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The differences between library specialists and reference librarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a reference librarian has an average salary of $50,409, which is higher than the $32,884 average annual salary of a library specialist.
The top three skills for a library specialist include library materials, library services and library resources. The most important skills for a reference librarian are reference services, library patrons, and collection development.
| Library Specialist | Reference Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $32,884 | $50,409 |
| Hourly rate | $15.81 | $24.24 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,984 | 1,058 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Library specialists are professionals who are responsible for assisting library patrons by performing a variety of tasks assigned by librarians. These specialists are required to perform duties such as telephone calls, responding to the questions of patrons, and assisting teachers and their students. They must help library patrons find resources that can include reference materials, electronic journals, and audiovisual equipment. Library specialists must also catalog and process other print and non-print materials while using a pushcart to re-shelve or deliver library books.
Being a reference librarian requires good people skills, knowledge in their respective fields, and good teaching ability to handle the varied responsibilities. Job duties include the interpretation, recommendation, evaluation, and use of information resources in order to assist library patrons with their respective information requirements. These are tasks that will just as often be conducted through phone chat and email as in person.
Library specialists and reference librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Library Specialist | Reference Librarian | |
| Average salary | $32,884 | $50,409 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $43,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Brown University | Yale University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a library specialist and a reference librarian in terms of educational background:
| Library Specialist | Reference Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | English | Library Science |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between library specialists' and reference librarians' demographics:
| Library Specialist | Reference Librarian | |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.8% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 16% |