Library media assistant vs reference assistant

The differences between library media assistants and reference assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a library media assistant has an average salary of $34,052, which is higher than the $27,874 average annual salary of a reference assistant.

The top three skills for a library media assistant include library materials, media and library books. The most important skills for a reference assistant are library materials, library patrons, and interlibrary loan.

Library media assistant vs reference assistant overview

	Library Media Assistant	Reference Assistant
Yearly salary	$34,052	$27,874
Hourly rate	$16.37	$13.40
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	9,087	658
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	-	-

Library media assistant vs reference assistant salary

Library media assistants and reference assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Library Media Assistant	Reference Assistant
Average salary	$34,052	$27,874
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $21,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Salem, OR	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Albemarle County	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between library media assistant and reference assistant education

There are a few differences between a library media assistant and a reference assistant in terms of educational background:

	Library Media Assistant	Reference Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Business	English
Most common college	Stanford University	New York University

Library media assistant vs reference assistant demographics

Here are the differences between library media assistants' and reference assistants' demographics:

	Library Media Assistant	Reference Assistant
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8%	Male, 32.3% Female, 67.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between library media assistant and reference assistant duties and responsibilities

Library media assistant example responsibilities.

Assist with video recording and cataloging of activities on an IBM.
Perform original cataloging and copy cataloging.
Develop system to streamline classroom media requests resulting in more efficient distribution of materials.
Engage in moderate weeding projects of the fiction, biography, and nonfiction collections.
Assess and discard non-fiction collections as assigned.

Reference assistant example responsibilities.

Construct and manage subject LibGuides.
Manage yearly budget for DVDs.
Search for and retrieve cases from online databases such as Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis.
Prepare library libguides and bibliographies on various areas of law.
Train fellow staff members in inter-library loan procedures and online database, OCLC.
Process requests for journal articles and books from RapidILL, OCLC, and DOCLINE.

Library media assistant vs reference assistant skills

Common library media assistant skills

Library Materials, 14%
Media, 14%
Library Books, 6%
Instructional Materials, 6%
Circulation Desk, 5%
Library Equipment, 5%

Common reference assistant skills

Library Materials, 8%
Library Patrons, 7%
Interlibrary Loan, 6%
Reference Desk, 6%
Reference Services, 6%
Library Resources, 5%

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Library Media Assistant
Library Media Assistant vs Reference Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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