Allowance Scheme (PSAS) on a non-quota basis. This means they will consider all eligible students for support and there is no limit to the amount of students they will support. However, the decision as to whether the course will be funded is taken each year in May so it may be best to have a back-up funding option in case the course is not funded in any particular year.
The most relevant and up-to-date information can be obtained from the SAAS website which has a FAQ section which may answer some of your questions.
Career Development Loans (CDL) were launched in 1988 to give people from varying educational and employment backgrounds an opportunity to invest in and improve their learning. A Career Development Loan is a deferred payment bank loan to help pay for vocational education or learning.
The Career Development Loan can be used for all kinds of vocational courses, that is courses which provide you with the skills needed for an occupation, trade or profession. To apply for a CDL you must be over 18, live in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and intend to work in the UK or EU after you have finished your period of learning. It is worth bearing in mind that if you do not complete your chosen course for any reason that you will still have to pay back the loan you received.
In addition, it also extremely important in the early stages of your application to check that the institution at which you are going to be learning is registered with the DfES. This is essential for administrative purposes but the institution can apply to register if they are not already registered.
There are three elements to the Career Development Loan - course fees, other course costs and living expenses. The loan can be used to cover one or more of these fees. The loan can be used to cover 80% of course fees and 100% of all other expenses. However, if you are unemployed for 3 months or more prior to submitting an application then you can apply for the CDL to cover 100% of your course fees.
Each of the three banks offering Career Development Loans have different interest rates so it may be best to shop around for the best deal prior to submitting an application. Each bank makes a decision on each individual application by assessing your eligibility for your chosen programme of study and how they feel about your ability to make repayments once you have finished your course. It is very important to remember that eligibility for a CDL and acceptance onto a course do not guarantee approval for a loan, as the bank will take into account, details of your credit and financial history.
Repayments can be postponed for a maximum of 17 months, if, prior to the repayment day:
The application procedure for a Career Development Loan can be quite lengthy but the CDL website has an extremely useful step by step guide which talks you through each stage of the application process and it is the best place to visit if you are serious about applying for a CDL to finance a vocational learning course.
While in an ideal world it would be great if we could all receive grants and have tuition costs paid for us by the AHRB or SAAS that is just not going to happen. The idea of having to take out a large loan to pay for a course is not the most appealing, especially after the accumulation of debt after three or four years of an undergraduate degree. However, it is good to know there is another source of funding available if all others fail and you have your mind and heart set on achieving a postgraduate qualification in Library and Information Studies.
None as such but it is worth leaving yourself plenty of time to apply for the loan as it may take a bit of time for the bank to make a decision regarding your eligibility for a loan. Also you can apply after you have started your course but you will not be eligible for a loan if there is not enough time to process your application before the course ends.
One last word of advice, the CDL cannot be used to pay for anything that is financed by another public source. Good luck!
In addition to those mentioned above, alternative sources of funding may be available to help you through your postgraduate studies. Some of these sites may be of use if things are looking bleak with the AHRC:
