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Posted: March 6, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Librarian (Serials and eResources)

Smithsonian Institution

Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

Fresh

Location

Washington, District of Columbia

Salary

$102,415 - $133,142

per year

Closes

March 20, 2026

GS-12 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $74,441 - $96,770

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-11. Advanced degree + significant experience.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves overseeing the purchase, management, and access to digital and print serials and electronic resources for the Smithsonian's libraries, including negotiating with vendors and ensuring resources support research needs.

A good fit would be someone with strong library experience who enjoys handling budgets, workflows, and collaborations in a museum and research setting.

It's ideal for detail-oriented professionals passionate about making information accessible to scholars and educators.

Key Requirements

  • Master's degree in library science or equivalent combination of 5+ years of education, training, and experience in professional librarianship
  • One year of specialized experience at GS-11 level or equivalent, managing acquisitions, cataloging, licensing, and lifecycle of electronic resources and serials
  • Experience negotiating licenses and contracts with vendors for digital content
  • Knowledge of library standards, workflows, and applying new rules to projects
  • Skills in budget planning, expenditure forecasting, and cost-effective resource acquisition
  • Ability to collaborate on operating plans and new initiatives in a library environment
  • Strong communication skills as the point of contact for eResource access

Full Job Description

The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.

This position is in the Discovery, Acquisitions, and Technical Services (DATS) department, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (SLA).

The SLA gathers, organizes, and disseminates the records and history of the Institution to support its research and education programs. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Basic Qualification Requirements: All librarians must meet the requirements for professional education in library science or possess equivalent experience and education. 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 qualification requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements listed below: GS-12 Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service.

For this position Specialized experience is defined as managing an acquisitions or electronic resources unit or department that handles the acquisition, cataloging, licensing, lifecycle management, and access to electronic resources, serials, and electronic collections.

This experience may include applying new rules and standards to existing workflows, completing large‐scale descriptive projects, and collaborating with colleagues on new initiatives.

It also includes contributing to operating plans, supporting budget planning and expenditure forecasting, and ensuring the cost‐effective acquisition of serials and electronic resources.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position.

Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience.

Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Major Duties:

The Librarian (Serials and eResources) is responsible for managing the lifecycle and access for digital and print serials and electronic resources.

Plays a key role in the review and selection of resources. Is the lead in the purchase, management and license negotiation of electronic resources. Is the point of contact for access of eResources.

In this position, you will: Manage acquisitions of electronic resources and serials, including negotiating with vendors and providers of digital content to serve the research needs of the Libraries' and Institution.

Assists in developing operating plans, including managing Discovery, Acquisitions, and Technical Services (DATS) eSerials and eResources budget(s), vendor relationships, and contractual agreements.

Supervises four or fewer staff in serials, eResources and cataloging.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/6/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/7/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 26R-ST-313528-MPA-SLA