Library Technicians

Education and TrainingO*NET 25-4031.00United States

Assist librarians by helping readers in the use of library catalogs, databases, and indexes to locate books and other materials; and by answering questions that require only brief consultation of standard reference. Compile records; sort and shelve books or other media; remove or repair damaged books or other media; register patrons; and check materials in and out of the circulation process.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $44,574
Projected change: −2.1%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 76.73K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What library technicians do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials.
Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.
Help patrons find and use library resources, such as reference materials, audio-visual equipment, computers, and other electronic resources and provide technical assistance when needed.
Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart.
Process print and non-print library materials to prepare them for inclusion in library collections.
Catalogue and sort books and other print and non-print materials according to procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
Provide assistance to teachers and students by locating materials and helping to complete special projects.
Compile and maintain records relating to circulation, materials, and equipment.
Take actions to halt disruption of library activities by problem patrons.
Maintain and troubleshoot problems with library equipment, including computers, photocopiers, and audio-visual equipment.
Check for damaged library materials, such as books or audio-visual equipment, and provide replacements or make repairs.
Collect fines and respond to complaints about fines.
Train other staff, volunteers, or student assistants and schedule and supervise their work.
Conduct reference searches, using printed materials and in-house and online databases.
Compile data and create statistical reports on library usage.
Design posters and special displays to promote use of library facilities or specific reading programs at libraries.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $29,307
25th percentile: $35,734
50th percentile: $44,574
75th percentile: $52,437
90th percentile: $63,086

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $44,574 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

−2.1%projected to decline

202576,729 jobs

2035 projected75,129 jobs

1,600 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 29.6%
Associate degree: 27.7%
Certificate: 17%
High school diploma or less: 15%
Some college: 8.9%
Master's or Professional degree: 1.8%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Collections
Library Services
Office Equipment
Interlibrary Loan
Integrated Library Systems
Cataloguing
Statistics
Library
Library Programming
Lifting Ability
Public Service
Library Science
Technical Services
Library Catalog
Workflow Management
Dewey Decimal Classification
Data Entry
Readers' Advisory
Cash Register
Inventory Management

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Library Technicians557 postings
02Library Circulation Assistants211 postings
03Library Media Specialists189 postings
04Circulation Assistants153 postings
05Library Media Technicians142 postings
06Media Specialists71 postings
07Circulation Clerks61 postings
08Library Circulation Clerks58 postings
09Elementary Library Media Specialists43 postings
10School Library Media Specialists39 postings
11Library Circulation Supervisors30 postings
12Elementary School Librarians27 postings
13Circulation Supervisors26 postings
14University Librarians22 postings
15Media Center Assistants21 postings
16Circulation Associates15 postings
17Circulation Managers14 postings
18Elementary Media Specialists14 postings
19School Media Specialists14 postings
20Library Media Assistants13 postings

Top employers

01Edjoin.Org128 postings
02Library Systems & Services16 postings
03Alabama Department Of Education15 postings
04Dorchester County15 postings
05Herc14 postings
06United States Air Force12 postings
07Cherry Creek School District11 postings
08Elk Grove Unified School District9 postings
09Fort Bend County9 postings
10York County9 postings
11Dorchester County Sc Emergency Medical Services8 postings
12Harris County8 postings
13Sam Houston State University8 postings
14Air Education and Training Command7 postings
15Provo City7 postings
16San Bernardino County7 postings
17St. Louis Public Library7 postings
18University of Minnesota7 postings
19Alamance County Government6 postings
20Chapman University6 postings

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