FEATURE
CompTIA Certification: An Introduction for Librarians
by Thomas Waters
| In some cases, [the CompTIA] certification isn’t taken seriously, even among IT professionals. Some see it as too basic or as something that doesn’t hold much weight without additional certifications to back it up. Still, for those of us outside the IT world, it can serve as an important foundation and a way to demonstrate initiative and a willingness to learn. |
Traditional library education and professional development aren’t always adequate for preparing staffers to adapt to evolving technological demands. For example, some library and information science programs neglect to teach students the specifics of the technologies they’re likely to encounter in libraries. The one required technology course in my program relied heavily on outdated information, including a module on obsolete bus architectures, instead of more practical applications such as authentication and e-resource management.
The shortcomings of formal technological training are compounded by fundamental differences in professional values between the library and IT fields, despite the significant work that each performs with technology. While librarians tend to be outwardly focused and prioritize customer service and access, IT departments are often internally centered and prioritize system security. It was this tension that led me to consider whether IT certifications might help bridge the divide between our professions. I propose that mainstream technology credentials can be a valuable supplement to traditional library education and training, giving certification holders both greater credibility and deeper understanding of common IT concerns.
Certifications for Library Personnel
When it comes to certifications, I recommend that library professionals consider those offered by CompTIA (comptia.org), a nonprofit trade association that began providing vendor-neutral professional certifications in 1993. Its certifications are widely recognized and often appear in IT job postings as required qualifications that demonstrate candidates’ competence. One example is the CompTIA A+ certification, which is held by more than 1.2 million people and is the starting point for most certification seekers. That’s why it’s the focus of this article, instead of the more basic CompTIA Tech+ certification that launched in 2024.
Another reason the CompTIA A+ certification is so relevant for us is that it covers the kinds of problems we encounter in libraries every day. Even beyond library-specific technologies such as ILSs and LSPs, discovery platforms, e-resources, and authentication tools, general IT concerns such as workstations, printers, projectors, and networking are all technologies that we and our patrons use regularly. While our levels of involvement may differ due to various organizational needs and structures, the scope of technology that we deal with is wide, and we don’t always have the background or capacity to support everything. This makes collaboration with IT a frequent part of our jobs, even when our priorities don’t fully align.
Applied Knowledge
My perspective is informed by working in both small and large academic libraries. In my previous role at a small institution with fewer than 10 library employees, technical responsibilities were primarily handled by a university IT department whose senior leadership had a reputation for talking down to anyone who didn’t have an IT background like they did. I earned the CompTIA A+ certification in 2019 in this context, both as a means of boosting my credibility for handling minor issues independently and for situations requiring more extensive collaboration. I also did it to enhance my resume, not knowing what kinds of jobs I might apply for in the future.
This approach was successful. Over time, one member of the IT staff began privately giving me tips and tricks to make my work more efficient. The additional knowledge I gained paid off for higher-stakes issues. When a cohort of students in China was unable to access library resources due to blocked code in the university’s single sign-on page, I was able to diagnose the problem and work with IT to re-enable our legacy authentication system as a workaround.
My current role as library systems technologist at Georgia Tech Library represents a striking contrast to the experience at my first institution. Rather than fighting to be taken seriously by IT, I’m now a formal member of the library’s IT leadership team. This shift reflects how technical credibility supported by certifications can open doors that were previously closed.
The Troubleshooting Methodology
The CompTIA A+ certification targets traditional entry-level positions within IT and not libraries; however, the troubleshooting methodology that CompTIA emphasizes (comptia.org/en-us/blog/use-a-troubleshooting-methodology-for-more-efficient-it-support) has applicability outside of general computer hardware and operating systems. Indeed, both my library systems and general IT expertise have improved as a result of my familiarity with these concepts. I even referred to them when interviewing for my current role to explain how I would solve a hypothetical problem. The steps of the methodology are as follows:
- Identify the problem. If the issue was reported by another user, this step might include asking follow-up questions for additional context.
- Establish a theory of probable cause based on personal experience or product documentation.
- Confirm the theory of probable cause through testing. If the cause isn’t confirmed, repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Develop a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify its potential effects in other areas.
- Implement the solution or escalate through the appropriate channels.
- Verify full system functionality and implement measures (including user education) to prevent recurrence.
- Document findings, actions, and outcomes for future reference.
Due to my experience in e-resources and systems, I was already familiar with this methodology prior to my introduction to CompTIA. For instance, many of us have likely received emails from patrons who simply tell us that they can’t log in, without providing other necessary details. As this is a rather vague description, we could use these steps to help us diagnose and resolve the problem.
