Employment Library assistants and bookmobile drivers held about 125,000 jobs in 1996. Job Outlook Opportunities should be good for persons interested in jobs as library assistants or bookmobile drivers through the year 2006. Turnover of these workers is quite high, reflecting the limited investment in training and subsequent weak attachment to this occupation. This work is attractive to retirees, students, and others who want a part-time schedule, and there is a lot of movement into and out of the occupation. Many openings will become available each year to replace workers who transfer to another occupation or leave the labor force.
Some positions become available as library assistants move within the organization.
Library assistants can be promoted to library technicians, and eventually supervisory positions in public service or technical service areas. Advancement opportunities are greater in larger libraries and may be more limited in smaller ones. Employment is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2006. The vast majority of library assistants and bookmobile drivers work in public or school libraries. Efforts to contain costs in local governments and academic institutions of all types, may result in more hiring of library support staff than librarians.