Library Service Specialist - Houston History Research Center

City of Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Houston seeks a creative Library Service Specialist for the Houston History Research Center (HHRC). You will work at the reference desk, assist researchers, and handle imaging tasks to capture and describe archival material.

The role requires a customer‑focused approach and comfort with both in‑person and virtual reference services. The position involves creating metadata for born‑digital and scanned items, operating imaging equipment, and supporting outreach programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• No experience is required; related substitution options exist in education policy.
• Experience in a Special Collections or Archives environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as programming and outreach support for HHRC with timely record-keeping.
• Operate archival equipment to capture large numbers of rare, fragile materials.
• Monitor HHRC supply inventory and adjust as needed.
• Create metadata descriptions for born-digital and scanned items.
• Troubleshoot basic hardware, software, or image quality issues.
• Provide reference services in-person and virtually.
• May assist with programming and outreach and promotion for HHRC.
• Perform other duties as assigned and essential to library operations.

Skills

Customer service

Reference desk

Metadata creation

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Imaging equipment

Photoshop

OneDrive

Windows & Mac

Job description

Position Overview

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED

Division: Customer Experience

Reporting Location: Houston History Research Center, 550 McKinney

Section: History Research Centers

Workdays & Hours: Monday - Sunday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm (varies)

• Subject to Change

Description Of Duties / Essential Functions

The Houston Public Library seeks a creative, innovative, and highly customer service-oriented Library Service Specialist to join the Houston History Research Center (HHRC) team. This position will work with imaging equipment to duplicate and/or electronically store the historic collections, create metadata descriptions, and provide direct customer assistance at the reference desk.

The Houston History Research Center (HHRC), located in the historic Julia Ideson Building, includes archival, Texas and local history, and special collections components with the primary objectives of locating, preserving, and making available to researchers the documentary evidence of Houston's history. HHRC's varied collections include 40,000 Texas and local history books, 20,000 adult and juvenile special collections and rare books, 4.5 million photographs, 150,000 architectural drawings, 450 oral histories, various manuscripts, and 8,000 maps. The archival collections focus on non-current records of local groups or individuals who played roles in Houston's development.

Essential Job Duties And Responsibilities Include

• Serve as a programming and outreach support for HHRC, including ensuring all program details are completed in a timely manner and maintaining appropriate records and statistics.
• Operate archival equipment to capture large numbers of rare and fragile, primarily unbound materials unbound materials.
• Monitor the HHRC supply inventory and make adjustments as necessary.
• Create metadata descriptions for born digital and scanned items.
• Troubleshoot basic problems with hardware, software, or image quality.
• Provide reference services in-person and virtually.
• May assist with programming and outreach for HHRC and promote.
• Perform other duties as assigned and essential to efficient library operation.

This position does require some evening and weekend (Saturday and Sunday) work.

WORKING CONDITIONS

There are no major sources of discomfort, i.e., essentially normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature and air conditions.

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Requires a Bachelor's degree.

Experience Requirements

No experience is required.

Related professional/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-to-year basis.

Associate’s degree and two (2) years of professional/paraprofessional experience in library, information services, or education may be substituted for the education requirement.

Four (4) years professional/paraprofessional experience in library, information services, or education may be substituted for the education requirement.

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS - No

None

PREFERENCES

Experience working in a Special Collections or Archives environment. Experience with scanning and imaging equipment is highly preferred. Basic experience editing images with Photoshop, using Epson large format scanners, and using OneDrive is preferred. Experience working in customer service role. Detail oriented; experience with both Windows and Mac-based computers and software.

Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.

GENERAL INFORMATION

SELECTION / SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED - No

Department may administer skills assessment test.

SAFETY IMPACT POSITION - Yes

If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.

SALARY INFORMATION

Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in this classification.

PAY GRADE: 13

EOE - Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.