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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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. CareerOneStop's licensing data records no state license for Library Technicians, which usually means it is not a licensed occupation. Requirements can still vary by employer and state.
Working conditions. On average, workers stand or walk about 3.1 hours and sit about 4.0 hours per day. For 53.4% of workers the job requires light strength. Shares of workers who interact with the general public (96.3%), have a consistently fast work pace (24.0%), cannot pause their work (25.1%), and are exposed to the outdoors (22.5%). From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey (2023 estimates); figures describe the occupation on average.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round library technicians ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $28,400 with a high school diploma or GED, $47,700 with some college or an associate's degree and $40,600 with a bachelor's degree (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.
Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of library technicians work in Information (59%), Educational Services (29%) and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (3%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most library technicians are Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (59% of the jobs counted, median pay $40,260), Elementary and Secondary Schools (16% of the jobs counted, median pay $45,590), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (14% of the jobs counted, median pay $48,320), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (6% of the jobs counted, median pay $46,340) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools ($48,320), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services ($46,340), Elementary and Secondary Schools ($45,590). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
What workers studied. Among library technicians with a bachelor's degree or higher, the most common fields of the bachelor's degree are English Language and Literature (7%) and History (7%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Librarians, curators, and archivists", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 42.6 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 2 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Education, training, and library", which includes this career, 32.5% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,483 for union members and $1,130 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to library technicians.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Professional and related", which includes this career, 86% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 85% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 92% had paid sick leave, 73% paid vacation and 78% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to library technicians, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $74.42 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Professional and related" in June 2026 ($50.37 in wages and salaries and $24.06 in benefits, 32.3% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for library technicians are: face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (98%), indoors, environmentally controlled (98%), e-mail (90%), determine tasks, priorities and goals (85%), telephone conversations (84%), freedom to make decisions (83%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (35% of 28 respondents) was "over 6 months, up to and including 1 year"; for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (28% of 28 respondents) was "none"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (36% of 28 respondents) was "over 1 month, up to and including 3 months". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to library technicians in the work done and the skills used: Library Assistants, Clerical, File Clerks, Office Clerks, General, Document Management Specialists, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, Stockers and Order Fillers, Receptionists and Information Clerks, Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what library technicians earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Library Technicians salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare library technicians with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →
Library and Archives Assisting
CIP 25.0301