Will AI replace Library Technicians?
Estimated risk score: 66 out of 100
High replacement risk
Estimate from published task research, not reviewed by a person · how we estimate
Within about 19 points for 4 in 5 of the jobs we checked (47 to 85).
For the occupation as a whole, from ratings of its 35 O*NET tasks published in 2023 and calibrated to our hand scores. A specialty inside it can sit higher or lower.
O*NET-SOC 25-4031.00 · Educational Instruction and Library
Tasks rated in 2023 as ones AI could do or speed up
Tasks a GPT-4-class model could do, or do in half the time or less: 23 of its 35 rated tasks; the first 6 are shown. In O*NET’s words.
- Send out notices about lost or overdue books.
- Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.
- Collect fines and respond to complaints about fines.
- Compile data and create statistical reports on library usage.
- Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
- Compile bibliographies and prepare abstracts on subjects of interest to particular organizations or groups.
Tasks rated in 2023 as not sped up by AI
Tasks such a model was rated as not speeding up or taking over: 7 of its 35 rated tasks; the first 6 are shown. In O*NET’s words.
- Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart.
- Take actions to halt disruption of library activities by problem patrons.
- Check for damaged library materials, such as books or audio-visual equipment, and provide replacements or make repairs.
- Train other staff, volunteers, or student assistants and schedule and supervise their work.
- Sort and deliver library mail and packages.
- Plan and conduct children's programs, community outreach programs, and other specialized programs, such as library tours.
What the job is
Assist librarians by helping readers in the use of library catalogs, databases, and indexes to locate books and other materials; and by answering questions that require only brief consultation of standard reference. Compile records; sort and shelve books or other media; remove or repair damaged books or other media; register patrons; and check materials in and out of the circulation process. Replace materials in shelving area (stacks) or files. Includes bookmobile drivers who assist with providing services in mobile libraries.
Also called: Library Technical Assistant (LTA), LTA, Shelver, Accessioner, Book Shelver, Cataloging LTA, Library Monitor, Loan Technician.
Closest jobs we score by hand
In the same field (Educational Instruction and Library). Different jobs, each scored by a person.
Source. This site includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. (O*NET, CC BY 4.0.) Task ratings: Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock (2023), “GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models”, data used under the MIT licence (licence texts). Our change: we averaged the ratings over this occupation’s tasks and calibrated them to our 0–100 scale. It is not a prediction about any one person and not career advice. Disagree? Write to hello@yourstopwashit.com. How we estimate