The Library Technician primarily provides circulation services; secondarily provides interlibrary loan, document delivery, and technical services to Midwestern University patrons. As the main customer service face of the library, this individual is a major information point for the whole campus, answering questions from all students, faculty, and staff in person, by phone, and by email. The position reports to the Access Services Manager.
Shift Hours
This position works 40 hours per week:
+ Sundays, 10AM to 6:30PM
+ Mondays-Thursdays, 3:30PM to MIDNIGHT
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
+ Perform circulation desk procedures
+ Provide excellent customer service through patron assistance and interaction (in person and virtually)
+ Assist students in using the online room reservation system and enforce study room policies and procedures
+ Maintain the physicality of the library proper including the troubleshooting of computers, printers, copiers, and scanners
+ Shelf read, straighten shelves, and maintain the cleanliness of student study spaces, including but not limited to wiping whiteboards and computer monitors
+ Maintain reserve collection by tracking course syllabi, recommending additions and deletions, and providing aids for desk staff and students
+ Assist Access Services Manager with the development of workflow and procedures
+ Sustain a flexible work schedule, which may include occasionally covering additional shifts as necessary
+ Participate in special projects and complete other duties as assigned
Supervisory Responsibilities
This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. This individual must have the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner and must have regular, predictable in-person attendance. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience
The individual must have a Bachelor's degree or Library Technical Assistant Certification with 1 year of related experience or an Associate's degree with 2-3 years of related library experience is required. A Bachelor's degree with 1 year of related experience is desired. Experience working in a team and customer service-oriented environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Computer Skills
Computer proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
Language Skills
Intermediate skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
Reasoning Ability
Intermediate skills: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Mathematical Ability
Basic skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to interpret bar graphs.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to climb or balance. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is frequently required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. The employee must frequently lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Midwestern University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not discriminate against an employee or applicant based upon race; color; religion; creed; national origin or ancestry; ethnicity; sex (including pregnancy); gender (including gender expressions, gender identity; and sexual orientation); marital status; age; disability; citizenship; past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services; genetic information; or any other protected class, in accord with all federal, state and local laws, including 41 C.F.R. 60-1.4(a), 250.5(a), 300.5(a) and 741.5(a). Midwestern University complies with the Smoke-Free Arizona Act (A.R.S. 36-601.01) and the Smoke Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 82/). Midwestern University complies with the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 and Arizona Equal Pay Acts.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
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How to hire a library technician
Library technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring library technicians in the United States:
- HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
- It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
- It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
- The median cost to hire a library technician is $1,633.
- Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per library technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
- There are currently 42,313 library technicians in the US and 24,941 job openings.
- Washington, DC, has the highest demand for library technicians, with 8 job openings.
- Washington, DC has the highest concentration of library technicians.
How to hire a library technician, step by step
To hire a library technician, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a library technician:
Here's a step-by-step library technician hiring guide:
- Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
- Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
- Step 3: Make a budget
- Step 4: Write a library technician job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new library technician
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does a library technician do?
A library technician is responsible for sorting books and other catalogs to their appropriate shelf for easy and accurate searching. Library technicians manage and monitor the materials borrowed from the facility, keeping a record of the borrower's information and updating details on the library's database. They also assist the visitors with their inquiries and concerns, leading them to the appropriate area of their needs, and remind everyone of the policies and regulations inside the library.
Post a library technician job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
Before you post your library technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a library technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?A library technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, library technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.
This list presents library technician salaries for various positions.
Type of Library Technician Description Hourly rate Library Technician Library technicians and assistants help librarians with all aspects of running a library. They assist patrons, organize library materials and information, and perform clerical and administrative tasks. $13-23 Technician's Helper A technician's helper primarily performs support tasks to assist technicians in carrying out various installations and repairs, learning technical skills along the way. They usually prepare and arrange tools and equipment, set-up and clean work areas, understand blueprints and schematics, troubleshoot issues, assemble materials, and fix and replace components under the technician's supervision... Show more $10-27 Library Aide A library aide is responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day operations of libraries. Typical duties include assisting customers in finding books, shelving books according to categories, and updating and maintaining customer profiles... Show more $10-17 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- Library Services
- Data Entry
- Circulation Desk
- Customer Service
- Library System
- Library Patrons
- Library Resources
- Word Processing
- Cataloging
- Library Equipment
- Library Operations
- OCLC
- Library Collection
- Library Cards
Responsibilities:- Cataloge library materials using OCLC to be add to collection, and repair damaged materials.
- Process books and serials in Sydney (ILS).
- Enter new patron records into the ILS.
- Process incoming serials and maintain serial records and archives.
- Work with supervisors, coworkers, and patrons to resolve questions and troubleshoot both electronic and physical item requests.
- Install, configure, troubleshoot laser scanners, RFID readers and antennas, sensors, detectors, actuators, payment systems.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your library technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A library technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.
For example, the average salary for a library technician in South Dakota may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level library technician usually earns less than a senior-level library technician. Additionally, a library technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.
Average library technician salary
$37,757yearly
$18.15 hourly rateEntry-level library technician salary$29,000 yearly salaryUpdated December 20, 2025Average library technician salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 District of Columbia $52,038 $25 2 California $47,114 $23 3 Mississippi $44,392 $21 4 Nevada $43,511 $21 5 Virginia $41,565 $20 6 Arizona $40,132 $19 7 North Carolina $39,013 $19 8 Colorado $36,000 $17 9 Hawaii $35,040 $17 10 New Mexico $34,838 $17 11 Texas $34,058 $16 12 Michigan $31,959 $15 13 Montana $31,337 $15 14 Louisiana $30,173 $15 15 Arkansas $24,168 $12 Average library technician salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 Syracuse University $49,802 $23.94 2 University of Nevada, Reno $48,697 $23.41 3 Mt. San Antonio College $48,418 $23.28 4 York County $44,491 $21.39 5 Central Washington University $43,694 $21.01 6 Alexandria Technical and Community College $43,202 $20.77 7 Madera High School $42,990 $20.67 8 Cadence Design Systems $42,975 $20.66 9 Lycoming College $42,242 $20.31 10 Vencore $41,635 $20.02 11 Minnesota State Fair $41,122 $19.77 1 12 Prince William County $40,910 $19.67 13 Denver Public Schools $40,679 $19.56 3 14 City of Laredo $40,256 $19.35 15 Hillsdale College $40,178 $19.32 16 United States Courts $39,561 $19.02 2 17 Town of Lexington $39,489 $18.99 18 City of Richmond $39,118 $18.81 19 Pacific Architects and Engineers $39,094 $18.80 20 City of Farmington $38,866 $18.69 3 Writing a library technician job description
A library technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a library technician job description:
Library technician job description example
Post your job
To find library technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
- Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any library technicians they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level library technicians with the right educational background.
- Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
- Post your library technician job on Zippia to find and recruit library technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Your first interview with library technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new library technician
Once you've decided on a perfect library technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.
It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.
To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a library technician?
Hiring a library technician comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting library technicians involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of library technician recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.
You can expect to pay around $37,757 per year for a library technician, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for library technicians in the US typically range between $13 and $23 an hour.
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Updated December 20, 2025