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Library Scientist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Library Project Specialist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$21 - $27.75/hr

This position requires a degree in Library Science or Information Science that has been recently completed or is currently in progress. Preference will be given to applicants with cataloging ...

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Library Scientist information

See California salary details

$49.8K

$109.9K

$135.7K

How much do library scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for library scientist in California is $109,885.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,300.00 and $135,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much does a library scientist make?

The average salary for a library scientist is around $60,000 to $80,000 per year, depending on experience, education, and location. Professionals in this role often hold advanced degrees and work in research or academic environments, utilizing specialized tools and data analysis skills.

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

To thrive as a Library Scientist, you need a solid grounding in information science, research methodologies, and data organization, usually supported by a master's degree in library and information science (MLIS). Familiarity with cataloging systems (like MARC), digital archives, and library management software is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills help set outstanding professionals apart in this field. These skills ensure efficient information management, user support, and the advancement of library services in an evolving digital environment.

Is library science still in demand?

Library scientists, or librarians, continue to be in demand for managing information resources, digital collections, and community services. They often require skills in information technology, cataloging, and user engagement, with employment opportunities available in public, academic, and special libraries.

Can you get a job with a library science degree?

A library scientist, or librarian, can typically find employment in public, academic, or special libraries, often requiring a master's degree in library science or information studies. Skills in cataloging, information management, and familiarity with library software are important for these roles.

What does a library scientist do?

A library scientist researches, develops, and manages information systems and library technologies to improve access to information. They analyze data, design databases, and implement digital tools, often using programming and data management skills, to enhance library services and information retrieval. Their work supports efficient organization and dissemination of knowledge in library environments.

What are some typical challenges faced by Library Scientists in managing digital collections?

Library Scientists often encounter challenges in managing digital collections, such as ensuring proper metadata standards, integrating new technologies, and safeguarding digital assets against data loss or obsolescence. They must balance accessibility for users with copyright and licensing restrictions, and regularly evaluate digital preservation strategies. Collaboration with IT professionals and ongoing training are essential for staying current with evolving best practices in digital library science.

What is the difference between Library Scientist vs Librarian?

AspectLibrary ScientistLibrarian
Required CredentialsMaster's degree in Library Science or related field, often with research experienceMaster's degree in Library Science (MLS) or equivalent
Work EnvironmentResearch institutions, academic settings, specialized librariesPublic, school, academic, or special libraries
Employer & Industry UsageResearch organizations, universities, government agenciesPublic libraries, schools, universities, corporate libraries
Common Search & ComparisonResearch roles, data analysis, library science researchLibrary management, user services, collection development

While both Library Scientists and Librarians hold master's degrees in Library Science, Library Scientists focus more on research, data analysis, and developing new library systems, often working in academic or research settings. Librarians typically manage library operations, assist users, and curate collections in public or educational libraries. The roles overlap in credentials but differ in focus and work environment.

What are library scientists?

Library scientists, also known as library and information scientists, are professionals who manage, organize, and facilitate access to information resources in libraries and related institutions. They use their expertise in information science, technology, and research to classify, preserve, and retrieve data for users. Library scientists also develop systems for cataloging, digital archiving, and improving information accessibility. Their work supports education, research, and the dissemination of knowledge in various settings, including public, academic, and special libraries.
What are popular job titles related to Library Scientist jobs in California? For Library Scientist jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in California are hiring for Library Scientist jobs? Cities in California with the most Library Scientist job openings:
Infographic showing various Library Scientist job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $109,885 per year, or $52.8 per hour.
2026/2027 - Associate Faculty - Library Science (Learning Resources/Library)

2026/2027 - Associate Faculty - Library Science (Learning Resources/Library)

Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara, CA

$60.76 - $154.09/hr

Part-time

Medical, Retirement

Posted 25 days ago


Job description

2026/2027 - Associate Faculty - Library Science (Learning Resources/Library) at Santa Barbara City College Share on X Print Application Deadline 6/3/2027 11:59 PM Pacific Date Posted 6/9/2026 Contact Deneatrice Lewis Number of Openings Not Specified Salary Pay Range 60.76 - 154.09 Per Hour Length of Work Year See Position Description Employment Type Part Time About the Employer Santa Barbara City College has created a unique academic culture, which has been recognized with numerous accolades and awards. Most recently, we were honored by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott with a gift of $20 million in recognition of the excellent work that we do involving diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The college community is also proud of the 2013 Aspen Award for Community College Excellence in, among other things, increased levels of access and success for marginalized and low income students

We highlight to you the profound commitment that the College has to academic excellence, diversity, equity, and inclusion among our faculty, staff, and students. As a community, we believe that diversity comes in many forms. We understand that individuals are multidimensional, shaped by the intersections of a variety of life experiences and factors that create our social identities.

