Post job

Serials assistant vs circulation desk assistant

The differences between serials assistants and circulation desk assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a serials assistant has an average salary of $36,172, which is higher than the $26,159 average annual salary of a circulation desk assistant.

The top three skills for a serials assistant include OCLC, newspapers and library materials. The most important skills for a circulation desk assistant are library materials, customer service, and library patrons.

Serials assistant vs circulation desk assistant overview

Serials AssistantCirculation Desk Assistant
Yearly salary$36,172$26,159
Hourly rate$17.39$12.58
Growth rate-4%-4%
Number of jobs54325,638
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4747
Years of experience--

Serials assistant vs circulation desk assistant salary

Serials assistants and circulation desk assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Serials AssistantCirculation Desk Assistant
Average salary$36,172$26,159
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $63,000Between $19,000 And $34,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between serials assistant and circulation desk assistant education

There are a few differences between a serials assistant and a circulation desk assistant in terms of educational background:

Serials AssistantCirculation Desk Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkNorthwestern University

Serials assistant vs circulation desk assistant demographics

Here are the differences between serials assistants' and circulation desk assistants' demographics:

Serials AssistantCirculation Desk Assistant
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 30.8% Female, 69.2%Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 5.9% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between serials assistant and circulation desk assistant duties and responsibilities

Serials assistant example responsibilities.

  • Edit MARC records for serials.
  • Process newspapers, magazines, and journals using SirsiDynix.
  • Shelve periodicals and newspapers in the periodical area and keep the area tidy.
  • Spearhead creation of a share document listing recurring names and terminology to facilitate consistent taxonomy across the cataloging team.
  • Assess and discard non-fiction collections as assigned.

Circulation desk assistant example responsibilities.

  • Utilize computerized system for circulating books and DVDs.
  • Stack, sort, and insert ads into newspapers.
  • Assist in running equipment to bundle newspapers to be send out to carriers for delivery.
  • Assign and monitor computers to students; check books and DVDs in and out using a computerize system.
  • Perform regular cataloging of new acquisitions, maintaining accurate data building for microfilm, microfiche, periodicals, and academic collections.
  • Develop library collection materials for young adults including award-winning non-fiction and fiction titles.

Serials assistant vs circulation desk assistant skills

Common serials assistant skills
  • OCLC, 30%
  • Newspapers, 19%
  • Library Materials, 16%
  • Cataloging, 12%
  • Marc, 11%
  • Library System, 10%
Common circulation desk assistant skills
  • Library Materials, 23%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Library Patrons, 6%
  • Library Resources, 6%
  • Front Desk, 5%
  • DVDs, 3%

Browse office and administrative jobs