Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Working effectively with people by building relationships, understanding others, and responding appropriately.
Using computers, software, digital systems, and technology to complete work and solve problems.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Library Technician or Assistant Library technicians and assistants provide customer service to library patrons. Library technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate. Library assistants typically need a high school diploma or its equivalent, combined with short-term on-the-job
Education
Library technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate in library technology, which may include coursework in acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation, reference, and automated library systems. Most library assistants typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Training Library assistants usually receive short-term on-the-job training to learn about libraries and library resources.
Training
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of library technicians and assistants is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 23,100 openings for library technicians and assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Library use has decreased despite community efforts to rebrand libraries for a variety of services and activities. This decrease in use reduces the need for library workers to help patrons find information and to operate libraries. Additionally, budget constraints may limit the number of library technicians and assistants in local government and education services. Library Technicians and Assistants Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Library assistants, clerical -6% Library technicians -6% Library technicians and assistants -6% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Library Technicians and Assistants Do
Library technicians and assistants help librarians with all aspects of running a library. They assist patrons, organize library materials and information, and do clerical and administrative tasks.
Duties
Library technicians and assistants typically do the following:
- Loan library materials to patrons and collect returned materials
- Sort and reshelve returned books, periodicals, and other materials
- Catalogue and maintain library materials
- Handle interlibrary loans
- Register new patrons and issue library cards
- Answer routine reference questions from patrons
- Teach patrons how to use library resources
- Maintain computer databases used to locate library materials
- Perform routine clerical tasks such as answering phones and organizing files
- Help plan and participate in special programs, such as used-book sales, story times, or outreach programs
A librarian usually supervises library technicians and assistants. Both technicians and assistants help patrons find information and organize library materials. However, library technicians typically have more responsibilities than library assistants.
Library technicians and assistants in small libraries have a broad range of duties. In large libraries, they tend to specialize in a particular area, such as user services or technical services. Those specializing in user services assist library patrons with locating resources and information. Those specializing in technical services research, acquire, catalog, and process materials to be added to the library’s collections.
The following are examples of types of library technicians and assistants:
Academic library technicians and assistants help students, faculties, and staff in colleges and universities access resources and information related to coursework or research projects. Some teach students how to access and use library resources. They may work at service desks for reserve materials, special collections, or computer labs.
Public library technicians and assistants work in community libraries to serve members of the public. They help patrons find books to read for pleasure, assist patrons with their research, or teach patrons how to access the library’s resources. Some technicians in public libraries may help plan programs for users, such as story time for children or book clubs for teens or adults.
School library technicians and assistants show students how to find and use library resources, maintain textbook collections, and help teachers develop curriculum materials.
Special library technicians and assistants work in settings other than school or public libraries, including government agencies, corporations, museums, law firms, and medical centers. They assist users, search library resources, compile bibliographies, and provide information on subjects of interest to the organization.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Library assistants, clerical held about 89,500 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of library assistants, clerical were as follows:
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 63% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 26 |
| Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services | 9 |
Library technicians held about 72,800 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of library technicians were as follows:
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 57% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 14 |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; state and local (6112,3) | 14 |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; private (6112,3) | 6 |
| Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services | 5 |
Library technicians and assistants generally work indoors. They spend much of their time at public service desks or at computer terminals. They may spend time in the library stacks reshelving books, a task that may require bending or stretching to reach the shelves.
Work Schedules
Many library technicians and assistants work part time. Library technicians and assistants in school libraries work during school hours. Those in public or college libraries may work weekends, evenings, and some holidays. In special libraries, technicians and assistants typically work during normal business hours but may have to work evenings and weekends.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Library technicians and assistants must be able to answer patrons’ questions clearly and explain use of library resources. Detail oriented. Library technicians and assistants must pay close attention to ensure that library materials and information are organized correctly and according to the library’s organizational system. Interpersonal skills. Library technicians and assistants need to work with library patrons, librarians, teachers, or researchers. Listening skills. Library technicians and assistants need to listen to patrons to help them with research topics or with finding materials. Advancement Library technicians and assistants may advance to become supervisors and oversee daily library operations. To become a librarian, technicians and assistants need to earn a master’s degree in library science.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about library technicians and assistants by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.