Cataloguing Librarian

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Deadline to apply:  December 11, 2026, 11:59 pm

Assistant Librarian or Associate Librarian (tenure track)

Duration: three years, with possibility of renewal

Number of openings : Two
Salary minimum: salary commensurate with experience

The Cataloguing Librarian supports discovery and access to McGill Libraries’ collections through expert resource description and bibliographic control. The position focuses on the creation, enhancement, and maintenance of high-quality bibliographic and authority records for materials in a variety of formats, languages, and subject areas, ensuring collections are accurately described and accessible for teaching, learning, and research.

Reporting to the Head, Description & Access, the incumbent performs original and complex copy cataloguing, classification, subject analysis, and authority work, and contributes to projects and initiatives that enhance metadata quality, collection access, and resource discovery. The position requires expertise in one or more specialized areas of cataloguing, such as multilingual resources, non-Roman scripts, audiovisual materials, visual materials, music resources, legal materials, or other specialized collections.

THE McGILL LIBRARIES

Located in Montréal, one of the world’s great multicultural and multilingual cities, McGill University is internationally recognized for its excellence as a leading institution of higher education and research. For nearly 200 years, through the work of dedicated people, McGill has been breaking ground in diverse fields and contributing solutions to some of the world’s most significant issues. McGill is also the most internationally diverse research-intensive university in Canada, with over 32% of its students coming to McGill from more than 150 countries. The University systematically appears on the annual list of the best employers in Montreal.

The McGill University Libraries contribute to society by advancing teaching, learning, and research in a supportive and welcoming environment. We anticipate and respond to the needs of users by providing outstanding collections, excellent services, and spaces that inspire. We work in collaboration with global scholarly and library communities to enhance and facilitate access to knowledge.

The McGill Libraries has the largest collection in Quebec and is one of Canada’s largest academic libraries with over six million monograph titles and 150,000 e-journals and databases. The Libraries are a member of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Partenariat des bibliothèques universitaires du Québec (PBUQ), the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), and the HathiTrust Digital Library.

INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STAFF

Information about the University and the McGill Libraries can be found on the University’s web site. The McGill Libraries have developed Strategic Priorities for 2025-2030 to guide its actions. As a tenure stream appointee, the successful candidate is expected to satisfy the requirements in the Regulations Relating to the Employment of Librarian Staff.

DUTY STATEMENT

Primary Purpose of Position

To ensure the discoverability and accessibility of McGill Libraries’ collections through the creation and maintenance of high-quality bibliographic and authority records across diverse formats, languages, and subject areas.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Perform original, complex copy, and derived cataloguing for a variety of resources, including monographs, serials, audiovisual materials, music materials, visual resources, legal materials, and other specialized collections.
• Create, maintain, and enhance high-quality bibliographic and authority records that support discovery and access to library collections.
• Apply current cataloguing and classification standards, including RDA, LCSH, and LCC, and the MARC21 encoding format.
• Maintain and enhance authority data to support consistency, discoverability, and effective navigation of library collections.
• Provide specialized cataloguing expertise in assigned areas, including language-based, format-based, or subject-based specializations.
• Apply relevant standards and practices for specialized materials, including transliteration and romanization standards, music cataloguing practices, audiovisual description, visual-resource description, and authority control, as appropriate to assigned responsibilities.
• Collaborate with subject specialists, archivists, collection development librarians, and colleagues across the Libraries to improve access to specialized collections.
• Provide expertise and guidance on cataloguing policies, standards, and best practices.
• Contribute to departmental and library-wide projects and initiatives related to collection access, metadata quality, and resource discovery.
• Engage in scholarly activities and professional service.
• Advance the equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility as well as reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through the McGill University Libraries’ services and in the Libraries as a workplace.
•  The duties listed above are representative and not exhaustive; responsibilities may evolve in response to institutional and library needs.

Reporting relationship

This position reports to the Head, Description & Access.
 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Required:

• A Master’s Degree in Library or Information Studies (MLIS, MIS or MI) 
• Demonstrated experience performing original and complex copy cataloguing in one or more specialized cataloguing areas. Examples include:
  • Materials in languages requiring specialized linguistic expertise, including non-Roman scripts and transliteration;
  • Audiovisual resources;
  • Visual resources and image collections;
  • Music materials;
  • Legal materials;
  • Rare books and special collections;
  • Archives and cultural heritage collections; or,
  • Other specialized cataloguing environments requiring advanced descriptive expertise.
• Strong knowledge of RDA, MARC21, AACR2, LCSH, LCC, and authority control practices
• Experience using OCLC Connexion, WorldShare or comparable cataloguing utilities, as well as integrated library systems
• Knowledge of cataloguing standards and emerging developments in resource description
• Demonstrated analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Capacity to balance competing priorities and projects
• Commitment to accessibility, user-centered service, and continuous learning
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Fluency in oral and written English is required. McGill University is an English-language university where day-to-day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. 

Desired:

• Advanced reading knowledge of one or more languages relevant to the Libraries’ collections
• Experience cataloguing multilingual collections and working with non-Roman scripts
• Experience cataloguing music materials, legal materials, audiovisual resources, or visual-resource collections
• Familiarity with descriptive standards and practices used in archives, special collections, or cultural heritage collections
• Experience with authority management, identity management, or metadata quality projects

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applications should address the above selection criteria, be accompanied by a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and addresses of three referees.  

*** Applicants are encouraged to indicate any accommodation needs related to job duties. ***

We anticipate conducting in-person interviews between February 1, 2027, and February 19, 2027.

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.
McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing.

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [email protected].

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.