Librarian IV

City of San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

City of San Diego seeks a Librarian IV to supervise a major library section at the Central Library or a large branch with high circulation. This full-time role supports operational leadership and service excellence within a busy urban library system.

Required MLS/MLIS (ALA-accredited) with 3+ years of professional Librarian experience. Beneficial: bilingual skills, strong customer service, and program management abilities. Evening/weekend shifts may be required.

Qualifications

• MLS or MLIS degree required with specified experience.
• ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS degree with 3 years of experience accepted.
• Master's degree or equivalent with 3.5 years experience.
• Bachelor's degree plus library coursework and 4.5 years experience.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a major section of Central Library or large branch.
• Oversee operations for an area with annual circulation > 185,000.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

MLS or MLIS degree with 3 years experience

MLS/MLIS with ALA accreditation + 3 years experience

Master's degree or equivalent + 3.5 years experience

Bachelor's degree + 9 units library coursework + 4.5 years experience

Bilingual communication skills

Strong customer service

Program management experience

Supervisory experience in library setting

Job description

See NOTE(S) below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Librarian IV positions are primarily responsible for the supervision of a major section of the Central Library or a large branch library with an annual circulation of greater than 185,000 or the Catalog Section; and performing other duties as assigned.

NOTES

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:

• 3.5% effective 7/1/27
• 2% effective 7/1/28
• 2% effective 1/1/29

• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
• Work schedules may include evenings and weekends.
• The list established for these positions may be used to fill only full-time vacancies.
• Employees in the Librarian series who obtain a Master of Library Science or Master of Library and Information Science Degree are eligible for 5% additional pay.
• Some Librarian IV positions may require bilingual communication skills for which an additional $1.40 per hour may be paid.

You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

1. Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Degree AND three years of full-time experience as a professional Librarian.
2. Master's Degreeaccredited by the American Library Association (ALA)AND three years of full-time experience as a professional Librarian.
3. Master's Degree or equivalent education AND three and a half years of full-time experience as a professional Librarian.
4. Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter), which must include completion of at least 9 semester/14 quarter units of postgraduate or undergraduate library science course work, AND four and a half years of full-time experience as a professional Librarian.

NOTES

• Additional qualifying professional experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One Year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.
• Applicants who do not have a MLS, MLIS or ALA-accredited Master's Degree must provide proof of ALL library science course work completed, including the course codes, course titles, number of units, name of college/university and date the course was completed.
• Qualifying course work is that which is considered creditable toward the completion of a MLS or MLIS Degree.
• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Experience in serving diverse populations and working in a multicultural environment.
• Strong customer service, political acumen and program management skills.
• Supervisory experience in managing a branch library, a subject section or a major area of a Central Library.
• Experience with online electronic communication and information retrieval database systems and with automated bibliographic, cataloging, materials circulation, and patron database systems.
• Bilingual communication skills.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION)

• Proof of degree, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• Proof of transcripts showing completion of the library science course work, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.

Rev. 3 - August 28, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)