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The differences between library specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, 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 specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Library Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,884 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $15.81 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 19,984 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| 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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Library specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Library Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $32,884 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $43,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Brown University | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a library specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Library Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | English | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between library specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Library Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |