Will AI replace Library Assistants, Clerical?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

35/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Library Assistants, Clerical?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 35% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians. The parts that stay human include: Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.; Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.; Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians. 70%

Enter and update patrons' records on computers. 62%

Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.AI already used 62%

Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.AI already used 40%

Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans. 17%

Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas. 10%

+ 26 more tasks (47% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.
Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.

AI tools to try

Microsoft 365 Copilot or Google Gemini for WorkspaceChatGPT / Claude for emails and documentsAutomation tools (Power Automate, Zapier, Make)

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Automate the routine

Emails, letters and documents from templates with AI.
Data entry and extraction from forms and PDFs.
Spreadsheet work with AI help.

Project

Use AI to turn your library's 10 most-sent patron notices (overdue, hold ready, ILL arrival) into reusable templates and time how long a week's notices take before and after.

Phase 2

Workflows across tools

Connect email, forms and spreadsheets with no-code automations.
Checks and controls on automated steps.
Document how each workflow works.

Project

Build a no-code workflow that takes new library card and room-booking form submissions into a tracking spreadsheet with duplicate and missing-field checks, plus a one-page written procedure.

Phase 3

From doing to coordinating

Become the person who maintains the team's automations.
Train colleagues.
Look at roles in operations, coordination or process improvement.

Project

Run two 45-minute training sessions teaching colleagues your circulation and shelving automations, hand over a maintenance checklist, and track how many staff use them in the following month.

Take the free 11-question test