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The differences between reference librarians and youth services 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 youth services librarian. Additionally, a reference librarian has an average salary of $50,409, which is higher than the $49,971 average annual salary of a youth services librarian.
The top three skills for a reference librarian include reference services, library patrons and collection development. The most important skills for a youth services librarian are social work, mental health, and community outreach.
| Reference Librarian | Youth Services Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $50,409 | $49,971 |
| Hourly rate | $24.24 | $24.02 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 1,058 | 55,418 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| 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.
Youth services librarians are people who plan and conduct the library's programs and services for children. The librarians execute their tasks under the supervision of a library director. They communicate with teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and community members for library service improvement. Their job includes assisting library patrons in search of the necessary material in answering reference questions and offering reader advisory. Also, they uphold patrons' confidentiality rights and their records.
Reference librarians and youth services librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reference Librarian | Youth Services Librarian | |
| Average salary | $50,409 | $49,971 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $70,000 | Between $34,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | West Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Yale University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a reference librarian and a youth services librarian in terms of educational background:
| Reference Librarian | Youth Services Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Library Science | Psychology |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Washington |
Here are the differences between reference librarians' and youth services librarians' demographics:
| Reference Librarian | Youth Services Librarian | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9% |
| 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, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |