Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.
This is a specialization of
Librarians & Educational SpecialistsCareer Overview Video
AI Impact Assessment
AI Resilience Score
Score 3/6: high AI task exposure, strong human advantage means AI will assist but humans remain essential
How we calculated this:
54% of tasks can be accelerated by AI
+2% projected (2024-2034)
EPOCH score: 25/25
Key Responsibilities
- Check books in and out of the library.
- Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as searching computerized databases.
- Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.
- Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
- Keep up-to-date records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
- Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
- Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
- Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
- Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.
- Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.
Education & Training
Typical Entry Education
Master's degree
Time to Job Ready
6-12 years
Based on Job Zone 5. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.
Technology Skills
Key Abilities
Ready to Start Your Career?
Find jobs and training programs for librarians and media collections specialists- Median salary: $64K/year
Find Jobs
Search positions from LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and more. Get up to 50 relevant job listings with salary info.
- Real-time results
- Export to Excel
Find Training
Discover training programs, certifications, and educational resources to help you get started or advance your career.
- Local programs
- DOL verified
Compensation Details
Based on 133,760 employed workers
Also Known As
Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
O*NET Code: 25-4022.00