Librarian

About the role

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity.

We seek highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

What you will do

• This position is located in the Israel and Judaica Section, Asian and Middle Eastern Division, Acquisitions and Bibliographic Access Directorate, Discovery and Preservation Services.
• It is a hybrid position that combines major duties from both the acquisitions specialist and the cataloger.
• There is a foreign language requirement for this position depending on the geographical area for which cataloging or acquisitions functions are being performed.
• The incumbent uses a specific foreign language to perform the following duties in areas of Cataloging Services, Acquisitions Services, Analyzes and Organizes Information and Materials, Library Collections Development, Consultation and Liaison Services, and Librarian Training and Mentoring.
• As the Librarian, you will: Catalog variety of materials in an automated cataloging environment where the bibliographic characteristics of the material are relatively easy to determine, and cataloging decisions are made within established standards.
• Search entries in automated and manual catalogs.
• Assign headings to catalog entries.
• Select and assign classification numbers.
• Establish personal and corporate names and uniform titles for inclusion in the name authority file.
• Establish and recommend subject headings for inclusion in the subject authority file and classification schedule.
• Create and revise bibliographic records, authority records, and classification schedules.
• Perform content designation of bibliographic and authority records.
• Perform research in the cataloger's reference collection, online databases, the world wide web, and the collections of the Library.
• Recommend resolutions to problems and inconsistencies in the cataloging process.
• Provide services and deal with materials that are non-technical in nature, of limited technical complexity, or easily acquired.
• Coordinate proper purchasing information, correct bibliographic identification, and correct coding in the information system.
• Contact dealers, subscription agents, vendors, overseas offices, government agencies, and/or exchange partners to coordinate the order process.
• Consult acquisitions reference material to determine whether recommended item is appropriate for purchase, copyright claim, exchange, gift, loan, or other type of acquisition.
• Examine recommendations for acquisition to identify processing and custodial requirements and to identify acquisition of out-of-scope materials.
• Maintain liaison with recommending officials and subject specialists to understand their needs.
• Consult acquisitions reference material to determine whether recommended item is appropriate for purchase.
• Review and approve invoices for payment for all formats of material.
• Determine availability of funds.
• Obtain, analyze, and organize information using standard reference tools and established techniques and practices.
• Analyze and organize standard subject data to determine its relationship to the existing collections, for preferred access points and the need for additional access points.
• Analyze material to determine subject content.
• Apply standard rules, guidelines, and reference tools and established techniques and practices.
• Participate in formulating plans for changes and improvements to cataloging-related issues.
• Use standard methods, techniques, concepts, and principles to perform assignments related to collection development support, with review by supervisor, senior staff and/or recommending officers.
• Assist in examination of incoming shipments to select items appropriate for the collections, in accordance with established guidelines.
• Assist in examination of recommendations for acquisition to identify processing and custodial requirements, and to ensure conformity with established guidelines.
• Participate in formulating plans for changes and improvements to collection development policies.
• Work to maintain personal contacts and cooperative work relationships in order to provide or exchange information.
• Consult with the supervisor and cataloging policy staff to recommend changes and additions in descriptive and subject cataloging rules.
• Offer suggestions and advice to the supervisor on operational and technical problems.
• This position requires knowledge of Armenian and/or Georgian, and a highly desired knowledge of Russian.
• Additionally, a Master's of Library/Information Science (MLIS) or an advanced degree in a related/adjacent field is highly desired.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• The position description number for this position is 457104.
• The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
• The incumbent of this position will work a Flexitime work schedule.
• This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.
• Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Requirements

• Conditions of Employment This position requires knowledge of Armenian and/or Georgian, and a highly desired knowledge of Russian.
• Additionally, a Master's of Library/Information Science (MLIS) or an advanced degree in a related/adjacent field is highly desired.
• Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana.
• The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library.
• In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

How you will be evaluated

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position.

To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.

The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
• Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.
• The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.
• The program does not accept certification from health care providers.
• For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.
• FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

What to expect next

Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid at step one of the grade. The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation. For more information, please see: Vetting Process This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ***.

The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.

The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.

Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial permanent appointments to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. Probationary periods served at other Federal agencies do not count toward this requirement. The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans.

However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit. A “Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date.

However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints. Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim.

Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.