What does a Library Technician do?

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. Day to day that includes work like reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials and Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.

What skills should a Library Technician put on a resume?

O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, and Coordination among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Library Technician list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Library Technician work?

O*NET records 36 titles for this occupation, including Library Assistant, Library Associate, Library Technical Assistant, and LTA. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Library Technician need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 30% reported their level of education as "Bachelor's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Library Technician role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Library Technician resume example

A resume for a Library Technician needs to show the work itself: 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. Day to day that means work like this: reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials; answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

Library Assistant
Library Associate
Library Technical Assistant
LTA
Circulation Clerk
Library Aide
Library Clerk
Library Media Technician
Library Specialist
Page Technician
Cataloging LTA
Accessioner
Audio-Visual Aide
Bibliographer
Bindery Library Technical Assistant
Book Shelver
Book Sorter
Bookmobile Driver

O*NET records 36 titles for this occupation in total.

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials.
Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.
Help patrons find and use library resources, such as reference materials, audio-visual equipment, computers, and other electronic resources and provide technical assistance when needed.
Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart.
Process print and non-print library materials to prepare them for inclusion in library collections.
Catalogue and sort books and other print and non-print materials according to procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
Provide assistance to teachers and students by locating materials and helping to complete special projects.
Compile and maintain records relating to circulation, materials, and equipment.
Take actions to halt disruption of library activities by problem patrons.
Maintain and troubleshoot problems with library equipment, including computers, photocopiers, and audio-visual equipment.
Check for damaged library materials, such as books or audio-visual equipment, and provide replacements or make repairs.

31 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Help patrons find and use library resources, such as reference materials, audio-visual equipment, computers, and other electronic resources and provide technical assistance when needed, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Database software
Dynix Digital Library
Email software
Ex Libris Group Aleph
Ex Libris Group Voyager
FileMaker Pro
HandyFile Find and Replace Text Aid Kit
Inmagic TextWorks
Innovative Interfaces Millennium

30 software entries are recorded in total.

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Barcode scanners
Bookmobiles
Cash registers
Desktop computers
Digital video disk DVD players
Film projectors
Laptop computers
Microfiche readers
Microfilm printers
Microfilm readers
Multi-line telephone systems
Personal computers

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Reading Comprehension
02Active Listening
03Speaking
04Service Orientation
05Coordination
06Critical Thinking
07Learning Strategies
08Social Perceptiveness

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

Customer and Personal Service
English Language
Administrative
Computers and Electronics
Education and Training

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

30%Bachelor's Degree
28%Associate's Degree
17%Post-Secondary Certificate, awarded for training completed after high school

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Medium Preparation Needed”. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Common questions

What does a Library Technician do?: 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. Day to day that includes work like reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials and Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.
What skills should a Library Technician put on a resume?: O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, and Coordination among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Library Technician list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Library Technician work?: O*NET records 36 titles for this occupation, including Library Assistant, Library Associate, Library Technical Assistant, and LTA. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Library Technician need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 30% reported their level of education as "Bachelor's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Library Technician role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.