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Boston Career Explorer

Educational Instruction and Library

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.

Also called: Catalog Librarian, Cataloger, Librarian, Library Media Specialist, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Reference Librarian

Median pay in Greater Boston
$79,450
$38.20/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
3,660
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.7%
500 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Master's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$52,080$64,010$79,450$98,990$113,830

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
  • Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
  • Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
  • Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
  • Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.
  • Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure69 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 65
  • Language-model AIOE 63
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 80

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

Librarians have higher AI exposure, and observed AI use in this work is substantial. AI tools can help with searching sources, answering simple reference questions, and cataloging. Understanding what a patron really needs, teaching classes, and managing staff and budgets still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Searching sources for reference questions
  • Classifying and cataloging materials

Still relies on people

  • Teaching information literacy classes
  • Supervising staff and managing budgets

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

    Planning lessons, teaching groups, and helping people find and use information carry over. This move offers a Boston median pay of $101,250.

    Pay difference
    +$21,800 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +1.7%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

  • Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

    Teaching classes and guiding learners carry over from library instruction. This move offers a Boston median pay of $81,700 and a bachelor's degree entry.

    Pay difference
    +$2,250 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +1.9%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

4 programs near Boston (plus 12 graduate)

Related occupations

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