Library director vs circulation director

The differences between library directors and circulation directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a library director and a circulation director. Additionally, a circulation director has an average salary of $59,920, which is higher than the $44,750 average annual salary of a library director.

The top three skills for a library director include library services, collection development and professional development. The most important skills for a circulation director are audience development, newspapers, and independent contractors.

Library director vs circulation director overview

	Library Director	Circulation Director
Yearly salary	$44,750	$59,920
Hourly rate	$21.51	$28.81
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	5,428	5,074
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

Library director vs circulation director salary

Library directors and circulation directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Library Director	Circulation Director
Average salary	$44,750	$59,920
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $69,000	Between $30,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	Hoboken, NJ	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between library director and circulation director education

There are a few differences between a library director and a circulation director in terms of educational background:

	Library Director	Circulation Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Library Science	Business
Most common college	New York University	Stanford University

Library director vs circulation director demographics

Here are the differences between library directors' and circulation directors' demographics:

	Library Director	Circulation Director
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5%	Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 77.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between library director and circulation director duties and responsibilities

Library director example responsibilities.

Manage records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
Hire & supervise 26 staff , 16 FTE.
Supervise one FTE and six part time employees.
Investigate and troubleshoot protocols, procedures and reagents.
Work with vendors to develop licensing and to troubleshoot electronic access.
Provide oversight of the acquisitions process at all stages, including final approval.

Circulation director example responsibilities.

Manage vendor relationships for BPA audits, reader service, international mail, subscription telemarketing & corporate compliance for USPS standards.
Manage records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
Insure adherence to ABC rules and regulations.
Establish completely fund NIE program at both papers.
Analyze and compare marketing campaigns, marketing briefs, and BPA statements.
Possess ABC, postal audit, statement of ownership, etc., knowledge.

Library director vs circulation director skills

Common library director skills

Library Services, 16%
Collection Development, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Library Operations, 6%
Academic Library, 6%
Library Resources, 5%

Common circulation director skills

Audience Development, 19%
Newspapers, 13%
Independent Contractors, 11%
Expense Budget, 10%
ABC, 4%
Strategic Plan, 4%

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Library Director
Library Director vs Circulation Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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