Will AI replace Library Assistants, Clerical?
AI reaches a large part of this job’s work.
43/100
High exposure
More exposed to AI than 70% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 9% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 63% of the work
What the job involves
Compile records, and sort, shelve, issue, and receive library materials such as books, electronic media, pictures, cards, slides and microfilm. Locate library materials for loan and replace material in shelving area, stacks, or files according to identification number and title. Register patrons to permit them to borrow books, periodicals, and other library materials.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(3)
- Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.
- Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
- Classify and catalog items according to content and purpose.
Within reach(19)
- Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
- Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
- Register new patrons and issue borrower identification cards that permit patrons to borrow books and other materials.
- Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.
- Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books.
and 14 more
Out of reach(10)
- Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
- Open and close library during specified hours and secure library equipment, such as computers and audio-visual equipment.
- Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.
- Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems.
- Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.
and 5 more
Also called
Library Aide · Library Clerk · Circulation Clerk · Library Assistant · Librarian Assistant · Registration Clerk · Braille and Talking Books Clerk · Circulation Assistant
Related jobs
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics