Cataloging and Acquisitions Assistant , Library Administration

Cataloging and Acquisitions Assistant (6759C), Library Administration - #83139

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At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty and staff. As a world‑leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice.

Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity‑focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full‑time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities.

Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

The Bancroft Library is the primary special collections library at UC Berkeley, and one of the largest and most heavily used libraries of manuscripts, rare books, and unique materials in the United States. Bancroft supports major research and instructional activities and plays a leading role in the development of the University's research collections.

The Cataloging and Acquisitions Assistant plays a vital role in ensuring both intellectual and physical access to Bancroft Library’s collections. Working cross‑functionally between the Acquisitions and Cataloging Units, this position independently performs copy and original cataloging, maintains catalog records, supports bibliographic acquisitions and collections control, collects cataloging and acquisitions statistics, and assists with preparing materials for shelving. The role also provides oversight and training for student employees, who work in a variety of functions supporting cataloging, shelf‑ready processing, and acquisitions activities.

In order to perform this work, this position follows national library descriptive cataloging standards, such as Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM), and applies access points from the Library of Congress Name Authorities File, Library of Congress Subject Headings, and controlled vocabularies thesauri (e.g., LCGFT, RBMSCV), and classifies them according to Library of Congress Classification.

The position follows local policies to add copy‑specific information that is valuable to users of special collections materials, such as binding descriptions and provenance (previous ownership) notes and access points.

The First Review Date for this job is: 12/30/2025. For full consideration, please apply by 01/20/2026.

• Perform complex copy cataloging of books in a variety of languages; add descriptive metadata to brief records, as needed; assign subject headings and form/genre terms; assign classification and/or cutter call numbers based upon existing subject headings or local guidelines.
• Evaluate local collection information determined by curatorial and acquisition staff for treatment of provenance and acquisition history; add provenance notes and access points to individual records.
• Perform original cataloging for items without existing records, including monographs, broadsides, audiovisual materials, and multi‑volume sets.

• Complete bibliographic searching, ordering and receiving of…