UK dataswitch to US
Library clerks and assistants
classifying and cataloguing items according to content and purpose, assisting library users in accessing IT and other resources and developing an environment that fosters user growth. If that's your week, this page is about your job.
The honest answer
This job is splitting in two: classifying, collating and catalogue information using special computer applications is work AI now does quickly and cheaply, and circulating books and other materials is work it can't touch.
Which half fills your week decides your exposure. That is more in your control than it sounds.
Your week, as this page understands it
Library clerks and assistants classify, sort and file publications, documents, audio-visual and computerised material in libraries and offices. The job title says “library clerks” or “assistants”: officially one job, two names. The real job is the part underneath: circulating books and other materials. That is the thing someone has to be right about.
The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But library clerks and assistants is not one task. It is 47 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is circulating books and other materials, and the ledger below shows exactly why.
Where the work sits, by task weight
- shifting to AI
- 37%
- changing shape
- 9%
- staying human
- 54%
These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.
Whole-job exposure score 41 out of 100 (36–47 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, across 47 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.
How we know this
What is measured: Every published task statement for library clerks and assistants is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.
How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.
Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.
Your job, task by task
These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.
- One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
- 18 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
Shifting to AI
17 tasksTasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.
Classifying and cataloguing items according to content and purpose
This is reading one thing and writing another: items in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 95 · 4135/00Source: “Classify and catalogue items according to content and purpose.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Classifying items by subject uses published schemes and shared records, so most of the work is already done automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Classifying, collating and catalogue information using special computer applications
This is reading one thing and writing another: catalogue information in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 90 · 4135/00Source: “Classify, collate, and catalogue information using special computer applications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (86–100 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Cataloguing in library software is structured data work, and shared catalogue records mean most entries can be filled in automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Answering routine enquiries from patrons
This is reading one thing and writing another: routine enquiries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 85 · 4135/00Source: “Answer routine enquiries from patrons.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 85 out of 100 (81–89 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Answering routine enquiries is well-trodden ground for software.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Answering telephone calls and directing them to the appropriate department or individual
This is reading one thing and writing another: telephone calls in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Answer telephone calls and direct them to the appropriate department or individual.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Answering and routing calls is something phone systems and automated assistants already do.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Changing shape
4 tasksTasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.
Handling enquiries related to library services and resources
The software now makes the first pass at enquiries, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 85 · 4135/00Source: “Handle enquiries related to library services and resources.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Service enquiries have documented answers, though many arrive in person at the counter.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Organising IT access for library users
The software now makes the first pass at IT access, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Organise IT access for library users.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Setting up computer accounts and access follows standard steps, with some help given at the desk.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Responding to enquiries from library users
The software now makes the first pass at enquiries, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Respond to enquiries from library users.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Most enquiries are factual and well suited to automated answers, though some visitors need a person to talk it through.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Staying human
26 tasksTasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.
Checking books in and out of the library
This work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 4135/00Source: “Check books in and out of the library.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (5–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Issuing and returning physical books means handling them at the desk or a kiosk.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Circulating books and other materials
This work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 4135/00Source: “Circulate books and other materials.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Handing out and taking back physical books happens at the desk with the books themselves.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Registering new patrons
This work happens in the physical world: new patrons, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Register new patrons.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Joining up is a simple form that can be completed online, though many libraries still check identity at the counter.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Show the other 37 tasks
Typing documents as part of general office activities
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: documents in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Type documents as part of general office activities.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 100 out of 100 (96–100 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Producing everyday office documents from notes or dictation is something computers now do faster and more accurately than typing.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Maintaining records of library materials
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: records of library materials in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Maintain records of library materials used.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Usage is logged automatically every time an item is issued, so the record keeps itself.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Compiling data and creating statistical reports on library usage
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: data in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Compile data and create statistical reports on library usage.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Turning issue figures into usage reports is spreadsheet work that reporting tools already generate on their own.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Entering and updating customers' records on computers
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: customers' records in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Enter and update customers' records on computers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Typing and updating customer details in a system is routine data entry that software already does reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Retrieving information related to stored documents using computers
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: information in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Retrieve information related to stored documents using computers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Searching stored records on a computer is exactly the kind of retrieval software has always done best.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing appropriate order forms for library supplies
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: appropriate order forms in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Prepare appropriate order forms for library supplies.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Filling in supply order forms from a stock list is routine paperwork that ordering software completes automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Sending out notices about lost or overdue books
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: notices in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Send out notices about lost or overdue books.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Overdue reminders are generated and emailed automatically by library systems without anyone writing them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Responding to customer enquiries
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: customer enquiries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Respond to customer enquiries.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Answering customer questions from known information is something software already does at speed and scale.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Rotaing work for clerical workers
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: work in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Rota work for clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (72–86 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Building a rota around availability and opening hours is a scheduling puzzle software solves well, with a manager approving it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ordering print and non-print library materials
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: print in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 65 · 4135/00Source: “Order print and non-print library materials, checking prices and figuring costs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Comparing supplier prices and raising orders is routine purchasing work that ordering systems handle with little human input.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining inventories of library materials
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: inventories of library materials in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Maintain inventories of library materials.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 69 out of 100 (62–76 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Stock records update themselves from the issuing system, though someone still walks the shelves to check what is really there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reviewing records, such as microfilm and issuing cards, to identify titles of overdue items and delinquent borrowers
