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

What is a library associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Kerol Harrod

Library associates perform a variety of tasks including research, administration, and cataloguing. They also assist patrons by answering their questions, issuing library cards, and checking out loan materials. They may also oversee interlibrary loans, maintain various databases, and organize special events and outreaches for the community.

As a library associate, technician or assistant, you're responsible for providing administrative and research assistance to librarians. You could work in a large public library or a specialized resource center, such as a medical, law, or research library. If you want to pursue a career as a library associate, you could work solely as a library media or circulation assistant.

The criteria for academic qualifications for this post is not specific. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), some smaller libraries will hire you with a high school diploma and provide you with on-the-job training. However, most employers will prefer you if you have some formal postsecondary training in library science, such as an associate degree or certificate. If you are interested in becoming a full-fledged librarian, you'll need to complete a Master of Library Science (MLS) degree program.

What general advice would you give to a library associate?

Kerol Harrod

Lecturer, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Texas Woman's University

Much of what I would advise involves just sticking to the basics. Show up to work on time. Have a good attitude and a growth mindset. Don't complain about menial tasks, and always be looking to learn the skills of the next position above you. I started out as the transit driver in my library system, loading and unloading boxes of books that circulated among the different library branches. I worked my way up, and now I am teaching graduate students how to become librarians. Put in the time and do the work. Networking is a huge part of success, so it's important to maintain good connections with co-workers, former professors, and fellow librarians. Finally, consider establishing a mentorship with a successful, trusted colleague who has experience in the position you want to attain. Personal connections go a long way.

ScoreLibrary AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $35,851

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.76%

Asian 5.42%

Black or African American 11.29%

Hispanic or Latino 14.34%

Unknown 4.73%

White 63.46%

Gender

female 68.73%

male 31.27%

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 associate

Explore library associate education requirements

Most common library associate degrees

Bachelor's

69.6 %

Master's

12.6 %

Associate

10.8 %

Start to develop specific library associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Library Materials	12.11%
Library Services	8.21%
Customer Service	7.16%
Library Resources	4.90%
Interlibrary Loan	4.46%

Complete relevant library associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New library associates 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 associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real library associate resumes.

Research library associate duties and responsibilities

Collect data, compile bibliographies, manage current contents and perform copy cataloging functions.
Participate in TLA focus group that evaluate OCLC's WebJunction portal for public access usage.
Assist guest of the facility in proficient and timely manner and troubleshoot guest with computer problems during their visit.
Acquire research materials for faculty and graduate students from other institutions via OCLC -ILL subsystem and various mail format request systems.

Prepare your library associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your library associate 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 associate 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 associate resume templates

Build a professional library associate 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 associate resume.

Apply for library associate jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a library associate 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 associates rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Library associate reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

I'm an academic librarian, so helping students learn about information and research, teaching classes about same, and the intellectual aspect of working with information access around colleagues who are smart and kind. I've also been a teacher and a sales and marketing executive, but librarianship is by far my most rewarding career.

Cons

The pay. The stereotypes. The people who ask, "do they even still have libraries"?

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019