Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Office and administrative support / 43-4121.00

Library Assistants, Clerical

Compile records, and sort, shelve, issue, and receive library materials such as books, electronic media, pictures, cards, slides and microfilm. Locate library materials for loan and replace material in shelving area, stacks, or files according to identification number and title. Register patrons to permit them to borrow books, periodicals, and other library materials.

US jobs
85,520
Median wage
$36,910 a year
Job family
Office and administrative support

Can agents do the work of library assistants, clerical?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Office and administrative support:

  • Task levelStrongOn computer-use and office-task benchmarks, top agents pass most tasks: 90.2% on OSWorld-Verified (humans: 72.4%), 83.1% on SpreadsheetBench, and 63.3% on WorkArena L1 under the standard protocol. Limits: many top entries are self-submitted and not re-run by the maintainers, and on TheAgentCompany's multi-step workplace tasks the best agent resolves 42.9%.
  • Project levelPartialOnly adjacent evidence. OpenAI reports that GPT-5.5's GDPval deliverables won or tied against professionals' work in 84.9% of comparisons, but GDPval tasks are one-shot and fully specified. No benchmark in our collection tests multi-day administrative work, such as running a calendar or a purchasing process.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in office and administrative support, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Sort books, publications, and other items according to established procedure and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
  • Open and close library during specified hours and secure library equipment, such as computers and audio-visual equipment.
  • Locate library materials for patrons, including books, periodicals, tape cassettes, Braille volumes, and pictures.
  • Enter and update patrons' records on computers.
  • Answer routine inquiries and refer patrons in need of professional assistance to librarians.
  • Manage reserve materials by placing items on reserve for library patrons, checking items in and out of library, and removing out-of-date items.
  • Lend, reserve, and collect books, periodicals, videotapes, and other materials at circulation desks and process materials for inter-library loans.
  • Instruct patrons on how to use reference sources, card catalogs, and automated information systems.
  • Inspect returned books for condition and due-date status and compute any applicable fines.
  • Maintain records of items received, stored, issued, and returned and file catalog cards according to system used.
  • Perform clerical activities, such as answering phones, sorting mail, filing, typing, word processing, and photocopying and mailing out material.
  • Register new patrons and issue borrower identification cards that permit patrons to borrow books and other materials.
Other job titles for this occupation (43)

Acquisitions Assistant · Cataloging Assistant · Library Aide · Library Assistant · Library Associate · Library Circulation Assistant · Library Clerical Assistant · Library Clerk · Library Services Assistant · Access Services Assistant · Administrative Library Assistant · Book Sorter · Bookmobile Driver · Braille and Talking Books Clerk · Catalog Library Assistant · Children's Library Assistant · Circulation Assistant · Circulation Clerk · Circulation Representative · Film Library Clerk · Interlibrary Loan Specialist · Librarian Assistant · Library Circulation Clerk · Library Customer Service Clerk · Library Information Assistant · Library Media Assistant · Library Page · Library Serials Assistant · Library Specialist · Media Assistant · Medical Library Assistant · Microfilm Clerk · Page · Public Services Assistant · Reference Assistant · Registration Clerk · Shelving Assistant · Stacks Assistant · Student Library Assistant · Substitute Librarian · Talking Books Library Clerk · Technical Assistant · Technical Services Assistant