Fast‑Facts Dashboard
| Metric (U.S.) |
Latest figure* |
| National employment (May 2023) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Mean pay |
**$42,570 yr |
| Median pay (May 2024) |
**$39,310 yr |
| 10 % – 90 % wage range |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Projected change 2023‑33 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Top‑paying state (2023) |
ZipRecruiter |
| Typical entry credential |
Certificate or associate’s degree + on‑the‑job training; many techs pursuing MLIS while working |
What Library Technicians Actually Do
| Task Cluster |
Real‑World Examples |
| Technical Services |
Copy‑catalog new YA manga in OCLC Connexion; batch‑edit MARC records in MarcEdit; print RFID spine labels. |
| Circulation & Patron Services |
Run curb‑side pick‑up; process hold requests; troubleshoot self‑checkout kiosks; collect fines via integrated POS. |
| Digital & Media Support |
Digitize 35 mm slides with Epson V850, upload to DSpace; teach patrons to convert VHS to MP4 in media lab. |
| Collection Maintenance |
Shift 800 s Dewey shelves, weed outdated medical texts, run shelf‑reading robots (RFID drift report). |
| Data & Reporting |
Export COUNTER 5 usage stats; compile interlibrary‑loan volume for state‑aid report; build Power BI dashboard of makerspace equipment usage. |
| Programming & Outreach |
Host “Intro to 3‑D Printing” class; schedule story‑time; design Canva flyers; post TikTok tour of new manga corner. |
Bottom line: technicians keep collections discoverable, tech running, and patrons thriving so librarians can focus on strategy and instruction.
A Day on the Tech Side (Academic Library Edition)
| Time |
Snapshot |
| 6 a.m. |
Overnight Solr index flagged 43 bad MARC fields: fix with regex script before students log in. |
| 8 a.m. |
Open circ desk; process 27 laptop check‑outs with RFID wand, wipe drives, and push FreshStart image. |
| 9 a.m. |
Batch‑catalog 50 donated engineering ebooks; map LC call numbers, assign LCNAF name headings. |
| 11 a.m. |
Makerspace shift: teach freshman to slice STL file for Prusa MK4; swap PLA filament, clear nozzle jam. |
| 12 p.m. |
Lunch while exporting SUSHI‑compliant usage reports; update Tableau dashboard for dean’s quarterly brief. |
| 1 p.m. |
Assist archivist: scan 1920 campus newspaper; OCR with Tesseract; embed IIIF manifest. |
| 3 p.m. |
Run reference‑chat triage: field question about MLA citation generator; escalate specialized patent query to subject librarian. |
| 5 p.m. |
Close facility; perform shelf‑reading robot audit; schedule nightly LOCKSS fixity check email alerts. |
Public‑library or K‑12 tech roles swap in story‑time prep, passport acceptance, or Chromebook fleet management.
Tool‑Kit & Tech Stack (2025)
| Domain |
Core Tools |
| ILS & Discovery |
Koha, Alma, FOLIO, Sierra, Polaris |
| Cataloging & Metadata |
OCLC Connexion, MarcEdit, BIBFRAME, OpenRefine |
| Digital Projects |
DSpace 7, Islandora, CONTENTdm, IIIF viewers |
| RFID & Automation |
EnvisionWare self‑check, Tech‑Logic AMH sorters, shelf‑reading robots |
| Makerspace & AV |
Prusa MK4 printers, Cricut Maker 3, Glowforge lasers, Elgato video capture kits |
| Analytics |
Power BI, Tableau, Google Analytics 4, OpenAthens COUNTER 5 |
| Patron Engagement |
LibAnswers chat, Beanstack reading‑challenge, TikTok micro‑tutorials |
| Scripting & QA |
Python (pymarc, requests), Bash cron jobs, Regex tools |
Emerging essentials: AI metadata taggers, chat‑bot reference triage, and blockchain provenance plugins for rare‑collection lending.
