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Federal Library Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Cataloger

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$16.21/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Experience supporting a federal library. * Experience cataloging materials for blind or print-disabled library users. * Experience working with sound recording bibliographic records. * Knowledge of ...

Archivist

Beltsville, MD ยท On-site

$60K - $72K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Experience working in a federal library, research library, or scientific archive . * Familiarity with agricultural, scientific, or environmental history collections. * Experience using archival ...

Cataloger

Washington, DC ยท Remote

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Experience supporting a federal library. * Experience cataloging materials for blind or print-disabled library users. * Experience working with sound recording bibliographic records. * Knowledge of ...

Archivist

Beltsville, MD

$60K - $72K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Experience working in a federal library, research library, or scientific archive . * Familiarity with agricultural, scientific, or environmental history collections. * Experience using archival ...

Inspector

Washington, DC ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Job Type Full-time Description LAC Federal is seeking a detail-oriented Inspector - Quality Control to perform essential quality control reviews of various materials at a prestigious federal library ...

Library Technician

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$20 - $25/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Job Type Full-time Description LAC Federal is seeking a Library Technician to support an art-focused research library in Washington, DC. The successful candidate will provide operational support for ...

Library Technician

Washington, DC

$20 - $25/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Description LAC Federal is seeking a Library Technician to support an art-focused research library in Washington, DC. The successful candidate will provide operational support for library collections ...

Inspector

Washington, DC

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Description LAC Federal is seeking a detail-oriented Inspector - Quality Control to perform essential quality control reviews of various materials at a prestigious federal library in Washington, DC.

Showing results 21-40

Federal Library information

See Washington salary details

$32.3K

$82.7K

$140.4K

How much do federal library jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for federal library in Washington is $82,661.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $64,600.00 and $96,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in a federal library, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in federal libraries often encounter challenges such as adapting to evolving government information policies, managing large and diverse collections, and meeting the varied needs of federal employees and the public. Navigating strict security protocols and handling sensitive or classified materials may also be part of the job. Building strong communication skills, staying current with library technology, and participating in ongoing professional development can help address these challenges and ensure effective service delivery.

What is a federal library?

A Federal Library is a library that is operated or funded by a federal government agency. These libraries provide information resources and services primarily to government employees, researchers, and sometimes the public, depending on the library's mission. Federal Libraries support the work of government agencies by offering specialized collections, research support, and access to digital and physical materials. Examples include the Library of Congress, the National Library of Medicine, and the National Agricultural Library.

What is the difference between Federal Library vs Public Library?

AspectFederal LibraryPublic Library
Required CredentialsMaster's degree in Library Science (MLS) or equivalent, specialized knowledge of federal collectionsMLS or equivalent, focus on community services
Work EnvironmentGovernment buildings, federal agencies, specialized collectionsCommunity centers, city or town facilities, public spaces
Employer & Industry UsageFederal government agencies, national archives, military, government researchLocal government, city or county governments, community outreach
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding federal library roles, job requirements, and career pathsLearning about local library jobs, services, and community engagement

Federal libraries serve government agencies and national collections, requiring specialized credentials and working within federal institutions. Public libraries focus on serving local communities, with a broader emphasis on public access and community programs. While both roles involve library science skills, their work environments, employer types, and user focus differ significantly.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a federal librarian, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Federal Librarian, you need a master's degree in library science (MLS/MLIS), strong research abilities, and knowledge of information organization and retrieval. Familiarity with integrated library systems (ILS), digital databases, government document management tools, and cataloging standards like MARC is typically required. Excellent communication, attention to detail, and customer service skills help librarians effectively serve diverse users and collaborate with colleagues. These skills ensure accurate information access, regulatory compliance, and high-quality support for federal agency missions.

What job categories do people searching Federal Library jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Federal Library jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Federal Library jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Federal Library job openings:

Infographic showing various Federal Library job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,661 per year, or $39.7 per hour.

Scholarly Communications Librarian

Library Systems & Services LLC

Beltsville, MD โ€ข On-site

$76K - $82K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 6 days ago


Job description

Job Type
Full-time
Description
LAC Federal is seeking an experienced Scholarly Communication Librarian to support a major federal library in advancing research integrity, open science, and public access to federally funded research. The position provides expert guidance and operational support across scholarly publishing, journal evaluation, copyright and licensing, open access compliance, and research impact reporting. The role directly supports scientific integrity priorities and gold-standard science initiatives through trusted journal management, AGRICOLA indexing, stakeholder training, and analytics reporting.
This position may be performed remotely or onsite in Beltsville, Maryland, depending on project needs.
Responsibilities
  • Evaluate journal inclusion requests using documented suitability and integrity criteria.
  • Identify predatory or hijacked journals and document evaluation outcomes.
  • Maintain workflows for Trust Journal List including documentation, and monthly updates to stakeholders.
  • Communicate clear, professional decisions and rationale.
  • Assess journals for inclusion in research database based on relevance, peer review, and abstract availability.
  • Execute indexing approvals within Alma and maintain accurate holdings alignment.
  • Coordinate with the Selection Committee and document decisions and trends.
  • Publish and maintain monthly indexed-journal updates.
  • Develop and deliver training aligned with the Agency's Scientific Integrity policy and scholarly communication best practices.
  • Address emerging issues such as AI in publishing, retractions, and predatory journals.
  • Ensure Section 508 accessibility compliance and document assessment outcomes.
  • Define and operationalize indicators such as peer-review status, funder attribution, and altmetrics.
  • Produce analytics and reproducible reports using approved data sources.
  • Deliver timely responses to research data calls and maintain full documentation.
  • Submit biweekly status reports and participate in project review meetings.
  • Support monthly Selection Committee meetings and stakeholder coordination.

Requirements
  • Master's degree in Library and Information Science OR minimum five years of scholarly publishing or scholarly communication experience.
  • Demonstrated expertise in journal publishing workflows, editorial standards, identifiers (DOI/ISSN/ISBN), and citation technologies.
  • Knowledge of open access mandates, copyright/licensing, metadata standards, and discovery tools.
  • Experience delivering professional training and conducting research analytics in agriculture, food, or related sciences.
  • Familiarity with library systems, metadata, digitization, and access management platforms.
  • Deliver accurate, timely, and standards-compliant outputs with minimal revision.
  • Maintain documentation, reproducibility, and version control across workflows and reporting.
  • Produce Section 508-compliant training and analytics aligned with USDA scientific integrity requirements.

Physical Requirements
  • Primarily sedentary work requiring extended periods of sitting and regular use of a computer and standard office equipment.
  • Ability to communicate effectively and review information in written, digital, and virtual formats.
  • Occasional movement within the work environment and light lifting of up to 10 pounds.

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.
Salary Description
$76,000 - $82,000