JobAfterNext

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$68,270
Employment, U.S.133,790
Median hourly wage$32.82
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$43,660$56,310$68,270$84,480$103,990
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama2,750$64,6501.51
Alaska350$78,8101.27
Arizona1,990$60,5000.71
Arkansas1,490$56,8001.33
California10,180$89,7900.65
Colorado1,990$76,4800.80
Connecticut2,550$79,2101.75
Delaware370$77,7000.89
District of Columbia960$96,5501.59
Florida6,670$67,0600.78
Georgia3,330$76,7500.79
Hawaii300$68,2700.56
Idaho650$54,1300.88
Illinois5,390$62,7001.03
Indiana1,920$53,5000.70
Iowa1,770$58,4401.32
Kansas1,620$61,9001.31
Kentucky1,980$65,2001.15
Louisiana2,130$60,6501.28
Maine780$59,5401.42
Maryland3,220$88,5701.35
Massachusetts4,980$78,5401.59
Michigan3,940$60,0101.04
Minnesota2,220$77,6500.88
Mississippi1,060$56,9701.06
Missouri2,970$58,7001.17
Montana640$63,8701.45
Nebraska1,200$64,0601.36
Nevada610$84,5400.45
New Hampshire1,150$63,5801.95
New Jersey4,100$78,3801.11
New Mexico580$62,5300.78
New York11,870$78,5901.42
North Carolina4,010$61,4200.94
North Dakota570$62,8301.53
Ohio4,820$60,6301.01
Oklahoma1,820$58,1801.24
Oregon1,690$78,0701.00
Pennsylvania5,050$62,8800.97
Rhode Island780$75,8601.80
South Carolina2,130$62,6401.07
South Dakota490$51,2101.25
Tennessee2,540$62,0900.90
Texas9,150$71,8600.76
Utah1,630$53,7301.09
Vermont600$62,3602.29
Virginia4,590$77,4301.30
Washington2,750$100,0300.90
West Virginia610$42,9801.01
Wisconsin2,450$66,8700.97
Wyoming440$46,5301.82

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Medical Records Specialists30.961
2Document Management Specialists40.960
3Archivists50.958
4Education Administrators, Postsecondary50.957
5Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive1-20.955
6Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs30.955
7Library Technicians30.952
8Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel1-20.952
9Instructional Coordinators50.952
10Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School40.951

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsSocial Perceptiveness0.760.955
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelPersuasion1.000.952
Talent DirectorsNegotiation1.250.940
Loan Interviewers and ClerksMathematics1.370.939
First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesNegotiation0.880.938