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: records in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 65 · 4135/00Source: “Review records, such as microfilm and issue cards, to identify titles of overdue items and delinquent borrowers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 69 out of 100 (62–76 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Finding overdue loans in the records is a simple database query most library systems already run automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Facilitating the ordering process by providing information
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: the ordering process in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Facilitate the ordering process by providing information to others.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Supplying price and availability details to colleagues is straightforward information lookup that software can do instantly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Performing clerical duties, typing, proofreading and sorting post
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at clerical duties, typing, proofreading and sorting post, but part of it still happens in the physical world. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Perform clerical duties such as typing, proofreading, and sorting post.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 41 out of 100 (34–48 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Typing and proofreading are almost entirely automated now, though sorting the physical post still needs someone at the pigeonholes.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Planning library events and programmes
staying humanThe value here is that a specific person handles library events and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 65 · 4135/00Source: “Plan library events and programmes, including story time with children.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 39 out of 100 (32–46 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Programme ideas and schedules can be drafted quickly, but running story time depends on a person in the room.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Placing items on reserve for library users to manage reserve materials
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Place items on reserve for library users to manage reserve materials.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The reservation is handled by the system, but pulling the item and setting it aside is done in person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Processing materials for inter-library loans
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Process materials for inter-library loans.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Inter-library loans involve packing and posting items as well as processing the requests.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Guiding patrons on the use of library facilities
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: patrons, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Guide patrons on the use of library facilities, resources, and equipment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Showing patrons round the building and its equipment is done in person, on the spot.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Assisting library users in accessing IT and other resources
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: library users, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Assist library users in accessing IT and other resources.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Helping someone use a library PC or printer usually means standing next to them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Supervising and training clerical workers
staying humanThe value here is that a specific person handles clerical workers and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 50 · 4135/00Source: “Supervise and train clerical workers, volunteers, student assistants, and other library employees.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 17 out of 100 (10–24 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Supervising and training staff and volunteers depends on being alongside them as they work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Removing out-of-date items from the library to keep the collection
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: out-of-date items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 4135/00Source: “Remove out-of-date items from the library to keep the collection current.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Usage data can suggest what to withdraw, but taking the books off the shelves is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Developing an environment that fosters user growth
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: an environment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Develop an environment that fosters user growth, learning, and exploration of information and resources.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 11 out of 100 (4–18 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: A welcoming, curious library atmosphere is created by staff being present and approachable.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Inspecting returned books for condition and due-date status
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: returned books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Due dates are checked automatically, but spotting a damaged spine or water stain means handling the book.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Processing new materials, books, audio-visual items and software
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: new materials, books, audio-visual items and software, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 4135/00Source: “Process new materials such as books, audio-visual items, and software.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The catalogue entry is easy to generate, but labelling and covering each new item is done by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining and troubleshooting library equipment
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: library equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Maintain and troubleshoot library equipment, including computers, photocopiers, and audio-visual equipment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (6–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: AI can talk you through a fix, but clearing a paper jam or swapping a cable needs hands on the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing books to be sent to a bookbinder for repair
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 4135/00Source: “Prepare books to be sent to a bookbinder for repair.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Listing the books is easy, but wrapping and packing them for the binder is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Assisting in school libraries as part of administrative duties
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: school libraries, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Assist in school libraries as part of administrative duties.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (5–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Library duties mean shelving, issuing and being on the desk in person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Issuing identification cards to borrowers
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: identification cards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Issue identification cards to borrowers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (0–19 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence, and it moved between repeat runs, so the range is widened.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The account is created on screen, but printing and handing over the card happens at the counter.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Taking action to deal with disruptive or problem customers
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: action, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 4135/00Source: “Take action to deal with disruptive or problem customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 3 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Calming a disruptive visitor happens face to face and depends entirely on the person handling it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Organising catalogue cards according to the system
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: catalogue cards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Organise catalogue cards according to the system in use.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sorting physical catalogue cards into drawers is done by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Returning books and materials
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 4135/00Source: “Return books and materials to shelves, files, or designated storage areas.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Putting books back on the right shelves means walking the library with a trolley.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Opening and closing the library during specified hours
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: the library during specified hours, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Open and close the library during specified hours.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Unlocking and locking the building requires someone with keys on the premises.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Securing library equipment, including computers and audio-visual devices
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: library equipment, including computers and audio-visual devices, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 4135/00Source: “Secure library equipment, including computers and audio-visual devices.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Locking away laptops and projectors means physically putting them somewhere safe.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Delivering and retrieving items to and from departments by hand or using trolleys
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Deliver and retrieve items to and from departments by hand or using trolleys.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Carrying items between departments by hand or trolley needs a person doing the carrying.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Repairing books using mending tape
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 4135/00Source: “Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mending a torn book with tape and paste is craft work done by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Photocopying documents and delivering post and messages
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: documents, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 4135/00Source: “Photocopy documents and deliver post and messages.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Photocopying and hand-delivering post is physical fetching and carrying around a building.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Placing books in mailing containers for blind library users
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: books, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 4135/00Source: “Place books in mailing containers for blind library users.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Packing books into mailing containers is done by hand at the sorting bench.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
What this job pays, and how many people do it
- Median pay
- £28,100a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
- People doing this job
- 24,000in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.
