# Library Technicians

> 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.

- **SOC code:** 25-4031.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-4031-00
- **Also known as:** Library Assistant, Library Associate, Library Technical Assistant (LTA), Library Technician, Circulation Clerk, Library Aide, Library Clerk, Library Media Technician
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- 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.
- Issue identification cards to borrowers.
- 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.
- Process interlibrary loans for patrons.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Open and close the library.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Administrative _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Speaking _(essential_skill)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Speech Recognition _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Social Perceptiveness _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Windows _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Access _(Specialized Skill)_
- Learning Strategies _(Specialized Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Acrobat _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(hot technology)_
- Adobe InDesign _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Windows _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Dreamweaver

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 62nd percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 49th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 59th percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 82nd percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 99th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -6.8% growth (Declining); 13k annual openings; 78.6k → 73.2k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $39,970; 73,770 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 54% automation, 37% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 3.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** directive.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Retrieve information from central databases for storage in a library's computer. _(2.4% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Compile bibliographies and prepare abstracts on subjects of interest to particular organizations or groups. _(2.2% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Conduct reference searches, using printed materials and in-house and online databases. _(2.0% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Compose explanatory summaries of contents of books and other reference materials. _(0.9% of measured AI use; directive)_
- 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. _(0.7% of measured AI use; directive)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me retrieve information from central databases for storage in a library's computer.
- Help me compile bibliographies and prepare abstracts on subjects of interest to particular organizations or groups.
- Help me conduct reference searches, using printed materials and in-house and online databases.
- Help me compose explanatory summaries of contents of books and other reference materials.
- Help me 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.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-4031-00_