Cataloging & Access Services Librarian - Brooklyn Museum
Date postedOctober 31, 2025
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Salary: $68,204
Employment Term: Full-time
Employer Contact: Applicants may contact library@brooklynmuseum.org to request any necessary accommodations.
Museum overview
The Brooklyn Museum is a world-renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing art, history, and heritage. Our mission is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration, compassion, courage, and the will to act. Our vision is to serve as an institution where art is a powerful force for personal transformation and social change. Celebrating our differences and learning about our diverse communities through our collections, exhibitions, and programming is the core of who we are and what we do.
We are committed to creating and cultivating a community of talented, passionate people who are inspired to make the Museum an important hub of community activity and a great global destination. Our staff have the opportunity to grow their professional skills and work collaboratively with colleagues they admire and respect.
About the role
This position will perform cataloging of the Libraries’ varied holdings and oversee our integrated library system (ILS) and online catalog, Ex Libris Alma/Primo, which is shared among the three institutional members of the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC): the Brooklyn Museum, the Frick Collection, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
This position will also uphold internal and public-facing operations and policies for access services, including staffing the circulation desk, answering inquiries, and performing collection maintenance, as well as providing administrative support for the department.
Responsibilities
The Brooklyn Museum is a world-renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing art, history, and heritage. Our mission is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration, compassion, courage, and the will to act. Our vision is to serve as an institution where art is a powerful force for personal transformation and social change. Celebrating our differences and learning about our diverse communities through our collections, exhibitions, and programming is the core of who we are and what we do.
We are committed to creating and cultivating a community of talented, passionate people who are inspired to make the Museum an important hub of community activity and a great global destination. Our staff have the opportunity to grow their professional skills and work collaboratively with colleagues they admire and respect.
About the role
This position will perform cataloging of the Libraries’ varied holdings and oversee our integrated library system (ILS) and online catalog, Ex Libris Alma/Primo, which is shared among the three institutional members of the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC): the Brooklyn Museum, the Frick Collection, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
This position will also uphold internal and public-facing operations and policies for access services, including staffing the circulation desk, answering inquiries, and performing collection maintenance, as well as providing administrative support for the department.
Responsibilities
- Oversee the Libraries’ shared ILS and online catalog, Ex Libris Alma/Primo, in coordination with our NYARC partner institutions
- Catalog a variety of materials with subject matter ranging from ancient history to contemporary art
- Prepare cataloged materials for access, including labeling and shelving
- Under the supervision of the Director of Libraries & Archives, coordinate and uphold access services for the Libraries
- Staff the circulation desk during open hours and appointments, including greeting and monitoring researchers in the reading room, checking materials in and out, and opening and closing duties
- Communicate with researchers to set up new accounts, schedule appointments, and request materials
- Pull materials requested for appointments, holds, and check-outs
- Stacks maintenance duties including reshelving, labeling, shifting collections, inventory projects, and integrated pest management (IPM)
- Respond to general inquiries in department email accounts and answer reference questions, including pulling materials and providing scans
- Process book donations received by staff and public
- Perform tasks for image reproduction requests in partnership with the Digital Collections department
- Perform administrative duties for department, including taking minutes at meetings, submitting help tickets, maintaining supplies, tracking invoices, and handling mail
- Assist with internal and external outreach efforts including trainings, presentations, and programming, sometimes outside of normal office hours
- Other duties that are reasonably related to the above or to the daily operations of the Libraries & Archives department
Qualifications
- ALA-accredited Master’s degree in library or information science
- Bachelor’s degree in art history, studio art, archeology, or another field related to the Museum’s collections
- One year of experience working in a research library with an ILS, preferably Alma/Primo
- One year of experience cataloging using bibliographic standards (MARC, RDA, AACR2, LCSH, Getty vocabularies) and using related tools (OCLC Connexion, MarcEdit, ClassWeb)
- Demonstrable knowledge of cataloging different formats, such as books, serials, ephemera, and online resources
- Demonstrable knowledge of access services in a research library
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills for working with all Museum staff, volunteers, interns, and the public
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Strong research and comprehension skills
- Strong analytical skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Reading knowledge of one or more languages in addition to English
- Familiarity with Egyptology
- Familiarity with artists’ books
Physical Requirements
- Ability to visually inspect work and surrounding physical areas
- Ability to carry out physical maneuvers that will include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, and reaching