Job Check
Library Assistants, Clerical
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.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.Mostly human for now
- 02Open and close library during specified hours and secure library equipment, such as computers and audio-visual equipment.Mostly human for now
- 03Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.People already use AI for this at work
- 04Enter and update patrons' records on computers.AI could speed this up a lot
- 05Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 06Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 07Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 08Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 09Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 10Maintain records of items received, stored, issued, and returned and file catalog cards according to system used.AI could speed this up a lot
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job loss10%of this job’s work time goes to tasks that people already do with Claude at work, counting tasks where AI only helps as half (2026).Anthropic, 2026
53%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 51% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Above 76% of jobsin how much of this job’s physical work robots have been shown to do, from factories to homes (2026).Anthropic, 2026
Your human edge
The main tasks with no real AI use seen and no big speed-up expected. This is where your skill counts most today.
- 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.