Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in California
Considering working as a Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in California? Here’s what you need to know. 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.
What do Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Make in California?
For a librarians and media collections specialists working in California, wages run about $86,590 per year (or about $41.63/hour).Annual wages span from $48,480 at the 10th percentile to $130,760 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,480 | $23.31 |
| 25th percentile | $66,560 | $32.00 |
| Median (50th) | $86,590 | $41.63 |
| 75th percentile | $105,520 | $50.73 |
| 90th percentile | $130,760 | $62.87 |
The job concentration index in California compared to the national average — is 0.65, meaning fewer librarians and media collections specialists per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, librarians and media collections specialists earn a median of $67,096 per year ($32.26/hour), higher than the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 273,033 librarians and media collections specialists across the United States. In California alone, about 10,030 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,890 librarians and media collections specialists.
Top California Metros for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
The metro areas below employ the most librarians and media collections specialists in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,180 | $90,410 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,980 | $98,660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 770 | $83,110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 730 | $76,590 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 710 | $99,370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 590 | $82,550 |
| Fresno, CA | 230 | $78,810 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 190 | $74,510 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 190 | $79,130 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 150 | $77,720 |
| Salinas, CA | 140 | $77,030 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 120 | $98,670 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 110 | $89,080 |
| Modesto, CA | 100 | $94,450 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 100 | $75,810 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 70 | $101,900 |
| Visalia, CA | 70 | $65,420 |
| Chico, CA | 60 | $77,850 |
| Vallejo, CA | 60 | $79,000 |
| Merced, CA | 50 | $82,160 |
| Redding, CA | 50 | $77,760 |
| Napa, CA | 40 | $82,690 |
Top States for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Employment
These states have the highest employment of librarians and media collections specialists work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 11,020 |
| California | 10,030 |
| Texas | 9,430 |
| Florida | 5,960 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,420 |
| Massachusetts | 5,120 |
| Ohio | 4,770 |
| Virginia | 4,750 |
| Illinois | 4,610 |
| North Carolina | 3,990 |
| New Jersey | 3,510 |
| Georgia | 3,450 |
| Michigan | 3,430 |
| Maryland | 3,270 |
| Alabama | 3,260 |
| Washington | 2,830 |
| Missouri | 2,660 |
| Tennessee | 2,590 |
| Connecticut | 2,430 |
| Wisconsin | 2,370 |
Highest-Paying States for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Where librarians and media collections specialists earn the most: librarians and media collections specialists.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $94,400 |
| District of Columbia | $93,740 |
| California | $86,590 |
| Maryland | $81,690 |
| Nevada | $79,710 |
| New Jersey | $79,380 |
| Delaware | $78,300 |
| Alaska | $78,280 |
| New York | $77,080 |
| Connecticut | $76,380 |
Skills
Key librarians and media collections specialists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for librarians and media collections specialists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, librarians and media collections specialists typically:
- 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.
- 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.
- Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.
- Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.
- Respond to customer complaints, taking action as necessary.
- Plan and deliver client-centered programs and services, such as special services for corporate clients, storytelling for children, newsletters, or programs for special groups.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Training and Teaching Others
- Thinking Creatively
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Processing Information
- Documenting/Recording Information
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Instructional Media Design
- Teacher Education Subject Specific
- Library & Information Science
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to librarians and media collections specialists include:
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Management Analysts
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Database Administrators
- Web Administrators
- Document Management Specialists
Also Known As
Access Services Librarian, Acquisitions Librarian, Audio Visual Aids Technician (AV Aids Tech), Audio Visual Collections Coordinator (AV Collections Coordinator), Audio Visual Commissioning Specialist (AV Commissioning Specialist), Audio Visual Coordinator (AV Coordinator), Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist), Bibliographer, Bookmobile Librarian, Catalog Librarian, Cataloger, Catalogue Librarian, Cataloguer, Chemical Librarian, Children's Librarian.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 25-4022.00
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