Core Skills & Personality Fit
| Must‑Have Skill |
Why It Counts |
| Metadata precision |
One wrong diacritic and the catalog hides the book forever. |
| Tech tinkering |
From fixing 3‑D printers to writing a Python fixity script. |
| Customer‑service calm |
Explain hold queues to a frustrated patron with empathy. |
| Data & analytics |
Pull usage reports to justify collection budgets. |
| Team flexibility |
Switch from circ desk to makerspace to digitization station smoothly. |
| DEI awareness |
Apply inclusive subject headings; welcome diverse patrons. |
If your MAPP Assessment highlights Investigative (problem‑solving) and Realistic (hands‑on) with a dash of Social(service), you’ll likely click “Check In/Check Out” on job satisfaction.
Work Environment & Lifestyle
- Settings: Public & school libraries (56 %), colleges (28 %), law/medical/corporate libraries (10 %), government/museum archives (6 %).
- Schedules: Shift‑based; evenings & weekends common in publics; academic techs often M–F days.
- Union Presence: Strong in many municipal systems (AFSCME/SEIU), patchy in academic.
- Remote Potential: Cataloging & digital‑projects techs often hybrid since 2020; public‑services techs remain on‑site.
- Advancement: Many techs pursue MLIS part‑time, climbing to librarian roles with pay bumps of $15 k – $25 k.
Education & Credential Pathway
| Stage |
Timeline |
Highlights |
| High‑school diploma + on‑the‑job training |
0 – 1 yr |
Common in small publics, but wages lower. |
| Certificate or Associate Degree (Library Tech, Info Tech) |
1–2 yrs |
Courses in cataloging, intro coding, makerspace safety. |
| State/ALA Support Staff Certification (optional) |
6 mos |
Validates skills; some systems pay grade boost. |
| Bachelor’s + MLIS in progress |
2–4 yrs PT |
Employers often reimburse tuition; opens librarian track. |
| Specialization Badges |
3–6 mos |
Digitization, 3‑D printing, Python for metadata, AI literacy. |
Career Ladder & Earnings
| Role |
Typical Pay* |
Notes |
| Library Assistant (entry) |
$30k – $38k |
Check‑in/out, shelving. |
| Library Technician |
$38k – $49k |
Cataloging, circ, makerspace. |
| Senior Tech / Lead |
$49k – $60k |
Supervise pages, manage ILL, train staff. |
| Specialist (Digital, Media, Makerspace) |
$55k – $70k |
Expert in tech services or dig. projects. |
| Librarian (after MLIS) |
$64k – $82k |
Subject liaison, instruction, collection dev. |
| Department Manager |
$70k – $95k |
Staff supervision, budget authority. |
*National averages from OEWS (turn0search1) plus ALA staff survey adjustments for COLA.
Wage Percentiles (OEWS May 2023)
| 10 % |
25 % |
50 % (median) |
75 % |
90 % |
| $27,040 |
$32,240 |
$39,310 |
$49,860 |
$61,620 |
Sector & Tech Trends to Watch
- AI Metadata Assistants: Python/GPT scripts auto‑suggest subject headings; techs QC the output.
- RFID Automation & Shelf‑Reading Robots: Reduces manual scanning; techs pivot to data analytics & maintenance.
- Digital Equity & Device Lending: Managing Chromebooks & hotspots adds IT flavor to the job.
- XR Makerspaces: 3‑D printing, laser cutting, VR labs equal new duties (and hazard‑pay stipends).
- Reparative Cataloging Initiatives: Techs update legacy headings and local metadata to remove bias.
- Climate‑Risk Preservation: Digitization projects ramp up to protect materials from wildfires/floods.
- Retirement Wave & MLIS Pipeline: Techs with MLIS aspirations find plenty of upward‑mobility slots.
Is This Career Path Right for You? Find out Free.
- Take the MAPP Career Assessment (100% free).
- See five free custom matches showing whether library tech life fits your strengths.
- Get a personalized compatibility score and roadmap toward certificates, MLIS programs, and specialty tech niches.
Start the FREE MAPP Career Assessment today, because every book, bot, and 3‑D print needs a savvy tech to bring it to life.
