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The differences between reference librarians and research librarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a reference librarian and a research librarian. Additionally, a research librarian has an average salary of $51,263, which is higher than the $50,409 average annual salary of a reference librarian.
The top three skills for a reference librarian include reference services, library patrons and collection development. The most important skills for a research librarian are research support, library services, and collection development.
| Reference Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $50,409 | $51,263 |
| Hourly rate | $24.24 | $24.65 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 1,058 | 45,828 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
The primary duty of a research librarian is to assist scholars, students, and other researchers in finding books and other study materials. Research librarians handle integrated library systems such as serials control, acquisitions, and cataloging. They create and maintain the library's intranet portal using Microsoft SharePoint. Part of their job is to instruct and assist staff on the proper usage of intranet catalogs and other research databases. They establish a partnership with the other librarians to design and provide information and library literacy instruction to the student body.
Reference librarians and research librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reference Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average salary | $50,409 | $51,263 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Yale University | Harvard University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a reference librarian and a research librarian in terms of educational background:
| Reference Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Library Science | Library Science |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between reference librarians' and research librarians' demographics:
| Reference Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.8% White, 77.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |