What the Library Technical Assistant Certificate of Completion program at JJC does:
- Trains students to become an integral part of the library team.
- Recognizes the need for skilled paraprofessional workers in today's libraries.
- Provides a well rounded overview of library operations.
- Offers opportunities for all library workers to update their job skills.
Courses provide the student with:
- Hands on experience
- Training for task-oriented responsibilities
- Practical, functional, marketable job skills
- A key to open the door to many specialized library jobs
The L.T.A. certificate program at Joliet Junior College combines classroom lectures, hands-on exercises and field trips. Active advisory committees of local librarians assembled from the Prairie Area Library System meet regularly and assure that course work reflects the needs of library employers in the area. The L.T.A. program is comprised of 9 courses for a total of 26 credit hours. For more information, contact Susan Prokopeak, Assistant Professor, Joliet Junior College Learning Resource Center at (815) 280-2215 or sprokope@jjc.edu. L.T.A. faculty are currently utilizing Angel Distance Education software to enhance course instruction.
Job Outlook
Employment of library technicians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2012. In addition to employment growth, some job openings will result from the need to replace technicians who transfer to other fields or leave the labor force.
The increasing use of library automation is expected to continue to spur job growth. Computerized information systems have simplified certain tasks, such as descriptive cataloging, which can now be handled by technicians instead of librarians. For example, nowadays technicians can easily retrieve information from a central database and store it in the library’s computer. Although efforts to contain costs could dampen employment growth of library technicians in school, public, and collegiate libraries, cost containment efforts could also result in more hiring of technicians than librarians. Growth in the number of professionals and other workers who use special libraries should result in good job opportunities for library technicians in those settings.
Earnings
Median annual earnings of library technicians in May 2006 were $26,560. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,220 and $34,280. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $15,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $42,850. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of library technicians in 2006 were as follows:
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools $29,950
- Junior colleges 29,470
- Local government 25,610
- Elementary and secondary schools 24,760
- Other information services 23,420
- Salaries of library technicians in the Federal Government averaged $43,238 in 2007