Library Assistant II

The J. Paul Getty Trust; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

On-site Fitness Center

Educational assistance

Job summary

The J. Paul Getty Trust seeks a Library Assistant II to join the Special Collections Reading Room team at the Getty Research Institute. You will assist with daily operations, paging, shelving, and circulating items, using Ex Libris Alma and Primo to manage holdings and patron requests.

Reporting to the Reading Room Supervisor, the role involves inventory, vault upkeep, and collaboration with curators and librarians to support research activities and visitor services.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate coursework in art history or related discipline preferred.
• Must have 2+ years of related experience.
• Strong communication and organizational skills required.

Responsibilities

• Daily paging and reshelving a high volume of material.
• Assist with and resolve moderately complex problems.
• Staffs reading room and supports library service activities for staff and external users.
• Maintain handling, storage, and tracking of collection items.
• Learn and use library software to track materials and describe collections.

Skills

Strong communication

Attention to detail

Foreign language reading

Library software

Education

Art history course

Tools

Ex Libris Alma

Primo

Job description

Library Assistant II

Job Family: Library

Type: Regular Full-Time

Position Status: Getty Center

Workplace Type: Onsite

Salaried/Hourly: Hourly

Hiring Pay Scale: $22.22 - $27.78 Hourly

Salary: Commensurate with experience and internal equity

Program/Department: Research Institute - 0419-Library

Requisition Number: 2026-4844

Getty is committed to creating a welcoming workplace that reflects the various backgrounds of the communities we serve. We value differences in the pursuit of inquiry and knowledge, mutual understanding, respect, trust, transparency, and cooperation. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Job Summary

Getty seeks a Library Assistant II to work with the Special Collections Reading Room team at the Getty Research Institute to assist with public service activities, circulation, and monitoring of the Special Collections Reading Room. Reporting to the Special Collections Reading Room Supervisor, the Library Assistant II's primary duties are to assist in the daily operations of the Special Collections Reading Room, including: retrieving and shelving Special Collections items and circulating items to various departments; using the Getty's integrated library system, Ex Libris' Alma and Primo, to manage library materials and patron requests and maintain holdings and item records; working with colleagues to maintain storage vaults; conducting inventories of Special Collections material; and monitoring and maintaining the Special Collections Reading Room and Seminar Room.

The Library Assistant II provides services to a wide variety of staff and researchers, replies to routine queries, and refers more complex queries to the Library Assistant IV, the Special Collections Reading Room Supervisor, reference librarians, and curators, as appropriate. Participates in additional projects as assigned.

The Getty Research Institute is dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing awareness of the visual arts and their various histories through its expertise, ongoing collecting program, public programs, institutional partnerships, exhibitions, publications, digital services, and residential scholars' programs. Among the world's premier art libraries, the Getty Library and its Special Collections include over 1.5 million volumes, rare materials, and digital resources, which serve a vast international community of scholars and the interested public. The Institute's activities and scholarly resources guide and sustain each other and collectively provide a unique environment for research, critical inquiry, and scholarly exchange.

Major Job Responsibilities

• Daily paging and reshelving a high volume of material
• Assists with and resolves moderately complex problems
• Staffs a reading room and participates in a range of moderately complex library service activities for staff and external library users
• Ensures proper handling, care, storage, preservation, and tracking of collection items
• May conduct moderately complex collection maintenance as needed
• Shelves, sorts, pages, routes, scans, or delivers collection materials from different locations in the library or library annex
• Learns and uses various library software applications to execute moderately complex transactions to track materials, describe collections, manage library collections, and document activities
• Maintains collection storage spaces and vaults by organizing, conducting physical shifts of material within vaults, and other inventory control projects
• May facilitate tours, workshops, and classes
• Participates in additional projects as assigned

Qualifications

• Undergraduate coursework in art history or related discipline preferred
• Minimum 2 years of related experience

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Reading knowledge in at least one foreign language preferred
• Ability to learn library-specific software applications
• Ability to lift boxes and push book trucks up to 40 pounds
• Ability to climb industrial ladders required in order to page and shelve from collections located on 12-foot high compact shelving units
• Experience with industry-standard software suites as appropriate to assigned duties
• Experience with bibliographic databases and library-specific software applications (may include digital asset management systems), and productivity software preferred
• Requires ability to handle rare and unique materials with care
• Introductory knowledge of bibliographic metadata structure and standards
• Ability to work in partnership with others
• Familiarity with and knowledge of intellectual property and copyright issues

Benefits and Perks

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee investment retirement plan - with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick, and Personal days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly off-Fridays
• On-site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.