Library Technicians: Career Overview
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. Replace materials in shelving area (stacks) or files. Includes bookmobile drivers who assist with providing services in mobile libraries.
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What Do Library Technicians Take On?
Typical responsibilities of library technicians include:
- 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.
What Library Technicians Need to Know
Top library technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Library Technicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Accessioner
- Audio-Visual Aide
- Bibliographer
- Bindery Library Technical Assistant
- Book Shelver
- Book Sorter
- Bookmobile Driver
- Cataloging Library Technical Assistant (Cataloging LTA)
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 681,752 library technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -2.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Library Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $37,590 |
| Hourly median | $18.07 |
| 10th percentile | $24,518 |
| 25th percentile | $31,054 |
| 75th percentile | $44,127 |
| 90th percentile | $50,663 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Library Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $58,780 |
| Washington | $57,550 |
| Connecticut | $54,550 |
| California | $51,290 |
| Massachusetts | $49,650 |
| Maryland | $49,340 |
| New Hampshire | $47,640 |
| Minnesota | $47,330 |
| Oregon | $46,950 |
| Rhode Island | $46,910 |
| Delaware | $46,820 |
| New Jersey | $46,730 |
| New York | $46,700 |
| Alaska | $46,530 |
| Virginia | $45,140 |
| Colorado | $44,870 |
| North Carolina | $44,800 |
| Hawaii | $44,200 |
| Illinois | $43,920 |
| Nevada | $43,490 |
| Vermont | $43,470 |
| Maine | $41,330 |
| Arizona | $40,330 |
| Kansas | $38,990 |
| Florida | $38,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,150 |
| Texas | $37,920 |
| Missouri | $37,850 |
| North Dakota | $37,770 |
| Nebraska | $37,310 |
| Louisiana | $37,210 |
| Iowa | $37,180 |
| Georgia | $36,650 |
| Utah | $36,630 |
| New Mexico | $36,170 |
| Montana | $36,140 |
| Wyoming | $35,570 |
| Ohio | $35,230 |
| South Carolina | $34,860 |
| Michigan | $34,320 |
| Idaho | $33,700 |
| Wisconsin | $33,030 |
| Alabama | $32,910 |
| Indiana | $32,420 |
| Tennessee | $31,660 |
| West Virginia | $31,080 |
| Arkansas | $30,790 |
| Kentucky | $30,750 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,620 |
| Oklahoma | $28,490 |
| South Dakota | $28,370 |
| Mississippi | $26,080 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for library technicians shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $50,980 | 16.4% | 1.08 |
| New England | $49,527 | 5.1% | 1.09 |
| Middle Atlantic | $46,037 | 12.4% | 0.86 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,167 | 5.7% | 1.61 |
| Plains States | $39,099 | 8.7% | 1.42 |
| Southeast | $38,429 | 22.2% | 1.03 |
| Southwest | $37,230 | 9.7% | 0.82 |
| Great Lakes | $35,856 | 19.4% | 1.52 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | CT | $66,260 | 230 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $64,110 | 820 |
| Iowa City, IA | IA | $63,470 | 140 |
| Ithaca, NY | NY | $62,510 | 60 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $61,420 | 310 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $61,070 | 30 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $59,190 | 180 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $57,990 | 70 |
Top Industries Employing Library Technicians
The bulk of library technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 24,180 | $45,800 |
| Information | 4,550 | $42,320 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 190 | $47,660 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 130 | $43,200 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 110 | $50,140 |
Below are examples of industries where library technicians work:
Software Library Technicians Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for library technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Getting Started in This Career
Typical library technicians positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Computer User Support Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Database Administrators (Primary-Long)
- Document Management Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Social Science Research Assistants (Supplemental)
- Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Archivists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring library technicians typically earn programs in:
Library Science
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians).
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