We recognize and challenge the inequities that stem from the complex world in which we live and embrace the many facets of people that make up our wonderful College. Consequently, we seek College employees who will take responsibility for equitable outcomes and successful pathways for our students. We seek new staff and faculty to join our community and walk with us into the future embracing our commitments.

Santa Barbara Community College is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, ethnicity, color, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, military/veteran status, or because they are perceived to have one or more characteristics or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, consistent with applicable of the foregoing federal and state laws. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Job Description / Essential Elements: Print 2026/2027 - Associate Faculty - Library Science (Learning Resources/Library) Santa Rosa Junior College Salary: $60.76 - $154.09 Hourly Job Type: Associate Job Number: 26-220 Location: SRJC Multi-Site, Sonoma County, CA Department: Library and Information Resources Closing: Continuous Description EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Santa Rosa Junior College is currently accepting applications on a continuous basis to establish a pool for associate faculty assignments

Associate assignments may be temporary, part-time and/or on-call and may be immediate or as needed. The Sonoma County Junior College District does not offer 'remote only' assignments. Compensation/Benefits Assignments are made on a part-time, hourly basis.

A part-time faculty assignment may not exceed a total of 67% of an annual full-time assignment. Starting Hourly Rate: Please see the https://hr.santarosa.edu/salary-schedules-0 or contact Human Resources for more information. Salary placement is based on academic background, vocational experience, and teaching experience (depending on discipline) and as documented in application materials

Initial Step placement will be at Step 1 pending evaluation of experience as outlined in the AFA Contract http://www.afa-srjc.org/Contract/Articles/art27.pdf https://get.adobe.com/reader/https://get.adobe.com/reader/. Compensation for assigned classes is paid over the duration of the assignment. Benefits: The District offers medical insurance for those who meet the eligibility requirements

Additional information, including medical plan information and eligibility requirements can be found on the https://hr.santarosa.edu/benefits-associate-faculty. Sick Leave Accrual: Associate faculty accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Additional information can be found in Article 18 of the AFA Contract

Retirement: SRJC offers CalSTRS Defined Benefit, CalSTRS Cash Balance and Social Security as Associate Faculty retirement options. Eligibility for each plan is determined based on prior membership status with CalSTRS. Key Duties and Responsibilities A.

Student Contact-Related Duties for Library & Information Resources Faculty: A librarian engages in a core set of activities. In addition, there are specific types of library services that require specialized skills. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the following: Maintains currency in an environment driven by rapidly changing information technologies and research tools that are critical for librarians.

Provides instruction through a variety of modalities including face-to-face, reference desk, digitally through online reference service orientations, research appointments, workshops and/or Library and Information Resources (LIR) courses. When teaching classes, librarians must perform all relevant duties of section 17.05 of this article. Prepares and arranges student contact activities including consultation with instructional faculty, development of workshops and course-integrated instruction sessions, updating of subject and vocational discipline knowledge, creation of instructional materials and guides, and targeted collection development

Student contact preparation requires a librarian to maintain familiarity with District coursework and instructional materials in a wide range of disciplines, to collaborate with instructional faculty, and to work in new subject areas on an ongoing basis. Identifies, selects, and de-selects resources in a wide array of formats that contribute to the development of the libraries' collections. Materials are mapped to the District's curriculum and mission.

A librarian selects resources for various subject areas and the responsibility for subject areas rotates among librarians. This activity requires regular ongoing review of professional literature and web resources, as well as regular consultation with instructional faculty. Participates in community public relations activities such as cultural events, tours, development and implementation of displays, announcements regarding library services and resources, etc.

Directs the day-to-day work of classified staff and student employees, including consultation and meetings to plan the work of employees, providing detailed input for personnel evaluations, and preparing data required for Personnel Action Forms (PAFs). A librarian directs the day-to-day work of classified staff members in Circulation, Reserves, and the Periodicals Service Desk, as assigned by the supervising administrator. Facilitates institutional support for each District site including initiating service requests, monitoring budgets, requesting updates to Information Technology hardware and software, and initiating PAFs.

B. Other Required Duties for Library & Information Resources Faculty: In addition to student contact-related duties, each librarian also fulfills services in one (1) of the following categories and performs in-depth functions that are related to one (1) of these specific positions as assigned by the supervising administrator. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the following: Instructional Services Librarian: Provides up to 15 hours per week of student contact through reference service, research appointments, and/or Library and Information Literacy credit courses, and offers course-integrated instruction sessions and workshops.

