librarian
Americannoun
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librarians
plural
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a person trained in library science and engaged in library service.
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a person in charge of a library, especially the chief administrative officer of a library.
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a person who is in charge of any specialized body of literature, as a collection of musical scores.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of librarian
Explanation
A librarian is someone who works in a library maintaining books and information and lending them to patrons. If you have a research project ahead of you, make friends with the librarian. There are many different types of librarians, from archivists who care for, organize, and lend very old or valuable documents; to school librarians who organize book-related projects and buy books and electronic resources that are appropriate for the students they serve. To become a librarian, you might want to get an advanced degree in library science. The Latin root of librarian is liber, "book." In the 17th century, a librarian was known as a "library-keeper."
Vocabulary lists containing librarian
ESL Library Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
PBS named him as resident librarian in 2024, and in 2025, he became the new face of “Reading Rainbow.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
For Trautman, who was serving as the chief librarian of the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
I told her that the librarian believed it was appropriate for my reading level.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
She attended Princeton on 90% financial aid while working part-time jobs on campus like librarian, tutor and bartender.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
“Find everything you wanted?” the librarian at checkout asks me.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
Trautman’s work began with a nationwide drive, managed through local librarians, calling for book donations for servicemen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Your local booksellers and librarians will be happy to help you choose between hotly anticipated titles from Marlon James and Min Jin Lee, along with beloved East L.A. artist Guadalupe Rosales’ photo-filled memoir.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
The East SOS Foundation, a Ukrainian humanitarian and human-rights organization, has gathered testimony from librarians and teachers who saw books destroyed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
And what about support staff like teaching assistants, canteen staff and librarians?
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
I close my eyes, place my hands over the muffs again, and fly in my mind to the Boston Public Library, where librarians catalog all sounds.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
