Librarians and media collections specialists
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.
Librarians and media collections specialists administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. The role reports a median annual salary of $64,320 in the US and is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.62 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Writing.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £38,068 a year for Librarians (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2471). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Librarians and media collections specialists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
No single fixed route is listed for this career. These Indian degrees lead to it, according to the US CIP–SOC education-to-occupation crosswalk; open a degree for its entrance exams and colleges.[1]
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Library and Information Science — BLISc, Bachelor of Library and Information Science (one year, after a bachelor's degree)
Entrance exams: CUET-PG
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- CIP 2020 – SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES / BLS) (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Administrative
- Communications and Media
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
A day in the life
You open the library and check the returns, then look over the day's schedule: a class visit, a computer skills session and a meeting about the budget. At the desk you help a student search online databases for a project, showing her how to narrow the results and judge which sources are reliable. Mid-morning you teach a group of older adults how to use the catalogue and find e-books. After lunch you review book reviews and requests from teachers to decide what to order with a limited budget. You also correct cataloguing errors and check the inventory for missing items. Later you meet your staff to plan the rota and a reading event for children. Late in the day a researcher asks a tricky question, and you enjoy the hunt through reference works until you find the answer. Budget cuts are frustrating, but helping someone find exactly what they need is deeply satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Check books in and out of the library.
- Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as searching computerized databases.
- Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.
- Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
- Keep up-to-date records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
- Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Librarians and media collections specialists do?
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases.
What does a typical day look like in Librarians and media collections specialists?
You open the library and check the returns, then look over the day's schedule: a class visit, a computer skills session and a meeting about the budget. At the desk you help a student search online databases for a project, showing her how to narrow the results and judge which sources are reliable. Mid-morning you teach a group of older adults how to use the catalogue and find e-books. After lunch you review book reviews and requests from teachers to decide what to order with a limited budget.
How much does Librarians and media collections specialists earn?
The median annual salary for Librarians and media collections specialists in the US is $64,320.
What is the job outlook for Librarians and media collections specialists?
The role is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 142,100 workers.
How do I become librarians and media collections specialists?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Librarians and media collections specialists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Writing, Monitoring. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Librarians and media collections specialists?
Our AI-durability model gives Librarians and media collections specialists a score of 0.62 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Librarians and media collections specialists has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.