Library Assistant: Career Information

Library Assistant Job Description: A library assistant (also referred to as a library assistant, clerical) helps librarians and library technicians organize materials and make them available to the public.

Employment Facts for Library Assistants: Library assistants held about 109,000 jobs in 2004. Most worked in public libraries, while the rest worked in school and academic libraries. Half of all library assistants worked part-time.^*

Educational Requirements for Library Assistants: To work as a library assistant one needs a high school diploma or GED. Training usually takes place on the job, but some employers prefer to hire candidates who have had prior clerical experience. Computer skills are extremely useful as libraries are usually automated.

Advancement Opportunities for Library Assistants: Library assistants start their careers performing simple tasks such as shelving books and periodicals. Eventually they will perform more advanced tasks which may include working at the circulation desk. Those with greater experience may become library technicians.

Job Outlook for Library Assistants: Employment of library assistants is expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014.^*

Earnings of Library Assistants: Library assistants earned a median hourly wage of $10.16, and a median annual salary of $21,140, in 2005.^*

Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much library assistants currently earn in your city.

A Day in a Library Assistant's Life: On a typical day a library assistant will:

• issue library cards to library patrons;
• work at the circulation desk, lending and receiving library-owned material;
• inspect returned material for damage;
• repair damaged books, magazines, etc.;
• sort and shelve material;

*This is the most recent year for which this information is available.

Information courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Library Assistants, Clerical on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos147.htm and Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2005, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434121.htm (visited on April 12, 2007).