Metadata Librarian

Job Requisition:

JR101945 Metadata Librarian (Open)

Job Posting Title:

Metadata Librarian

Department:

CC00210 WM001 | SLAW | Law Library

Job Family:

Staff - Librarians

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular (benefited)

Job Requisition Primary Location:

School Of Law

Primary Job Posting Location:

Posting Location - William & Mary

Job Description Summary:

William & Mary Law School provides an exceptional education for tomorrow’s lawyers. As the nation’s first law school, we maintain an enduring tradition of intellectual and professional excellence. We improve legal systems here and abroad through a commitment to the classroom, influential scholarship, and service to the public. Our students become highly skilled advocates, ready to serve their clients and their communities with thoughtful engagement and unwavering integrity. We recognize the challenges of our history and our responsibility to pursue the realization of justice through the rule of law. Above all, we strive to be a diverse and close-knit community, inclusive in the broadest sense and defined by a shared commitment to the rigorous and open-minded study of the law.

Working closely with and reporting to the Head of Technical Services & Special Collections, the Metadata Librarian plays a key role in the operations of the Technical Services department, cataloging materials in all formats including monographs, serials, audio/visual materials, archives, and online resources. The librarian manages the library’s electronic resources by providing access to online library database subscriptions, retrieving records for licensed online resources, and performing routine system data loads. This librarian serves as the Law Library’s primary representative for systems-related functions, liaising with the university library. The Metadata Librarian also oversees the physical processing of books and other materials, manages invoice processing for monographic items and performs special tasks as needed.

Job Description:

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in library or information science from an ALA-accredited program or the international equivalent. 
• Demonstrated knowledge or interest in metadata and cataloging a variety of resources.
• Familiarity with the technical services functions in an integrated library system.
• Experience working with catalog records for electronic resources.
• Strong service orientation, excellent oral and written communication skills, and sound organizational abilities. 
• Ability to view the library and its functions as a unified whole and work effectively and collegially with library staff and other members of the law school and college communities.
• Commitment to serving diverse patrons and ensuring the library’s services and spaces are inclusive and welcoming to all.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a law library.
• Proficiency with metadata schemes, evolving standards, and emerging technologies.
• Demonstrated experience in original cataloging.
• Demonstrated experience with managing electronic resources and using the cataloging functions in an integrated library system, preferably in a law library and/or using Alma by ExLibris.
• Interest in electronic information sources and organization.

Conditions of Employment: 

This position may require additional hours beyond the typical work week, to include occasional overnight and weekend work as needed to meet the business needs of the operation.

Duties: 

50%- Managing Electronic Resources: 

• Serves as the library’s expert relating to all aspects of electronic resources maintenance in the online catalog. Creates, manages, and revises record collections to faithfully represent access to purchased and open access electronic resources.
• Supervises bibliographic file loads, edits to MARC records, and conducts other necessary updates. Develops priorities for input of records and record clean-up in consultation with the Head of Technical Services & Special Collections.
• Creates, updates, and oversees policies and procedures for all aspects electronic resources maintenance. Adapts these procedures accordingly in response to changes in the integrated library system and/or its discovery layer.
• Serves as liaison to law library and Swem library staff in regard to electronic resources maintenance.
• Maintains awareness of new technologies and standards to support higher quality representation of electronic subscriptions.
• Evaluates electronic data in a variety of formats for resource discovery; keeps current with trends in cataloging and resource discovery.
• Serves as the library’s primary representative and liaison to the university library for systems-related functions.

40%- Cataloging and Metadata:

• Manages cataloging operations in all formats.
• Performs complex cataloging of items in all formats which requires an advanced knowledge of law and law-related materials and a comprehensive understanding of the library’s classification and arrangement policies.
• Creates, runs and processes complex automated reports in the Alma integrated library system.
• Monitors, investigates, and evaluates metadata systems and standards for use with the library’s collections.
• Directs cataloging projects, including database cleanup in consultation with the Head of Technical Services & Special Collections.
• Creates, updates and maintains cataloging policies and procedures in consultation with the department head. Contributes to the development and maintenance of departmental procedures wiki.
• Trains, instructs and supervises student assistants and volunteers as necessary.

10%- Professional Development:

• Continues intellectual and professional growth through involvement in professional associations, conference and workshop attendance, and other activities.
• Stays current with advances in librarianship, including developments with preservation, library/information systems and technology
• Serves on library, law school, or college committees as appointed.
• Performs other duties as needed or assigned by the Head of Technical Services & Special Collections or Director.

For full consideration please submit both a resume and cover letter by the review date of August 10, 2026.

Posting Range: $70,000 up to $75,000 commensurate with experience

Additional Job Description:

Job Profile:

JP0539 - Librarian II - Exempt - Salary - S11

Qualifications:

Compensation Grade:

S11

Recruiting Start Date:

2026-07-22

Position Restrictions:

Continuing E&G funded position and not term-limited

EEO is the Law.  Applicants can learn more about William & Mary’s status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the "Know Your Rights" poster published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal

 

Background Check: William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check. 

 

Remote Work Disclaimer: Remote work eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to approval. Employee eligibility depends on the likelihood of the employee succeeding in a remote work arrangement and the supervisor’s ability to manage remote workers. Departments and/or Human Resources may amend, alter, change, delete, or modify eligibility.