Reference Librarian Jobs
Reference Librarian jobs are open across public library systems, academic institutions, law firms, hospitals, and corporate research departments, at every level from entry-level to senior and department head, with specializations in research services, digital archives, and special collections. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
Find Reference Librarian JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 28+ Reference Librarian jobs
Summary
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.
Learn more about this agency
This job is open to
The public
Clarification from the agency
Anyone may apply - By law, employment at most U.S. Government agencies, including the Library of Congress, is limited to U.S. citizens. However, non-citizens may be hired, provided that other legal requirements are met and the Library determines there are no qualified U.S. citizens available for the position.
Duties
This position is located in the American Folklife Center, Special Collections Directorate, Researcher and Collections Services within the Library Collections and Services Group at the Library of Congress.
As a Reference Librarian, you will:
- Interview researchers, analyze their questions and requirements, and recommend materials appropriate to their needs.
- Orient readers to the reading room and its services.
- Guide researchers in employing search strategies that tap the full range of the Division's reference tools and resources to meet the researcher's need.
- Provide information on the collections, finding tools, and relevant reference sources.
- Maintain awareness and knowledge of folklife or related fields, developments in the field, and availability of reference and resource materials.
- Develop, promote, facilitate, present, and evaluate programs to meet the expressed and anticipated needs of researchers and other user communities.
- Assist with arrangements for new acquisitions or donations by scheduling delivery of objects and preparing listings of new items.
- The position description number for this position is 446149.
- 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
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.
Qualifications
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Ability to provide reference and research services.**
Ability to develop and manage research collections.**
Knowledge of folklife, oral history, military history, and/or related fields.**
Ability to provide consultation, outreach, and liaison services.**
Ability to utilize information technology to perform library services.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Education
All librarians must meet the requirements for professional education in library science or possess equivalent experience and education. However, as a standard practice applicants enter at grade GS-9 on the basis of a master's degree in library science.
A. Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate study in library science in an accredited college or university, in addition to completion of all work required for a bachelor's degree;
Or
B. A total of at least 5 years of a combination of college-level education, training, and experience. To qualify on this basis, the applicant must establish conclusively that the education, training, and experience provided a knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles, and techniques of professional librarianship; a knowledge of literature resources; and the knowledge and abilities essential for providing effective library and information services.
In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have directly related education and/or specialized experience.
GS- 9
Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's in library science or equivalent graduate degree, e.g., LL.B. or J.D., related to the position.
You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.
Foreign Education – Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE). Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.
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 ADA@loc.gov. 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 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. 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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
Required Documents
- Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.
- Your SF-50 shows a federal position you've held, grade level and duty location. Your SF-50 can support position changes, conversions or separation for employment eligibility.
- Transcripts may support your qualifications for a federal job and can include high school, college or other schools.
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 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
How to Apply
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
Please note, there is no page restriction to your resume, and you are allowed to upload a resume longer than two pages in the resume section within the application process. When the application system prompts, please proceed to the agency site to complete your application.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume and upload it to your profile in the "Resume" section. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers one option that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:00pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Agency contact information
101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540
Washington, District of Columbia 20540
United States
Next steps
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.
Overview
- 1410 Librarian
Summary
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.
Learn more about this agency
This job is open to
The public
Clarification from the agency
Anyone may apply - By law, employment at most U.S. Government agencies, including the Library of Congress, is limited to U.S. citizens. However, non-citizens may be hired, provided that other legal requirements are met and the Library determines there are no qualified U.S. citizens available for the position.
Duties
This position is located in the American Folklife Center, Special Collections Directorate, Researcher and Collections Services within the Library Collections and Services Group at the Library of Congress.
As a Reference Librarian, you will:
- Interview researchers, analyze their questions and requirements, and recommend materials appropriate to their needs.
- Orient readers to the reading room and its services.
- Guide researchers in employing search strategies that tap the full range of the Division's reference tools and resources to meet the researcher's need.
- Provide information on the collections, finding tools, and relevant reference sources.
- Maintain awareness and knowledge of folklife or related fields, developments in the field, and availability of reference and resource materials.
- Develop, promote, facilitate, present, and evaluate programs to meet the expressed and anticipated needs of researchers and other user communities.
- Assist with arrangements for new acquisitions or donations by scheduling delivery of objects and preparing listings of new items.
- The position description number for this position is 446149.
- 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
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.
Qualifications
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Ability to provide reference and research services.**
Ability to develop and manage research collections.**
Knowledge of folklife, oral history, military history, and/or related fields.**
Ability to provide consultation, outreach, and liaison services.**
Ability to utilize information technology to perform library services.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Education
All librarians must meet the requirements for professional education in library science or possess equivalent experience and education. However, as a standard practice applicants enter at grade GS-9 on the basis of a master's degree in library science.
A. Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate study in library science in an accredited college or university, in addition to completion of all work required for a bachelor's degree;
Or
B. A total of at least 5 years of a combination of college-level education, training, and experience. To qualify on this basis, the applicant must establish conclusively that the education, training, and experience provided a knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles, and techniques of professional librarianship; a knowledge of literature resources; and the knowledge and abilities essential for providing effective library and information services.
In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have directly related education and/or specialized experience.
GS- 9
Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's in library science or equivalent graduate degree, e.g., LL.B. or J.D., related to the position.
You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.
Foreign Education – Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE). Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.
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 ADA@loc.gov. 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 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. 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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
Required Documents
- Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.
- Your SF-50 shows a federal position you've held, grade level and duty location. Your SF-50 can support position changes, conversions or separation for employment eligibility.
- Transcripts may support your qualifications for a federal job and can include high school, college or other schools.
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 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
How to Apply
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
Please note, there is no page restriction to your resume, and you are allowed to upload a resume longer than two pages in the resume section within the application process. When the application system prompts, please proceed to the agency site to complete your application.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume and upload it to your profile in the "Resume" section. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers one option that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:00pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Agency contact information
101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540
Washington, District of Columbia 20540
United States
Next steps
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.
Overview
- 1410 Librarian
Reference Librarian Jobs by Experience Level
See All 28 Reference Librarian Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Reference Librarian JobsReference Librarian Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in reference librarian jobs.
- Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program
- Proficiency with integrated library systems such as Alma, Sierra, or Koha
- Experience conducting in-depth reference interviews with diverse patron populations
- Familiarity with academic or legal research databases including ProQuest and LexisNexis
- Ability to develop and deliver information literacy instruction sessions
- Experience with collection development, cataloging, or metadata standards such as MARC
Tips for Your Reference Librarian Job Search
Tailor your resume to the setting
Public, academic, law, and medical libraries each prioritize different skills. Highlight cataloging experience for academic roles, legal database proficiency for law firms, and community programming for public libraries. A single generic resume will underperform across all of them.
List every database platform you know
Employers filter candidates by familiarity with specific tools. Call out systems like EBSCOhost, ProQuest, LexisNexis, Westlaw, PubMed, and your integrated library system by name in your resume skills section, not buried in job descriptions.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists reference librarian openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Demonstrate reference interview skills in writing
Many hiring committees ask for a cover letter that shows how you approach a patron research query. Walk through your reference interview process concisely, because the ability to translate vague questions into actionable search strategies is the core of the role.
Prepare a teaching or instruction portfolio
Academic and public library roles increasingly require information literacy instruction. Bring a sample lesson plan, LibGuide, or workshop outline to your interview. Hiring managers want evidence you can teach research skills to groups, not just assist individuals one-on-one.
Negotiate start date around accreditation timelines
If you are finishing your MLIS degree, confirm your graduation and accreditation date before accepting an offer. Many positions require an ALA-accredited degree on day one, and a misaligned start date can complicate your hire or delay your first paycheck.
Reference Librarian Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most reference librarians?
The companies hiring the most reference librarians right now include Library Of Congress, Pace University, and Barry University, with the largest share of openings in Maryland, New York, and Illinois, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Openings are distributed across public library systems, university libraries, and specialized corporate or legal research departments.
How many reference librarian jobs are remote?
About 9% of reference librarian openings are fully remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with remote availability concentrated in digital services, virtual reference, and online instruction roles. Positions tied to physical collections, in-person patron assistance, or on-site cataloging remain predominantly in-person.
How do you become a reference librarian?
You become a reference librarian by earning a Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program, which is the standard entry requirement across public, academic, and special library settings. During your program, seek practicum placements in the type of library you want to work in. Build hands-on experience with research databases, library management systems, and instruction. Specialized libraries such as law or medical often expect additional subject knowledge or coursework in the relevant field.
Can you get hired as a reference librarian with little experience?
Yes, you can get hired as a reference librarian with limited professional experience if you frame your graduate practicums, library assistant roles, and relevant coursework as substantive evidence of skill. Public and community college libraries tend to be more open to newer graduates than research universities or specialized law libraries. Demonstrating fluency with specific databases and a clear approach to the reference interview process will differentiate you from other entry-level candidates.
What does the reference librarian interview process look like?
The reference librarian interview process typically involves an initial phone or video screen with HR or a hiring coordinator, followed by a panel interview with library staff and administrators. Many employers include a practical component, such as a reference scenario, a mock instruction session, or a tour of a sample research question. Final rounds at academic institutions often involve a campus visit and a formal teaching demonstration before the committee makes its recommendation.
Where can I find and apply to reference librarian jobs?
You can find and apply to reference librarian jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Find roles that match your background, setting preference, and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing. No third-party redirects or extra steps are involved.
See All 28 Reference Librarian Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Reference Librarian Jobs