Technical Services Librarian: Assumes responsibility for maintenance and quality control in the library online catalog, serves as liaison with the library system vendor, directs the work of Technical Services support staff, manages archives, administers the library materials budgets, and directs the work of classified staff in Cataloging, Acquisitions, Periodicals, and Interlibrary Loan. Systems Librarian: Assumes responsibility for activities related to the function and maintenance of the library's Integrated Library System (ILS); serves as ILS vendor liaison; maintains currency on ILS functionality, implements custom changes, and provides training in ILS modules to staff at all sites; provides system administration, backup, and maintenance, and administers software upgrades and installations; generates reports and provides statistics. Electronic Services Librarian: Provides leadership in the integration of electronic resources including the library's Web presence and implements and troubleshoots electronic resources.

Please see the http://www.afa-srjc.org/Contract/Articles/art17.pdf https://get.adobe.com/reader/for more information. The examples of duties listed above are representative of those that must be met by a faculty member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions

SELECTION PROCESS: If the department has an immediate need to add candidates to their pool, they will review applications. If the department does not have an immediate need to add candidates to their pool, applications remain in the queue for consideration until the need arises, or for up to one year. If selected, candidates will be invited to an interview with a Screening and Interviewing Committee.

Selected candidates who are not given an immediate assignment will remain in the pool for four years. DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION: The Library and Information Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College provides a diverse array of instructional support services districtwide. There are two library facilities: Doyle Library at the Santa Rosa campus and Mahoney Library at the Petaluma campus.

Instructional collections include over 380,000 books and ebooks, over 40 online databases and a discovery search interface. The library instructional program teaches a one-unit course, both online and face-to-face, that emphasizes instruction in the areas of information literacy. There are over 900 students enrolled per semester, and faculty librarians teach all classes.

Librarians offer workshops that instruct students in the use of individual databases or special citation tool software, and they collaborate with instructional faculty to create course integrated instruction sessions for students. In addition, both libraries maintain research services that are staffed by faculty librarians. These services include day, evening, weekend, and extended hour shifts.

https://libraries.santarosa.edu We are seeking librarians for inclusion in a pool who have the ability to teach in one or more of the following areas: Public Service Librarians: Provide research assistance, and library facilities support, via in-person and online reference, to students, faculty, staff, and community members at one or both campus libraries. May include oversight of student workers and building safety coordination on weekends or evenings. Service may include day, evening, weekend and/or extended hours

Duties may include conducting course-integrated instruction sessions and library workshops in online and in-person formats and developing culturally sensitive instructional materials using traditional and emerging technologies. Instructional Librarians: Teach the department's one-unit credit course, LIR 10 Introduction to Information Literacy, in either the online or in-person format. Minimum Qualifications Applicants must possess the minimum qualifications exactly as listed below for disciplines of interest or file for https://hr.santarosa.edu/sites/hr.santarosa.edu/files/documents/FacEquiv%20approved%206-1-2021.pdf https://get.adobe.com/reader/ in order to be considered

Applicants who are requesting equivalency consideration are responsible for documenting all course work, degree programs and related professional experience at the time of application. Please, see the https://hr.santarosa.edu/sites/hr.santarosa.edu/files/documents/Equivalency%20Guide%20for%20Faculty%20Applicants%20-%20Update_0.pdf https://get.adobe.com/reader/https://get.adobe.com/reader/ and the https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfo2LdZTnyocHFIdwfyWaiJmmRs-oTXTzaW847bVgiPAgR6yQ/viewform for more information. REQUIRED: Master's degree in library science, library and information science; OR the equivalent; OR a fully satisfied (Life) California Community College Instructor's Credential in library science

Preferred: Demonstrated commitment to valuing and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism. Experience in one or more of the following areas: providing in-person and online reference services at an academic library teaching credit courses in Information Literacy in-person or online. teaching course-integrated instruction sessions and library workshops in-person, online, and via video conferencing.

Application Procedures To be considered for this associate faculty pool, applicants must provide the following: A completed Santa Rosa Junior College/GovernmentJobs.com Employment Application and responses to Agency-wide Questions. Contact information (phone number and email address) for three professional references. One reference must be from a current or previous supervisor

A brief cover letter. Current resume. A written response to the diversity prompt below (200-500 words): Please provide two or three examples of your ideas and/or experiences in creating, modifying, and/or performing one or more of the following to meet the needs of a diverse student population: Curricula; Learning activities; Teaching/counseling practices; Educational Resources; Training, background, coursework and/or professional development; Program Development Copies of transcripts of all college-level coursework.

Transcripts must state that the Degree(s) has been conferred or awarded. If selected for the position, official transcripts must be submitted prior to employment. If transcripts are from an institution outside of the United States, applicant must provide a formal evaluation by a credential evaluation service accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services of their international degree(s) at the time of application.

For further details on SRJC requirements on Foreign Degrees, please see https://hr.santarosa.edu/minimum-qualifications-equivalency-and-foreign-degrees. If you do not possess minimum qualifications as noted under the Minimum Qualifications Section above, you must complete and attach the https://hr.santarosa.edu/sites/hr.santaros...