Librarian (Assistant Curator, Graphic Arts)

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.

Duties

The Prints and Photographs Division has one of the largest pictorial research collections in the world with more than 15 million pictures in a variety of visual formats contained in hundreds of individual collections and stored in several locations and remote sites. The collections are among the most varied in subject time-period medium format physical condition and intellectual property rights requirements with attendant concerns regarding security preservation safe handling and service. The collections are accessed by means of complex diverse and often multi-layered intellectual controls in written filmed and digital forms. The Graphic Arts area has an estimated 500000 artist prints posters documentary drawings cartoons and comics historical prints and pictorial ephemera like trade cards.

• Provides reference and research services of limited technical complexity to researchers where user needs are determined easily from interviews or written requests. Provides accurate competent research guidance on the use and technical aspects of the visual materials collections. Examines publications electronic resources and trends in topics related to a specialized field. Develops knowledge of collections for use in performing research tasks. Assists in preparing finding aids and related written products describing collections. Prepares basic and standard responses to written telephone or electronic media inquiries.
• Assists with the full range of curatorial duties including reference processing preservation publication and exhibition work. Identifies and provides basic curatorial documentation on items and collections for purposes of preservation processing and cataloging. Monitors condition and preservation needs of items in the collections. Assists with special reference service such as unprocessed collections.
• Sees to arrangements for new acquisitions or donations. Researches visual works identified for possible acquisition. Proposes works for possible acquisition. Helps maintain contacts with donors and potential donors including correspondence and phone communications. Arranges for delivery of objects. Prepares listings of new items.
• Conducts research using established methods. Researches visual collections searches published and unpublished sources to complete cataloging establish provenance answer public inquiries provide research support for exhibit/publication projects and otherwise contribute to the accessibility and wider availability of the collections etc. Compiles background materials under the direction of a curator to inform the interested public (government officials scholars publishers writers learned societies etc.) of the Librarys resources and services and to support special exhibit and publication projects. May participate in professional associations.

Performs other duties as assigned.

This position is in the Curatorial Section of the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress.

This is a non-supervisory bargaining unit position.

The position description number for this position is 470301.

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.

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 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.

Knowledge of the field of artist prints posters and other popular graphic arts.**

Ability to provide research and reference services.**

Knowledge of library principles concepts and techniques.

Ability to communicate in writing.

Ability to analyze and solve problems related to visual and documentary materials in graphic art collections.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Education

There are no education requirements for this posting.

Additional information

Althoughit is the Librarys 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 proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicants college or university or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The lettermust verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the from health care providers are not more information contact the Librarys 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 unitswithin 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.

Required Experience:

Junior IC