Posted 17 June, 2026
Assistant Librarian
National College of Art & Design
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Full Time
Reference: 815953989
JOB TITLE: Assistant Librarian
School/Unit: The Edward Murphy Library
Post Title: Assistant Librarian
Post Duration: Full-time, permanent (Evening work is required)
Grade: Grade VI - Assistant Librarian I
Reports to: Head Librarian
Salary: NCAD Grade VI €57,897 - € 70,733 * per annum
*Candidates should note that as per Department of Finance guidelines, entry will be at the first point of the salary scale and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government pay policy. Candidates should note that different pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is a serving civil or public servant.
Annual Leave: Annual Leave will be 27 working days per annum. This leave is exclusive of public holidays.
Hours of Attendance: Working hours will be 35 hours per week (net of rest breaks).
Location: This position is based at NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin
Role Purpose:
The National College of Art and Design is Ireland's leading provider of art and design education for art practitioners and for teachers of art.
The Edward Murphy Library supports the College's academic mission through the provision of information, training, facilities and resources for students and staff of the College. The Library is of significant national importance for the study and research of art and design, especially relating to the 20th century and contemporary periods. The Library houses the largest collection in Ireland of books, exhibition catalogues and magazines on art, design, photography and relevant subjects.
The Library collection is international in scope and coverage, informed by sustained bibliographic research. The collection of hard copy material is supplemented by online scholarly resources including e-books, e-journals and indexing databases, available on campus and remotely via OpenAthens.
The library is the central hub for scholarly information resources and the primary point of access to knowledge for members of the College community. The library maintains a high profile within the College and is regarded as a neutral space where students are encouraged to explore a very broad range of interests and to develop their research skills.
The Assistant Librarian (AL) plays an integral role in delivering an excellent service and experience to all Library users. The AL is responsible for systems development and administration and communication with library members. The role is central to the development and delivery of a range of user education services for staff and students at all levels of study. The AL is actively engaged in the provision of information on collections and service developments that support teaching and learning throughout the College.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.
Mandatory Criteria
Desirable Criteria
School/Unit: The Edward Murphy Library
Post Title: Assistant Librarian
Post Duration: Full-time, permanent (Evening work is required)
Grade: Grade VI - Assistant Librarian I
Reports to: Head Librarian
Salary: NCAD Grade VI €57,897 - € 70,733 * per annum
*Candidates should note that as per Department of Finance guidelines, entry will be at the first point of the salary scale and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government pay policy. Candidates should note that different pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is a serving civil or public servant.
Annual Leave: Annual Leave will be 27 working days per annum. This leave is exclusive of public holidays.
Hours of Attendance: Working hours will be 35 hours per week (net of rest breaks).
Location: This position is based at NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin
Role Purpose:
The National College of Art and Design is Ireland's leading provider of art and design education for art practitioners and for teachers of art.
The Edward Murphy Library supports the College's academic mission through the provision of information, training, facilities and resources for students and staff of the College. The Library is of significant national importance for the study and research of art and design, especially relating to the 20th century and contemporary periods. The Library houses the largest collection in Ireland of books, exhibition catalogues and magazines on art, design, photography and relevant subjects.
The Library collection is international in scope and coverage, informed by sustained bibliographic research. The collection of hard copy material is supplemented by online scholarly resources including e-books, e-journals and indexing databases, available on campus and remotely via OpenAthens.
The library is the central hub for scholarly information resources and the primary point of access to knowledge for members of the College community. The library maintains a high profile within the College and is regarded as a neutral space where students are encouraged to explore a very broad range of interests and to develop their research skills.
The Assistant Librarian (AL) plays an integral role in delivering an excellent service and experience to all Library users. The AL is responsible for systems development and administration and communication with library members. The role is central to the development and delivery of a range of user education services for staff and students at all levels of study. The AL is actively engaged in the provision of information on collections and service developments that support teaching and learning throughout the College.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.
Mandatory Criteria
- A postgraduate qualification in Library and Information Studies or equivalent
- A recognised honours degree in the Arts or Humanities
- A minimum of 3 years continuous post-qualification experience at Senior Library Assistant or Assistant Librarian level in an academic and customer-facing library service
- Direct experience of administering a library management system
- Experience of cataloguing print and audio-visual resources using MARC 21
- Experience in delivering training and instruction to students at all levels, the main focus being engagement with the library collection and space
- Excellent presentation and communication skills
- Experience of managing and developing staff
- A demonstrable interest in contemporary art, critical & cultural theory or arts pedagogy
- Flexible, collaborative and co-operative attitude
- Strong administrative, analytical and reporting skills
Desirable Criteria
- Subject specialism in visual art, design or arts education
- Proven ability to support the research needs of creative learners
- Awareness of learning support initiatives and the principles of Universal Design for Learning
- A particular interest in library management systems, electronic resources and web development
- Excellent information and web skills and work-based experience of using a wide range of technologies
- Experience of managing an institutional research repository