Why this is shifting
The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: catalogue information in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: classifying, collating and catalogue information using special computer applications and classifying and cataloguing items according to content and purpose. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where books get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.
Your move
Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend
Your week is splitting in two, and which half fills it is the whole question. Classifying, collating and catalogue information using special computer applications is going; circulating books and other materials is not.
So, given all that: 37% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 9% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 54% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 47 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.
The occupation is an average and you are not, so the first job below is finding out where your own week actually sits.
This week: one thing
Print the task ledger above and put your own hours next to each row. Roughly, in pen, in one sitting. Then look at which group your hours actually pile up in. Twenty minutes, this week.
- What you end up holding
- your own week, on one page, sorted into what is shifting and what is not
- How long it takes
- about twenty minutes
If printing it isn’t practical: Read the rows off this page and write the same list on the back of an envelope. Same twenty minutes, same page, and it works just as well said out loud to someone who knows the job. The point is your hours next to the rows, not the paper it is on.
Over the next 90 days
Volunteer toward the durable end, visibly. Over the next ninety days put your hand up for the work in the bottom group (circulating books and other materials) and let people see you doing it. Not a new project: the same job, with your mix deliberately tilted. The point is that when the rota or the reorganisation comes, the version of you people picture is the one doing the part that stays.
Over the next 12 months
Claim a specialism at the durable end and let the other end go. Over a year, deliberately become the person who handles circulating books and other materials, and deliberately stop being the first choice for the rows in the top group. That trade costs something, because the exposed work is often the comfortable work. Decide it on purpose rather than by drift. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.
The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them
I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.
I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to library clerks and assistants (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was librarians: only about 23% of its durable work is work you already do. Your own job splits about 37/63: that share of the list sits in the top exposure band and the rest does not. On this evidence the honest move is inside the job rather than out of it. Become the person who owns “check books in and out of the library”, and let the exposed end go.
How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.
3 moves I checked and rejected
These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.
Librarians
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “check books in and out of the library”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 23% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 23% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Stock control clerks and assistants
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “deliver and retrieve items to and from departments by hand or using trolleys”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 5% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 5% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Sales and retail assistants
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already return books and materials to shelves, files, or designated storage areas, and their equivalent is to stock shelves with products. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: £25,056 against your £28,134, 10.9% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.
What I’d stop worrying about
A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.
The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 37% of its task weight, across 47 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The whole-job doom story
Nothing on this page says this job ends. It says the mix inside it moves. Half the rows above are unchanged or changing shape, and the plan is about which half your week sits in. That is a very different problem, and a solvable one.
Panic-buying a course
Do the twenty-minute sorting exercise first. Most people who buy a course before they have done it buy the wrong one, and the free services listed below will tell you the same thing without charging for it.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.
You are reading the United Kingdom figures
The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which Museum Technicians and Conservators is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.
Switch to the United States page →partial match
The other groups this work is counted across:
In US official statistics this job is counted as Museum Technicians and Conservators, Library Technicians and Library Assistants, Clerical. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.
Your route through this
Where to go next, and what it costs
Free, and complete
The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.
In England:
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
In Wales:
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded
No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it
Nothing Collab365 runs is built for library clerks / assistants, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.
There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 37% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.
7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.
The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for library clerks / assistants. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.
Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for library clerks / assistants launches. Nothing else.
That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.
We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.
No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.
Questions people ask about this job
- Will AI replace Library clerks and assistants?
- Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 47 official task statements scored for Library clerks and assistants (United Kingdom, SOC 4135), 37% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 41 out of 100 (range 36–47, band: partial). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
- Which tasks in “Library clerks and assistants” can AI already do?
- The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Type documents as part of general office activities” (100/100, very high); “Classify, collate, and catalogue information using special computer applications” (93/100, very high); “Maintain records of library materials used” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
- Which tasks in “Library clerks and assistants” stay human?
- About 54% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Place books in mailing containers for blind library users” (0/100, minimal); “Photocopy documents and deliver post and messages” (0/100, minimal); “Repair books using mending tape, paste, and brushes” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
- What should someone working in “Library clerks and assistants” do about AI?
- Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 37% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 54% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
- How is the AI exposure score for Library clerks and assistants calculated?
- Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 47 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.
Where these numbers come from
About the data on this page
- Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
- This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
- One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
- The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
- 18 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
- Task statements
- gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
- Task weights
- gaisi-index (relatedness)
- Scores
- Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
- Pay and employment
- ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))
Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.
The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.
The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.
Using these figures?
Cite this
Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.
Plain text
Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).
BibTeX
@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
title = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
author = {{Collab365}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
note = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published . Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.