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The differences between library aides and assistant librarians 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 $28,197 average annual salary of a library aide.
The top three skills for a library aide include library materials, customer service and circulation desk. The most important skills for an assistant librarian are library materials, reference services, and library services.
| Library Aide | Assistant Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $28,197 | $53,764 |
| Hourly rate | $13.56 | $25.85 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 40,987 | 1,617 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A library aide is responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day operations of libraries. Typical duties include assisting customers in finding books, shelving books according to categories, and updating and maintaining customer profiles. In addition, you will assist customers in accessing the internet, keeping a record of books that have been borrowed and returned, and coordinating the repair of books that have been damaged. You will also be responsible for handling inquiries from customers via telephone or email and assisting with reading sessions and library events.
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.
Library aides and assistant librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Library Aide | Assistant Librarian | |
| Average salary | $28,197 | $53,764 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $36,000 | Between $40,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Daly City, CA | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Dublin City Schools | Kent Daniels & Associates |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a library aide and an assistant librarian in terms of educational background:
| Library Aide | Assistant Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between library aides' and assistant librarians' demographics:
| Library Aide | Assistant Librarian | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |