Administrative librarian vs librarian

The differences between administrative librarians and librarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an administrative librarian and a librarian. Additionally, an administrative librarian has an average salary of $53,527, which is higher than the $53,096 average annual salary of a librarian.

The top three skills for an administrative librarian include PLM, library services and collection development. The most important skills for a librarian are library services, customer service, and library materials.

Administrative librarian vs librarian overview

	Administrative Librarian	Librarian
Yearly salary	$53,527	$53,096
Hourly rate	$25.73	$25.53
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	34,496	1,264
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

Administrative librarian vs librarian salary

Administrative librarians and librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Administrative Librarian	Librarian
Average salary	$53,527	$53,096
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $78,000	Between $38,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Meta
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between administrative librarian and librarian education

There are a few differences between an administrative librarian and a librarian in terms of educational background:

	Administrative Librarian	Librarian
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Library Science	Library Science
Most common college	New York University	New York University

Administrative librarian vs librarian demographics

Here are the differences between administrative librarians' and librarians' demographics:

	Administrative Librarian	Librarian
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%	Male, 31.3% Female, 68.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 5.0% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 77.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between administrative librarian and librarian duties and responsibilities

Administrative librarian example responsibilities.

Manage document delivery via Docline and consortia memberships.
Maintain accurate records of circulation and materials, inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
Provide opportunities for students to use the library for class-relate research, individual investigation, independent reading, and personal inquiry.
Evaluate and select integrated library system for OPAC and serials management.

Librarian example responsibilities.

Plan and manage weekly toddler programs and activities.
Recruit, train, and manage volunteers, teen ambassadors, book buddies, elderly volunteers, and teen tech assistants.
Manage adult non-fiction materials and coordinate staff.
Manage and maintain inventory of NAVAIR technical documentation.
Manage integrated library system including OPAC, serials control, cataloging and acquisitions.
Achieve proficiency cataloging electronic materials (audio records, video recordings, and streaming video) and continuing resources/serials.

Administrative librarian vs librarian skills

Common administrative librarian skills

PLM, 32%
Library Services, 21%
Collection Development, 15%
Professional Development, 13%
Library System, 8%
Library Operations, 6%

Common librarian skills

Library Services, 11%
Customer Service, 10%
Library Materials, 8%
Collection Development, 7%
Library Resources, 6%
Reference Services, 5%

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Administrative Librarian
Administrative Librarian vs Librarian

Updated January 8, 2025

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