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, excluding software Librarians and Media Collections Specialists already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
GroupMe6 of 2010.3x
Google Meet7 of 207.3x
Microsoft Dynamics10 of 203.9x
Poll Everywhere4 of 2026.4x
Oracle PeopleSoft8 of 204.7x
Google Docs9 of 203.9x
Google Sites5 of 2011.5x
IBM SPSS Statistics8 of 204.0x
Human resource management software HRMS6 of 206.3x
ADP Workforce Now5 of 208.9x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.12 4.12
SpeakingEssential skill 4.00 4.12
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.00 4.00
WritingEssential skill 3.62 4.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.62 3.88
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.38 3.38
MonitoringEssential skill 3.25 3.38
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
Active LearningEssential skill 3.12 3.38
InstructingTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.00 3.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 2.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.62 2.50
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
MathematicsEssential skill 1.88 1.75
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 1.25
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.62 0.88
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.38 0.50
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.38 0.50
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.12not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.12not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
English Language 4.44 5.41
Customer and Personal Service 4.41 5.11
Education and Training 4.07 5.56
Computers and Electronics 3.74 5.00
Administration and Management 3.59 4.67
Administrative 3.52 5.30
Communications and Media 3.15 3.62
Personnel and Human Resources 2.89 3.93
Public Safety and Security 2.73 2.92
Law and Government 2.52 2.52
Sales and Marketing 2.30 2.74
Economics and Accounting 2.26 2.63
Foreign Language 2.26 2.52
Mathematics 2.22 3.33
History and Archeology 2.15 2.15
Telecommunications 2.12 1.96
Sociology and Anthropology 2.11 2.78
Psychology 2.11 2.11
Geography 1.96 2.56
Fine Arts 1.77 1.54
Philosophy and Theology 1.72 2.00
Transportation 1.65 1.15
Engineering and Technology 1.63 1.07
Therapy and Counseling 1.58 1.15
Design 1.56 1.37
Production and Processing 1.48 0.89
Mechanical 1.33 0.67
Building and Construction 1.33 0.63
Medicine and Dentistry 1.31 0.58
Chemistry 1.26not rated
Physics 1.19not rated
Biology 1.15not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 4.12 4.12
Oral Expression 4.12 4.12
Information Ordering 4.12 4.00
Written Comprehension 4.12 4.00
Near Vision 4.00 4.00
Written Expression 3.88 3.88
Category Flexibility 3.88 3.50
Speech Recognition 3.75 3.88
Speech Clarity 3.75 3.62
Deductive Reasoning 3.25 3.38
Inductive Reasoning 3.25 3.25
Fluency of Ideas 3.12 3.12
Originality 3.00 3.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.00 3.00
Speed of Closure 3.00 3.00
Selective Attention 3.00 2.88
Flexibility of Closure 2.88 3.00
Memorization 2.88 3.00
Far Vision 2.75 2.88
Perceptual Speed 2.75 2.62
Time Sharing 2.62 2.25
Trunk Strength 2.25 1.88
Number Facility 2.12 2.12
Manual Dexterity 2.12 1.75
Visualization 2.12 1.75
Finger Dexterity 2.00 1.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.00 1.75
Auditory Attention 2.00 1.62
Mathematical Reasoning 1.88 1.75
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.88 1.50
Multilimb Coordination 1.88 1.12
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.75 1.50
Extent Flexibility 1.75 1.38
Spatial Orientation 1.75 0.75
Control Precision 1.62 1.12
Hearing Sensitivity 1.62 1.12
Depth Perception 1.62 0.62
Static Strength 1.50 0.62
Dynamic Strength 1.50 0.50
Explosive Strength 1.25not rated
Response Orientation 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 81
  • Apple iMovie
  • Blackboard software
  • Blogging software
  • CATNYP
  • CatchTheWeb
  • Classification Web
  • Data visualization software
  • Database software
  • Drupal
  • Dynix Digital Library
  • Electronic Online Systems International EOS.Web
  • Email software
  • Ex Libris Group Aleph
  • Ex Libris Group Voyager
  • Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Graphics software
  • HTTrack
  • Infovision Amlib
  • Inmagic Genie
  • Inmagic TextWorks
  • Innovative Interfaces Millennium
  • Kelowna Software L4U
  • Learning management system LMS
  • LexisNexis
  • MC2 Systems Auto Librarian
  • Macropool Web Research
  • Microsoft Onfolio
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • National Library of Medicine DOCLINE
  • National Library of Medicine Medline
  • Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) databases
  • Online databases
  • PrimaSoft PC Small Library Organizer Pro
  • QuarkXPress
  • RCL Software Media Library Manager
  • Really Simple Syndication RSS
  • Saora Keepoint
  • SirsiDynix Symphony
  • SmugMug Flickr
  • Social networking software
  • Standard generalized markup language SGML
  • StataCorp Stata
  • Surpass management system software
  • Thomson Reuters Westlaw Edge
  • Thomson Scientific Dialog
  • Web browser software
  • WebClarity Software BookWhere
  • Wiki software
  • WorldCat
  • askSam Systems SurfSaver

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA2504.41$78,780
Gainesville, FL4603.48$67,060
Lexington Park, MD1903.09$74,010
State College, PA1803.04$77,560
Pittsfield, MA1302.62$58,710
Ithaca, NY1102.59$78,460
Bloomington, IN1602.53$65,720
Lawrence, KS1102.52$64,990
Charlottesville, VA2502.51$84,430
Ponce, PR1402.51$50,260

More metros, other thresholds