The initial step in a scenario like this is to seek additional information. What are the resources that the patron is attempting to access, what links are they using, and what error messages are they seeing? Can they send you screenshots? Depending on its complexity, a theory of probable cause might be obvious, or some additional investigative work may be required. Maybe the patron is accessing a link to a resource the library no longer subscribes to, the e-resource has been misconfigured, the link is misformatted, or the patron misunderstands how to log in to library resources. Once the cause of the problem has been narrowed down—perhaps through multiple rounds of testing—then the remedies can be planned and implemented: updating links, making configuration changes with the vendor or in the authentication platform, educating users, and so on. It’s important to document the entire event in case the problem reoccurs or there are unintended side effects to your changes.
Becoming Certified
CompTIA A+ certification requires passing two separate exams at a Pearson VUE testing center. The Core 1 exam covers hardware and networking. The Core 2 exam deals with operating systems and security. Between the two exams, there are 63 total objectives (comptia.org/en-us/partner-portal/partner-resources).
The latest versions of the Core 1 and Core 2 exams were launched in spring 2025. Candidates must answer approximately 90 questions per 90-minute exam, including both multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs). There typically are only one or two of these PBQs, which require completion of tasks via on-screen simulations. They’ll be the first questions on the test. No matter the question type, the exam content is very practical. While previous versions of the exam required candidates to memorize RAM pin counts and motherboard socket types, the objectives no longer emphasize these types of trivial topics. Rather, it’s more important to know specific types of problems and their likely causes and solutions. Having this knowledge can be useful for librarians, whether they’re collaborating with IT on access issues or working with more commonplace technologies such as printers, projectors, and workstations.
CompTIA certifications have requirements for maintaining their active status. These exams are typically updated every 3 years. Once certified, one’s credentials are also valid for 3 years, before they need to be renewed. This can be achieved either by passing a higher-level CompTIA exam or by completing a certain number of approved continuing education credits. Don’t repeat my mistake and allow your certification to expire.
Preparing for Certification
Most certifications have no shortage of study resources to accommodate your preferred learning style and prior knowledge. If you prefer reading, there are several study guides available for purchase. There are also courses on LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Udemy; some of these may be free if your library offers a subscription. Finally, there are free videos available on YouTube, as well as a supportive community on the CompTIA subreddit with a wealth of expertise in IT and CompTIA exams in particular. No matter which option you select, make sure you’re using the most up-to-date materials with the necessary depth for your level of experience. Although I consider myself technically adept, I studied for several months using a variety of these options before taking my first exam.
Challenges to Certification
One of the most significant barriers to certification is cost. At the time of this writing, the CompTIA A+ exams are currently $265 each, or $530 total, not including retakes or any study materials you may wish to purchase. While some study guides provide discount codes, this remains a lot to pay out of pocket, and not all employers will pay for their employees’ certifications if they aren’t in dedicated IT roles. Nonetheless, inquiring about professional development funds or negotiating reimbursement as part of an employment offer may be worth your time.
In addition, some advantages can also be challenges. Organizational policies may prevent you from making full use of your new knowledge. Even if your ability to tackle certain issues isn’t locked down, there may be other restrictions on acceptable technology use at your workplace, so be certain that you have permission to take any actions you’re considering.
Finally, my own intention in getting certified was to boost my credibility with IT staffers and strengthen my resume for future opportunities. I feel like I achieved this goal, although I’ve read accounts from others who report a different experience. In some cases, this certification isn’t taken seriously, even among IT professionals. Some see it as too basic or as something that doesn’t hold much weight without additional certifications to back it up. Still, for those of us outside the IT world, it can serve as an important foundation and a way to demonstrate initiative and a willingness to learn.
Next Steps
Suppose you take and pass the two CompTIA A+ exams. What’s next? You could stop there, but there are dozens of other certifications to choose from if you want to continue your journey. Although I haven’t yet done so myself, many people build upon the foundations of the earlier exams by taking CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+. Collectively, these three certifications are often referred to as the trifecta. From there, depending on your interests and your library’s needs, you can branch into networking, security, cloud computing, data analytics, and more, including certifications from vendors such as Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, and Google.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges, I maintain that there are more advantages than disadvantages to library personnel pursuing technical certifications. Drawing on my own experience, allowing team members to pursue this kind of professional development within the bounds of organizational budgets and policies could pay lasting dividends in skill, efficiency, and cross-departmental collaboration, resulting in greater job satisfaction and user satisfaction with our services. |
