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Serials assistant vs library circulation assistant

The differences between serials assistants and library circulation 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 $30,375 average annual salary of a library circulation assistant.

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

Serials assistant vs library circulation assistant overview

Serials AssistantLibrary Circulation Assistant
Yearly salary$36,172$30,375
Hourly rate$17.39$14.60
Growth rate-4%-4%
Number of jobs5431,137
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4747
Years of experience--

Serials assistant vs library circulation assistant salary

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

Serials AssistantLibrary Circulation Assistant
Average salary$36,172$30,375
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $63,000Between $23,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City-Albany, NY
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-The University of Kansas Health System
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between serials assistant and library circulation assistant education

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

Serials AssistantLibrary Circulation Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorPsychologyEnglish
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkDuke University

Serials assistant vs library circulation assistant demographics

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

Serials AssistantLibrary Circulation Assistant
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 30.8% Female, 69.2%Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8%
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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 6.7% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between serials assistant and library circulation 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.

Library circulation assistant example responsibilities.

  • Process internal and external inter-library loan requests for fiction and non-fiction titles and digital media.
  • Check books and CDs in and out; put books and CDs back on shelves
  • Develop library collection materials for young adults including award-winning non-fiction and fiction titles.

Serials assistant vs library circulation assistant skills

Common serials assistant skills
  • OCLC, 30%
  • Newspapers, 19%
  • Library Materials, 16%
  • Cataloging, 12%
  • Marc, 11%
  • Library System, 10%
Common library circulation assistant skills
  • Library Materials, 15%
  • Circulation Desk, 12%
  • Library Circulation, 9%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Library Equipment, 5%
  • Library Patrons, 5%

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