librarian
Americannoun
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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
- sublibrarian noun
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.
A librarian told him it would take at least six days to get the books from the shelves.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
Shilpashree Haranu, who teaches at a government college, says that the collection may look messy as it has not been organised by a professional librarian.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026
After Hammel-Sawyer’s first marriage ended, she worked as an assistant children’s librarian in Santa Barbara and met a reference librarian named Ben Sawyer.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
Wolverhampton librarian Elisabeth Whitehouse can tell which children have been read to in their early years.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
“I was the very last librarian at the old Alexandriaville Public Library—the one they bulldozed down so they could build a parking garage.”
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
