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The differences between youth 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 youth services librarian and a research librarian. Additionally, a research librarian has an average salary of $51,263, which is higher than the $49,971 average annual salary of a youth services librarian.
The top three skills for a youth services librarian include social work, mental health and community outreach. The most important skills for a research librarian are research support, library services, and collection development.
| Youth Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Yearly salary | $49,971 | $51,263 |
| Hourly rate | $24.02 | $24.65 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 55,418 | 45,828 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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.
Youth services librarians and research librarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average salary | $49,971 | $51,263 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $71,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Sacramento, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Harvard University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a youth services librarian and a research librarian in terms of educational background:
| Youth Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Library Science |
| Most common college | University of Washington | New York University |
Here are the differences between youth services librarians' and research librarians' demographics:
| Youth Services Librarian | Research Librarian | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |