Library Assistants, Clerical

Lowest scored Low pay & highrisk
Moderate Risk
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Explore safer careers (3)

Lower estimated automation risk

Archivists
22% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
32.9 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Materials preservation, records, collections, finding aids, careful handling, and researcher access provide a bridge.

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
28% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
26.4 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Collections, patron service, reference requests, catalog systems, and information access overlap with credentials.

Document Management Specialists
18% automation risk | Minimal Risk
Pays better Higher growth
36.3 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Metadata, document storage, retrieval systems, access rules, records accuracy, and retention procedures overlap.

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Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
1.9/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

55% (Moderate Risk)

Moderate Risk (41-60%): This occupation may be meaningfully affected by automation. Some parts of the role may be suitable for AI, software, or robotics, while others still rely on human skill, judgement, trust, or real-world context. People in this range may benefit from building skills that complement automation and reduce replacement risk.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Working directly with the public

Quite important
Why this matters
The job involves face-to-face interaction with customers, clients, or guests—answering questions, handling requests, and managing service situations in real time. Roles with frequent public interaction are harder to replace end-to-end because they rely on trust, communication, and adapting to unpredictable human needs.
Jobs that also use this strength

Thinking creatively

Quite important
Why this matters
Coming up with original ideas and designs—creating new concepts, products, systems, or artistic work. This kind of open-ended invention and taste-based judgment is harder to automate end-to-end than routine, rule-based tasks.
Jobs that also use this strength

Decision-making and problem solving

Quite important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

Education and training expertise

Quite important
Why this matters
Designing and delivering instruction—adapting lessons to different learners and measuring whether training actually works.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 74 votes

64% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted that it's probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 55% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Library Assistants, Clerical will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Sentiment

Based on user votes over time

View sentiment trend

How opinions have changed over time

Pay & outlook

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Library Assistants, Clerical was $36,010 ($17 per hour).

The median annual wage for Library Assistants, Clerical was 27.3% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

View wage trend

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Very slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Library Assistants, Clerical' job openings is expected to decline 6.7% by 2034

View employment trend

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Moderate range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 80,070 people employed as 'Library Assistants, Clerical' within the United States.

This represents around 0.05% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 1 thousand people are employed as 'Library Assistants, Clerical'.

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What people are saying (1)

Bec (Low)
15 Dec 2024 00:37
Returning books takes physical hands to return. I don’t see robots going around returning books, but you never know. They do make errors though. Physical book sales in bookshops are booming and libraries are still popular, so I don’t see AI taking over.
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Job description

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.

O*NET-SOC code: 43-4121.00