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The differences between technical services 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 technical services librarian and a research librarian. Additionally, a research librarian has an average salary of $51,263, which is higher than the $50,657 average annual salary of a technical services librarian.
The top three skills for a technical services librarian include library services, collection development and library resources. The most important skills for a research librarian are research support, library services, and collection development.
| Technical Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $50,657 | $51,263 |
| Hourly rate | $24.35 | $24.65 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 118,696 | 45,828 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A technical services librarian is responsible for overseeing the technical and circulation services at a library. Typical duties for this role include supervising the technical and circulation staff, working closely with other library services, and directing the activities on library automation. In addition, you will make technical decisions involving the use and management of bibliographic records based on accepted standards. As a technical services librarian, it is also your responsibility to assist in the preparation of the library's annual budget and contribute to collection and acquisition development initiatives.
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.
Technical services librarians and research librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average salary | $50,657 | $51,263 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Charlottesville, VA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Yale University | Harvard University |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a technical services librarian and a research librarian in terms of educational background:
| Technical Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | 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 technical services librarians' and research librarians' demographics:
| Technical Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.3% Female, 67.7% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 76.6% 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% |