Job Check
Library Technicians
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.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Reserve, circulate, renew, and discharge books and other materials.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 02Answer routine telephone or in-person reference inquiries, referring patrons to librarians for further assistance, when necessary.AI could speed this up a lot
- 03Help patrons find and use library resources, such as reference materials, audio-visual equipment, computers, and other electronic resources and provide technical assistance when needed.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 04Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart.Mostly human for now
- 05Process print and non-print library materials to prepare them for inclusion in library collections.AI could speed this up a lot
- 06Catalogue and sort books and other print and non-print materials according to procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 07Enter and update patrons' records on computers.AI could speed this up a lot
- 08Provide assistance to teachers and students by locating materials and helping to complete special projects.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 09Compile and maintain records relating to circulation, materials, and equipment.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 10Take actions to halt disruption of library activities by problem patrons.Mostly human for now
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 loss5%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
57%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 82% 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 65% 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.
- Deliver and retrieve items throughout the library by hand or using pushcart.
- Take actions to halt disruption of library activities by problem patrons.