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Date: 10/04/2025

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.

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  • Work Activities
  • Skills
  • WorkKeys®
  • Abilities
  • Knowledge
  • Career Video
  • Pay
  • Ohio Employment Trends
  • Typical Education
  • Personality
  • Tools
  • Technology
  • Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Plan or participate in library events and programs, such as story time with children.
  • Design or maintain library web site and online catalogues.
  • Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair.
  • Maintain library equipment, such as photocopiers, scanners, and computers, and instruct patrons in proper use of such equipment.
  • Prepare, store, and retrieve classification and catalog information, lecture notes, or other information related to stored documents, using computers.
  • Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair.
  • Deliver and retrieve items to and from departments by hand or using push carts.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Process new materials including books, audio-visual materials, and computer software.
  • Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.
  • Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems.
  • 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.
  • Operate small branch libraries, under the direction of off-site librarian supervisors.
  • Perform accounting and bookkeeping activities, such as invoicing, maintaining financial records, budgeting, and handling cash.
  • Plan or participate in library events and programs, such as story time with children.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Assist in the preparation of book displays.
  • Take action to deal with disruptive or problem patrons.
  • Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
  • Provide assistance to librarians in the maintenance of collections of books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and audio-visual and other materials.
  • Register new patrons and issue borrower identification cards that permit patrons to borrow books and other materials.
  • Select substitute titles when requested materials are unavailable, following criteria such as age, education, and interests.
  • Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.
  • 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.
  • Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.
  • Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
  • Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.
  • 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.
  • Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.
  • Prepare library statistics reports.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Classify and catalog items according to content and purpose.
  • Review records, such as microfilm and issue cards, to identify titles of overdue materials and delinquent borrowers.
  • Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
  • Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books.
  • Maintain records of items received, stored, issued, and returned and file catalog cards according to system used.
  • Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books.
  • Prepare, store, and retrieve classification and catalog information, lecture notes, or other information related to stored documents, using computers.

Work Activities

Work Activities

  • Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Plan or participate in library events and programs, such as story time with children.
  • Design or maintain library web site and online catalogues.
  • Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair.
  • Maintain library equipment, such as photocopiers, scanners, and computers, and instruct patrons in proper use of such equipment.
  • Prepare, store, and retrieve classification and catalog information, lecture notes, or other information related to stored documents, using computers.
  • Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes or prepare books to be sent to a bindery for repair.
  • Deliver and retrieve items to and from departments by hand or using push carts.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Process new materials including books, audio-visual materials, and computer software.
  • Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.
  • Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems.
  • 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.
  • Operate small branch libraries, under the direction of off-site librarian supervisors.
  • Perform accounting and bookkeeping activities, such as invoicing, maintaining financial records, budgeting, and handling cash.
  • Plan or participate in library events and programs, such as story time with children.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Assist in the preparation of book displays.
  • Take action to deal with disruptive or problem patrons.
  • Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
  • Provide assistance to librarians in the maintenance of collections of books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and audio-visual and other materials.
  • Register new patrons and issue borrower identification cards that permit patrons to borrow books and other materials.
  • Select substitute titles when requested materials are unavailable, following criteria such as age, education, and interests.
  • Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.
  • 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.
  • Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.
  • Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
  • Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.
  • 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.
  • Schedule, supervise, and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.
  • Prepare library statistics reports.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Classify and catalog items according to content and purpose.
  • Review records, such as microfilm and issue cards, to identify titles of overdue materials and delinquent borrowers.
  • Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
  • Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books.
  • Maintain records of items received, stored, issued, and returned and file catalog cards according to system used.
  • Send out notices and accept fine payments for lost or overdue books.
  • Prepare, store, and retrieve classification and catalog information, lecture notes, or other information related to stored documents, using computers.

Skills

  • Critical Thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • Learning Strategies

    Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

  • Social Perceptiveness

    Understanding people's reactions.

  • Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • Programming

    Writing computer programs.

  • Coordination

    Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

  • Negotiation

    Bringing people together to solve differences.

  • Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

  • Service Orientation

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • Management of Personnel Resources

    Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

  • Operation and Control

    Using equipment or systems.

  • Equipment Maintenance

    Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

  • Judgment and Decision Making

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

  • Systems Analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

  • Management of Material Resources

    Managing equipment and materials.

  • Technology Design

    Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

  • Reading Comprehension

    Reading work-related information.

  • Active Listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • Complex Problem Solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • Installation

    Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

  • Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • Science

    Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

  • Operations Monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

  • Troubleshooting

    Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

  • Systems Evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • Time Management

    Managing your time and the time of other people.

  • Active Learning

    Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

  • Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

  • Operations Analysis

    Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

  • Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • Mathematics

    Using math to solve problems.

  • Equipment Selection

    Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

  • Repairing

    Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

  • Quality Control Analysis

    Testing how well a product or service works.

