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Elementary librarian vs library assistant

The differences between elementary librarians and library assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an elementary librarian has an average salary of $52,474, which is higher than the $30,146 average annual salary of a library assistant.

The top three skills for an elementary librarian include library materials, library collection and library programs. The most important skills for a library assistant are customer service, library materials, and circulation desk.

Elementary librarian vs library assistant overview

Elementary LibrarianLibrary Assistant
Yearly salary$52,474$30,146
Hourly rate$25.23$14.49
Growth rate6%-4%
Number of jobs2,7541,122
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age4847
Years of experience2-

Elementary librarian vs library assistant salary

Elementary librarians and library assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Elementary LibrarianLibrary Assistant
Average salary$52,474$30,146
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $77,000Between $22,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City-Brookline, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between elementary librarian and library assistant education

There are a few differences between an elementary librarian and a library assistant in terms of educational background:

Elementary LibrarianLibrary Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorElementary EducationBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaNorthwestern University

Elementary librarian vs library assistant demographics

Here are the differences between elementary librarians' and library assistants' demographics:

Elementary LibrarianLibrary Assistant
Average age4847
Gender ratioMale, 7.5% Female, 92.5%Male, 29.0% Female, 71.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.8% White, 77.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage16%11%

Differences between elementary librarian and library assistant duties and responsibilities

Elementary librarian example responsibilities.

  • Manage and supervise a full-time media assistant, technology technicians and parent and student volunteers.
  • Conduct research for teachers for relevant on-line resources for their curricular use.
  • Introduce some computer research skills and concepts 3rd grade - target social relationships and personal responsibility 4th grade - biography project.
  • Manage and supervise a full-time media assistant, technology technicians and parent and student volunteers.
  • Obtain a grant to update the non-fiction collection.

Library assistant example responsibilities.

  • Organize and check in newly arrive reference materials, magazines, newspapers, and journals.
  • Assist with processing acquisitions, collection maintenance and development, retro- cataloging, copy cataloging.
  • Process and track inter-library loans and donations.
  • Set up user accounts and user rights in windows.
  • Process magazines and annual reports for the circulation department.
  • Re-Serve, circulate, check-in / check-out and renew books.
  • Show more

Elementary librarian vs library assistant skills

Common elementary librarian skills
  • Library Materials, 22%
  • Library Collection, 20%
  • Library Programs, 13%
  • AV, 9%
  • Research Projects, 8%
  • Research, 8%
Common library assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Library Materials, 15%
  • Circulation Desk, 7%
  • Library Patrons, 4%
  • Library Services, 4%
  • Library Resources, 3%

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