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Library Technicians


Overview

Library Technicians

Introduction

Library technicians, sometimes called library technical assistants, work in all areas of library services, supporting professional librarians or working independently to help people access information. They order and catalog books, help library patrons locate materials, and make the library's services and facilities readily available. Technicians verify bibliographic information on orders, and perform basic cataloging of materials received. They answer routine questions about library services and refer questions requiring p...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$34,050

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Associate's Degree


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Experience

Internship or part-time experience


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Skills

Information Management
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

Salaries for library technicians vary depending on such factors as the type of library, geographic location, and specific job responsibilities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the median annual salary for all library technicians in May 2018 was $34,050. The lowest paid 10 percent made less than $21,341, while the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $54,912. The DOL also re...

Work Environment

Libraries usually have clean, well-lit, pleasant work atmospheres. Hours are regular in company libraries and in school library media centers, but academic, public, and some specialized libraries are open longer hours and may require evening and weekend work, usually on a rotating basis.

Some tasks performed by library technicians, like calculating circulation statistics, can be repetiti...

Outlook

Employment for library technicians is expected to decline 3 percent through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Declining library utilization has impacted employment levels in this field. Additionally, positions for those working in local government and education services may be impacted by budget constraints. Nevertheless, the DOL reports that there will be approximately 27,...