Library Technicians

This is a tougher one. The only real *threat* to it (at this point in time) is cuts to its funding. Actual paid Library stuff (in majority of US areas) are quite prestigious to have, and (like college professors) turn-around is depressingly low. Even before "AI" the start of automated book check outs, and app check outs have turned a staff of 8 to 4. 4 paid members and bring on seasonal volunteers for community service (perhaps) seasonal low wage roles as needed.

Librarians and Library Technicians have a considerably broader skill set than some of the automated tasks that a computer program such as generative AI could undertake. Librarians provide the community with more than just the environment to borrow books / media material and field repetitive enquiries; librarians primary mandate is to bring a level of empathy and community spirit to their role. Beyond that, a significant part of their duties is promotion and advocacy, library programming development and implementation, day to day user support for personal, academic and professional research that may not be computer based, access to technology and STEM resources and equipment, user support and oversight. Library's are progressively becoming community hubs that support library users in a multitude of ways that require the ability to independently assess situations and respond to unique situations and requests, qualities that don't lend themselves well to computer intelligence or artificial intelligence's current inability to adapt to situations from an empathetic human perspective.

While a lot of the duties performed by library technicians can be automated, libraries remain social places that provide services both information, and non-information related. Library technicians working in specialized libraries or serving users with low technology literacy will probably still remain in two decades.

While I think the day to day of the academic librarian and reference librarian will change drastically as AI continues to optimize information retrieval, public libraries are community centers focused on social engagement and building relationships with young people and families, as well as supporting people who have limited access to information tools. Librarians will continue to work alongside technology and assist people in incorporating these new tools in their lives, the way we always have. It will just look different.

Well, that's perhaps your perception due to the increased use of eBooks, but "Printed book sales amounted to 689.45 million units in 2019, down slightly from the previous year but still a significant improvement on the years 2012 to 2016." That's still a lot of people reading printed books.

Not many people read physical books anymore.