Library Technician

Description

LAC Federal is seeking a detail-oriented Library Technicians to provide cataloging and metadata processing support for a federal research library in Washington, DC. The successful candidate will provide essential technical and paraprofessional support for a comprehensive cataloging, metadata cleanup, and collection maintenance program involving extensive scientific, historical, and multilingual research collections. Responsibilities include preparing materials for original and copy cataloging, creating digital reference packages for remote foreign-language catalogers, maintaining bibliographic holdings and item records in Ex Libris Alma, supporting inventory reconciliation and withdrawals, and assisting with the reduction of cataloging backlogs. The ideal candidate will have experience in library technical services, strong organizational and computer skills, and the ability to recognize and distinguish multiple foreign-language writing systems.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Receive, sort, inventory, and prepare library materials for cataloging, including monographs, serials, electronic-resource documentation, and specialized research publications.
• Conduct preliminary bibliographic searches in Ex Libris Alma and OCLC WorldCat to identify existing records, verify basic bibliographic information, and assist professional catalogers with copy cataloging workflows.
• Create and update bibliographic holdings and item records in Alma under established procedures, including barcodes, item statuses, locations, call numbers, and other inventory control information.
• Prepare standardized digital reference packages for remote foreign-language catalogers by scanning or photographing title pages, covers, colophons, tables of contents, publication information, and other required descriptive elements.
• Recognize and distinguish multiple foreign-language writing systems, including Latin, Cyrillic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Greek, and other scripts, to support accurate material identification and assignment to qualified catalogers.
• Track foreign-language cataloging assignments, maintain digital file organization, monitor work status, and reconcile completed records with corresponding physical materials.
• Assist with cataloging backlog reduction by organizing materials, maintaining processing queues, recording production statistics, and preparing items for review by professional catalogers.
• Support bibliographic and metadata cleanup activities, including identifying duplicate records, missing or inconsistent item information, encoding anomalies, diacritical errors, and discrepancies requiring professional review.
• Conduct physical inventory reconciliation, shelf verification, and collection maintenance activities, including identification of missing, misplaced, duplicate, damaged, or incorrectly recorded materials.
• Process approved withdrawals and disposition actions, including updating Alma item and holdings records, preparing materials for transfer or removal, and maintaining accurate documentation and audit trails.
• Assist with serials maintenance by verifying issue information, recording enumeration and chronology, updating item records, and identifying inconsistencies in serial holdings.
• Handle, transport, and organize library materials in accordance with established preservation, security, and collection management procedures, including occasional assignments at off-site storage facilities.

Requirements

• Minimum of two years of experience working in a library, archives, museum, research institution, or comparable information management environment, including cataloging support, technical services, collection processing, or inventory management.
• Experience using an integrated library system or library services platform to search, retrieve, create, or update bibliographic, holdings, or item records.
• Working knowledge of library cataloging and technical services processes, including bibliographic records, call numbers, classification systems, barcodes, holdings, and inventory control.
• Ability to recognize and distinguish multiple foreign-language writing systems, including at least three of the following: Latin, Cyrillic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic/Persian, Hebrew, Greek, or other non-Latin scripts.
• Ability to accurately identify and capture bibliographic information from title pages, publication statements, colophons, and other standard sources of cataloging information, including materials in unfamiliar languages.
• Experience using scanners, digital imaging equipment, document management applications, or comparable tools to create, organize, and manage electronic files.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, spreadsheets, shared file systems, and accurate data entry.
• Demonstrated ability to follow detailed written procedures, maintain accurate records, identify inconsistencies, and perform repetitive technical tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple processing queues, track assigned materials, and meet established productivity and quality standards.
• Ability to safely handle and move library materials, retrieve items from shelving, and perform routine collection processing tasks, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Washington, DC, and meet applicable federal facility access requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• College degree in Library Technology, Library and Information Science, Information Management, Humanities, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant library technical services experience.
• Hands-on experience with Ex Libris Alma, including item record maintenance, holdings updates, physical inventory, and cataloging workflows.
• Familiarity with OCLC Connexion, OCLC WorldCat, MARC 21, RDA, Library of Congress Classification, or other cataloging standards and tools.
• Experience supporting cataloging backlog reduction, retrospective conversion, bibliographic cleanup, or library services platform migration projects.
• Ability to identify a broad range of foreign-language scripts and familiarity with bibliographic conventions used in East Asian, Middle Eastern, and European      publications.
• Basic reading proficiency in one or more foreign languages, particularly Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Persian, Spanish, Italian, German, or Russian.
• Experience creating digital surrogates or reference images of library materials, including careful handling of fragile, rare, or specialized publications.
• Experience performing inventory reconciliation, serials check-in, withdrawal processing, or collection maintenance using an integrated library system.
• Familiarity with UTF-8, Unicode, diacritical characters, and common metadata quality issues affecting multilingual bibliographic records.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods while performing cataloging, data entry, inventory, and collection maintenance tasks.
• Ability to bend, stoop, reach, and retrieve materials from shelves at varying heights, including the use of step stools or ladders when necessary.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull library materials, books, and equipment weighing up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development

EEO Statement

The company and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring/hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Nothing in this job specification restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. 

Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. 

To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. 

Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.