How To Become A Library Aide: What It Is and Career Path

What is a library aide and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Who maintains the library's day-to-day operations, especially when the librarian is busy? That's the job of a library aide, sometimes known as a library assistant. The library aide does whatever it takes to keep the library running. Unlike the librarian, they don't need a library degree to do their job.

The library aide doesn't spend their whole day shushing people. They take care of various clerical duties such as checking out or returning books and keeping track of materials. The library aide may be surrounded by books, but they also need to be good with people in order to help customers find what they need.

There are many different kinds of libraries, so the library aide can work in many places. They can work in a public library or in one located inside of a school or university. A library aide can even work in a law office or for a private business that is large enough to have its own library.

ScoreLibrary AideUS Average

Salary

2.2

Avg. Salary $28,197

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.77%

Asian 5.96%

Black or African American 9.02%

Hispanic or Latino 15.62%

Unknown 4.82%

White 63.81%

Gender

female 73.39%

male 26.61%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

3.7

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a library aide

Explore library aide education requirements

Most common library aide degrees

Bachelor's

50.2 %

Associate

23.2 %

High School Diploma

15.3 %

Start to develop specific library aide skills

Skills	Percentages
Library Materials	18.10%
Customer Service	10.70%
Circulation Desk	6.02%
Library Patrons	3.99%
Library Services	3.37%

Complete relevant library aide training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New library aides learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a library aide based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real library aide resumes.

Gain additional library aide certifications

Library aide certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific library aide certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for library aides include Advanced First Aid & CPR and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).

More About Certifications

Research library aide duties and responsibilities

Assist library patrons at the front desk, checking in/out, use of an ILS.
Label new books, label dvds and organize inventory.
Shelve DVDs and books, clean doors and windows.
Demonstrate initiative by volunteering to undergo cross training on inter-library loan policies and procedures.

Prepare your library aide resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your library aide resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a library aide resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable library aide resume templates

Build a professional library aide resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your library aide resume.

Apply for library aide jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a library aide job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do library aides rate their job?

-/5

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1 star

Library aide reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023

Cons

Very repetitive. This doesn't negate the fact that the work is a great learning experience of how the library works and comes together to serve patrons.

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019

Pros

pay Invoice on spreadsheet , sort open shipment from Baker Taylor warehouse , process books and DVD , put new barcode and labels on all books and av material