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The differences between assistant librarians and acquisitions assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant librarian has an average salary of $53,764, which is higher than the $32,357 average annual salary of an acquisitions assistant.
The top three skills for an assistant librarian include library materials, reference services and library services. The most important skills for an acquisitions assistant are HR, data entry, and background checks.
| Assistant Librarian | Acquisitions Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $53,764 | $32,357 |
| Hourly rate | $25.85 | $15.56 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,617 | 1,102 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The main responsibilities and duties of an assistant librarian are to help librarians in acquiring, preparing, and organizing materials. Assistant librarians help in checking in and out as well as in the circulation of library materials. They execute transaction activities and patron registration. It is their job to process new books, make reservations on requested books, and maintain circulation records. They weed the collection of obsolete and worn-out materials whenever necessary. It is also part of their job to greet and attend to the needs of library users.
An acquisitions assistant helps the acquisition team in performing different administrative tasks. They conduct detailed research to plan and keep the acquisition process running smoothly. Besides categorizing and storing goods and materials and placing orders to the vendor, acquisitions assistants also prepare and keep payments and purchase records and receipts for reference. They receive the requested orders, evaluate the goods and other items, and return all damaged materials to the vendors. Moreover, these professionals maintain magazine records, book records, and other journal records in the library.
Assistant librarians and acquisitions assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Librarian | Acquisitions Assistant | |
| Average salary | $53,764 | $32,357 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $71,000 | Between $18,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Kent Daniels & Associates | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an assistant librarian and an acquisitions assistant in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Librarian | Acquisitions Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between assistant librarians' and acquisitions assistants' demographics:
| Assistant Librarian | Acquisitions Assistant | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 28.5% Female, 71.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |