AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 43-4121.00

Will AI replace Library Assistants, Clerical?

Library Assistants, Clerical: AI can already handle 4 of 32 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 32 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Library Assistants, Clerical, from most to least exposed. 4 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas. 90 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material. 90 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Maintain library equipment, such as photocopiers, scanners, and computers, and instruct patrons in proper use of such equipment. 90 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Review records, such as microfilm and issue cards, to identify titles of overdue materials and delinquent borrowers. 65 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Plan or participate in library events and programs, such as story time with children. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Design or maintain library web site and online catalogues. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.6
Classify and catalog items according to content and purpose. 40 Observed Efficient 4.3
Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees. 35 Estimated Standard 3.7
Open and close library during specified hours and secure library equipment, such as computers and audio-visual equipment. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Enter and update patrons' records on computers. 30 Estimated Standard 4.3
Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items. 30 Estimated Standard 4.2
Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans. 30 Estimated Standard 4.1
Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Register new patrons and issue borrower identification cards that permit patrons to borrow books and other materials. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Operate small branch libraries, under the direction of off-site librarian supervisors. 30 Estimated Standard 4.0
Process new materials including books, audio-visual materials, and computer software. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Provide assistance to librarians in the maintenance of collections of books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and audio-visual and other materials. 30 Estimated Standard 3.8
Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Take action to deal with disruptive or problem patrons. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Prepare, store, and retrieve classification and catalog information, lecture notes, or other information related to stored documents, using computers. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Acquire books, pamphlets, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and other library supplies by checking prices, figuring costs, and preparing appropriate order forms and facilitating the ordering process by providing such information to others. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Select substitute titles when requested materials are unavailable, following criteria such as age, education, and interests. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Prepare library statistics reports. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Deliver and retrieve items to and from departments by hand or using push carts. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.3
Assist in the preparation of book displays. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.1
Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Maintain records of items received, stored, issued, and returned and file catalog cards according to system used. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Perform accounting and bookkeeping activities, such as invoicing, maintaining financial records, budgeting, and handling cash. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 32 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 31 of 32. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 94% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
85,520
Median annual wage
$36,910
Middle half of earners
$31,820 to $45,620
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-6.7%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Library Assistants, Clerical and AI

Will AI replace Library Assistants, Clerical?

AI already handles 4 of the 32 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 37 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -6.7% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Library Assistants, Clerical?

37 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 1 of the 32 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 31 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Library Assistants, Clerical tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas; Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material; Maintain library equipment, such as photocopiers, scanners, and computers, and instruct patrons in proper use of such equipment. They are three of the 4 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 94% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Library Assistants, Clerical, and what do they earn?

85,520 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $36,910 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -6.7% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Library Assistants, Clerical. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/library-assistants-clerical

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