Librarian Test

What is a librarian skills test?

A librarian is responsible for the general running and maintenance of a library. This involves a huge range of tasks including cataloging books, digitizing archives, managing social media accounts and supporting customers.

The librarian skills test can help you when you’re looking to recruit a new librarian. Not only will it speed up the recruitment process, it will also give you a clearer idea of the level of skill and knowledge each applicant possesses.

The test includes questions on the general running of a library, as well as important soft skills such as communication and teamwork.

What are the benefits of using the librarian skills test for pre-screening?

Pre-screening is a recruitment principle designed to help employers and recruiters streamline their hiring process and improve the quality of each hire.

You can set the librarian skills test before reviewing resumes as a way of filtering out any candidates who don’t have the required level of knowledge and experience for the role. You can then be selective about who you interview, based on their results on the test.

Pre-screening is also a good way to minimize bias. When you give every applicant the same test, and base progression to the next round solely on their results, it levels the playing field and gives everyone an equal opportunity in a way that resume reviewing doesn't.

The librarian skills test is multiple choice and timed, which means you get the added benefit of seeing how candidates perform under pressure. It covers basic librarian principles such as cataloging books, competency with software, and dealing with the public, as well as questions that give you a better overall sense of an individual’s motivations, personality and character — which can be really useful when thinking about team fit.

Applicants that submit a strong test indicate they have the required knowledge, skills and experience and could be a good choice of hire.

Although the test has been specifically designed for librarians, you could also use it if you were planning to hire a:

• Library assistant
• Archivist
• Indexer

How our test measures librarian skills

Test questions are designed to assess industry-specific technical skills, soft skills, aptitude and suitable personality dimensions. Our data-driven approach provides results that enable you to determine how suited is a candidate for the role.

Depending on the type of question, the format of the test may vary. Multiple-choice questions are used to measure aptitude, technical skills and soft skills, while agreement on a Likert scale assesses suitable personality dimensions. Skills tests ensure that candidates are being evaluated in a precise and impartial manner, their results demonstrating the true knowledge and potential of each test taker.

The characteristics required to be a librarian were determined by looking at the skills and abilities listed in the US Department of Labor’s O*NET database, which collects data from professionals in various fields.

O*NET is the largest database of its kind, providing detailed information about occupations and the requirements for each role.

Our team of I/O psychologists and psychometrics worked closely with subject-matter experts to create an extensive question bank that can be used to test multiple candidates. We also conducted rigorous field testing with a representative sample of candidates to ensure that the questions were reliable and valid.

Test scores are averaged together to give an overall score. The average score is compared to other candidates' scores to ensure there is no bias toward certain candidates.

Our librarian test is constantly updated and optimized to ensure the best experience and results.