  • Management of Financial Resources

    Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

WorkKeys®

Applied Math
3
Workplace Documents
4
Graphic Literacy
4

Abilities

  • Glare Sensitivity

    Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

  • Information Ordering

    Ordering or arranging things.

  • Static Strength

    Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

  • Oral Comprehension

    Listening and understanding what people say.

  • Visualization

    Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • Control Precision

    Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • Peripheral Vision

    Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

  • Perceptual Speed

    Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • Flexibility of Closure

    Seeing hidden patterns.

  • Manual Dexterity

    Holding or moving items with your hands.

  • Reaction Time

    Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

  • Category Flexibility

    Grouping things in different ways.

  • Time Sharing

    Doing two or more things at the same time.

  • Gross Body Equilibrium

    Keeping your balance or staying upright.

  • Speech Recognition

    Recognizing spoken words.

  • Sound Localization

    Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

  • Depth Perception

    Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

  • Hearing Sensitivity

    Telling the difference between sounds.

  • Dynamic Flexibility

    Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Trunk Strength

    Using your lower back and stomach.

  • Mathematical Reasoning

    Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

  • Night Vision

    Seeing at night or under low light.

  • Speed of Closure

    Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

  • Problem Sensitivity

    Noticing when problems happen.

  • Finger Dexterity

    Putting together small parts with your fingers.

  • Wrist-Finger Speed

    Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

  • Oral Expression

    Communicating by speaking.

  • Visual Color Discrimination

    Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

  • Multilimb Coordination

    Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • Gross Body Coordination

    Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

  • Memorization

    Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

  • Response Orientation

    Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

  • Rate Control

    Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • Auditory Attention

    Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

  • Deductive Reasoning

    Using rules to solve problems.

  • Near Vision

    Seeing details up close.

  • Spatial Orientation

    Knowing where things are around you.

  • Explosive Strength

    Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

  • Inductive Reasoning

    Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

  • Speed of Limb Movement

    Quickly moving your arms and legs.

  • Selective Attention

    Paying attention to something without being distracted.

  • Speech Clarity

    Speaking clearly.

  • Extent Flexibility

    Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Dynamic Strength

    Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • Written Comprehension

    Reading and understanding what is written.

  • Written Expression

    Communicating by writing.

  • Far Vision

    Seeing details that are far away.

  • Stamina

    Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

  • Fluency of Ideas

    Coming up with lots of ideas.

  • Number Facility

    Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Keeping your arm or hand steady.

  • Originality

    Creating new and original ideas.

Knowledge

  • Public Safety and Security

    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

  • Sales and Marketing

    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • English Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Philosophy and Theology

    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

  • Food Production

    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

  • Computers and Electronics

    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • Engineering and Technology

    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

  • Biology

    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

  • Mechanical

    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • Administrative

    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

  • Foreign Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • History and Archeology

    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

  • Transportation

    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

  • Education and Training

    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • Law and Government

    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

  • Medicine and Dentistry

    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

  • Sociology and Anthropology

    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

  • Administration and Management

    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

  • Production and Processing

    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

  • Mathematics

    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

  • Design

    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • Psychology

    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

  • Economics and Accounting

    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

  • Personnel and Human Resources

    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

  • Chemistry

    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

  • Therapy and Counseling

    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

  • Fine Arts

    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • Telecommunications

    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • Geography

    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

  • Communications and Media

    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

  • Physics

    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

  • Customer and Personal Service

    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

  • Building and Construction

    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Career Video

Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

Pay

  • Typical Salary
  • $46,180
    $31,350
    $22,820
    Ohio
    US
    $52,790
    $36,010
    $25,090
  • Typical Hourly Wage
  • $22
    $15
    $11
    Ohio
    US
    $25
    $17
    $12

Ohio Employment Trends

  • Currently Employed 2,690
  • Yearly Projected Openings 470

Typical Education

Personality

Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.They do well at jobs that need:
  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Tools

  • Bar code reader equipment
  • Braille devices for the physically challenged
  • Cargo trucks
  • Cash registers
  • Desktop calculator
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital cameras
  • Film projectors
  • Laminators
  • Laser fax machine
  • Laser printers
  • Magnifiers
  • Mail opening machines
  • Microfiche or microfilm viewers
  • Microfiche reader printers
  • Minivans or vans
  • Multi function printers
  • Multimedia projectors
  • Photocopiers
  • Pocket calculator
  • Scanners
  • Special purpose telephones
  • Thermal book binding machines
  • Typewriters
  • Videoconferencing systems
  • Voice synthesizers for the physically challenged

Technology

  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Document management software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Information retrieval or search software
  • Internet browser software
  • Library software
  • Object or component oriented development software
  • Office suite software
  • Operating system software
  • Presentation software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
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