Vocational Index

Career

Library assistants, clerical

Check out books and help library patrons.

$36,910
Median pay
-6.4%
Job growth, 2025–35
12,300
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school

Here's what you actually need to know.

The work

What people in this job do

  • 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.
  • Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
  • Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.

The outlook

How the forecast changed this year

2024–34 edition-6.7%2025–35 edition-6.4%
Projected 10-year growth in last year's and this year's BLS projections. 12,800 → 12,300 openings a year.

The deeper question

What kind of person does this path ask you to become?

What this work centers on

Information & systems
6.9
People & care
3.8
Objects & tools
2.9
Persuasion & leadership
2.2
Ideas & analysis
2.0
Creation & expression
1.3

O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.

The work

Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then people & care?

Responsibility

Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?

“Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.”

Development

What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?

Service Orientation, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing.

Trade-offs

What does it ask of you in exchange?

No degree beyond high school, though short-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $36,910 a year and 12,300 openings nationally each year.

Paths in

Degrees that lead here

  • NO MATCHCIP 99.9999

Paths across

Careers that use similar skills

Ask anything about this career.

“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.

Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →

Sources

  1. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.