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Diploma · national qualification

Diploma of Library and Information Services

A library technician helps people find what they need, whether that's a book, a database entry or a research paper, and keeps the collection and its records in order.

Compare 7 providers
Illustration of a person working as library Technician
How long it takes
1 to 2 years
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $14,320
Full fee at TAFE Queensland
How you can study
Online or on campus
Includes a work placement
Main job
Library Technician
$65,000 (estimate) median pay
Taught by
7 providers
5 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

What the Diploma of Library and Information Services asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in helping people find information
  • patience with technology problems
  • care with copyright and licensing rules
  • good communication skills

Before you start

The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Library Technician

    A library technician keeps a library's collection organised and its catalogue accurate, and helps people find what they need.

    What else you need

    Library technician training; complete the workplace hours needed for the stated ALIA accreditation requirements. This is not a librarian qualification.

    Median pay$65,000 (estimate)

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Paying the full fee

$14,320

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Full fee
    $14,320

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 7 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

16 units: 4 that everyone takes and 12 you choose.

  • Helping clients find information
  • Copyright and licensing rules
  • Research and information literacy
  • Fixing client technology problems
  • How libraries and collections work
  • Leading and guiding a team
See all 4 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

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Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
  5. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you for work as a library technician or research assistant, helping people find information, undertaking research, and analysing and communicating ideas. You'll plan, carry out and evaluate your own work or the work of a team, and may provide leadership and guidance to others. A work placement is part of the course.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Is a licence, registration or check required to work in this area?

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication. To meet accreditation requirements for the Australian Library and Information Association as a Library Technician, you must complete at least 70 hours of work placement.

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.