Office and Administrative Support · Holland code CSR

Library Assistants, Clerical

Compile records, and sort, shelve, issue, and receive library materials such as books, electronic media, pictures, cards, slides and microfilm. Locate library materials for loan and replace material in shelving area, stacks, or files according to identification number and title. Register patrons to permit them to borrow books, periodicals, and other library materials.

Also called: Library Aide, Library Assistant, Library Circulation Assistant, Library Clerk, Acquisitions Assistant, Cataloging Assistant, Library Associate, Library Clerical Assistant.

O*NET 43-4121.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $36,910; Middle half earn $31,820 to $45,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 50% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
Open and close library during specified hours and secure library equipment, such as computers and audio-visual equipment.
Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.
Classify and catalog items according to content and purpose.
Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.
Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.
Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.3 / 5
Active Listening3.3 / 5
Writing3.0 / 5
Speaking3.0 / 5
Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
Monitoring2.9 / 5

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service3.7 / 5
Administrative3.7 / 5
English Language3.6 / 5
Education and Training3.0 / 5
Psychology3.0 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.0 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic32
Investigative17
Artistic5
Social46
Enterprising20
Conventional98

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

archivist · DE Archivar/Archivarin · FR archiviste
exhibition registrar · DE Museumsregistrar/Museumsregistrarin · FR régisseur des collections/régisseuse des collections
zoo registrar · DE Wissenschaftlicher Zoomitarbeiter, verantwortlich für Register des Tierbestandes/Wissenschaftliche Zoomitarbeiterin, verantwortlich für Register des Tierbestandes · FR assistant scientifique dans un zoo/assistante scientifique dans un zoo
big data archive librarian · DE Verwalter eines Archivs für große Datenmengen/Verwalterin eines Archivs für große Datenmengen · FR archiviste numérique spécialisé big data
library assistant · DE Bibliotheksassistent/Bibliotheksassistentin · FR aide-bibliothécaire
file clerk · DE Dokumentationsfachkraft · FR classeur-archiviste/classeuse-archiviste

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Library clerks and assistants (4135)24,000 employed
Archivists, conservators and curators (2472)17,100 employed
Elementary administration occupations n.e.c. (9219)17,100 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€61,714
Germany	€59,529
Ireland	€56,877
Austria	€55,374
Netherlands	€53,595
Sweden	€43,567
France	€41,515
Spain	€35,735
Italy	€33,649
Portugal	€26,072
Poland	€14,380

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.20. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (43-4121).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

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