Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Machines can already do 37% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 54%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 37% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 20% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 54% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 133,790 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $68,270 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 78% for contact with people.
- Also called: Catalog Librarian, Cataloger, Librarian, Library Media Specialist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information | 8% | 76% to 74% | |
| Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations | 8% | 9% to 23% | |
| Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use | 8% | 22% to 42% | |
| Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions | 7% | 73% to 82% | |
| Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources | 7% | 22% to 42% | |
| Plan and deliver client-centered programs and services, such as special services for corporate clients, storytelling for children, newsletters, or programs for special groups | 7% | 36% to 64% | |
| Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems | 5% | 58% to 78% | |
| Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer | 5% | 27% to 46% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills librarians and media collections specialists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School42% of tasks by 2035 · US median $65,030
- Archivists52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $64,550
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School52% of tasks by 2035
- First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants51% of tasks by 2035
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of librarians and media collections specialists?
Machines can do 37% of the tasks of librarians and media collections specialists today and 54% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-4022.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Librarians and Media Collections Specialists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/librarians-and-media-collections-specialists/