Supervising Librarian

Salary : $108,020.84 - $130,136.37 Annually

Location : Berkeley, CA

Job Type : Career

Job Number : 2026-01-2207

Department : Library

Division : Art and Music

Opening Date : 01 / 12 / 2026

Closing Date : Continuous

BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR BERKELEY

is a small city with a big reputation. At just ten square miles of land and seven square miles of water, Berkeley is famous around the globe as a center for academic achievement, scientific exploration, free speech, and the arts, and home to over 50 parks, a top-ranked university, and the largest public marina in the San Francisco Bay.

As an employer, the City of Berkeley offers all the benefits of a career in the public sector while fostering diversity, creativity, and innovation. Join a team of high-caliber, experienced staff with a shared mission of serving the Berkeley community and promoting an accessible, safe, healthy, environmentally-sound and culturally-rich city.

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Continuous Recruitment : Applications will be reviewed continuously to fill vacancies throughout the year. Our first administrative review will take place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

The City of Berkeley invites you to apply for the position of Supervising Librarian at the Berkeley Public Library! In this role, you will be responsible for the administration and maintenance of the physical facility; supervision, scheduling, performance management, and professional development of professional, technical, and support staff; and the generation and execution of creative, community-focused programmatic efforts. You will also provide direct public service to the library's users, delivering reference and reader advisory services to the community, as well as helping maintain a welcoming library environment for all users. You will represent Berkeley Public Library in meetings with the public, citizen groups, and other agencies. Join the Berkeley Public Library team and help us fulfill our mission to empower, inspire, and eliminate barriers with resources and experience!

The Library has two current Supervising Librarian openings, one in our Art and Music division and one in our Reference division. Both positions are located at our Central Library Branch.

See the full job description here :

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is equivalent to graduation from college or university with a Master's degree in Library Sciences and three (3) years of experience as a professional librarian. Progressively responsible related experience may be substituted for the college coursework on a year-for-year basis.

Other requirements include the ability to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Berkeley to meet the program's needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities. When driving on City business, maintenance of a valid California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record is required. Must be able to work evenings and weekends.

In addition to qualifications above, the ideal candidate will have lead or supervisory experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To be a part of the first administrative review for this position, applications must be received by Monday, February 2, 2026, at 5 : 00 pm PST and must include a completed application and resume. Please note that resumes are not a substitute for a completed application.

Applications are available in alternative formats (audio format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc. upon request to Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.

EXAM PROCESS

The exam process will include, but may not be limited to :

• Application review for minimum qualifications and required documents (qualifying experience will be calculated based on the administrative review date)
• Competitive review and assessment of the applicant's education, training, and experience (Training & Experience)
• Review of Supplemental Questionnaire

Tests may consist of any combination of written, oral, or other exercises or assessment procedures that test content and may include, but are not necessarily limited to, typing, math, reading, writing, and analytical skills; problem-solving ability; computer and software proficiency, or any other job-related knowledge, skill, ability, or qualification. The examination process and dates are subject to change. The City may, without notice, change or eliminate any assessment component as needs dictate. Applicants passing all examination phases will have their names placed on an employment eligible list that hiring departments will use to conduct final selection interviews slated for a date to be determined.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS

Candidates under final consideration for employment with the City will undergo an employment background / reference check that may include, but is not limited to : employment history, confirmation of educational credentials and degrees, licenses including driver's license, registrations, certificates, other credentials, credit check, criminal history check, and Live Scan fingerprinting.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) EMPLOYER

The City of Berkeley is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All employment actions shall be administered regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, political affiliation, veterans' status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All City employees are required to provide services as Disaster Service Workers in the event of an emergency / disaster.

Benefited employees receive a myriad of financial and other , including CalPERS pension and other retirement plans, medical and dental coverage, tuition reimbursement, paid time off and more.

Benefit-eligible employees include those with a regular work schedule of at least 20 hours per week. Employees working less than 30 hours per week may receive pro-rated benefits.

Retirement

CalPERS

City employees are included in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). The retirement formula is either 2% at age 62 (PEPRA members) or 2.7% at age 55 (Classic members).

Deferred Compensation

The City offers voluntary 457 deferred compensation plans with CalPERS or Empower. Employees may contribute up to the IRS maximum on a pre-tax basis.

Medical Plans

Employees can choose coverage under Kaiser HMO or Sutter Health Plus HMO. The City contributes up to the full family premium for the Kaiser plan, or up to 99% of the full family premium for the Sutter Health Plus plan. Employees who have medical coverage under another group plan may choose to waive City-provided medical coverage and receive a monthly stipend.

Dental Plan

The City provides group dental benefits through Delta Dental of California. The City contributes up to the family coverage for the plan, which covers 90% of the dental charges up to $2,000 annually per person. Orthodontic benefits are offered at a $2,000 lifetime maximum per person. Employees who have dental coverage under another group plan may choose to waive City-provided dental coverage and receive a monthly stipend.

Life Insurance

The City provides employees with a Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment policy in the amount of $25,000 (Maintenance and Clerical Chapters) or $50,000 (Community Services and Part-Time Recreation Activity Leaders). Employees have the option to purchase additional term life insurance up to a maximum of $300,000.

Sick Leave

Employees earn one day of paid sick leave per month.

Vacation

New employees accrue 2 to 4 weeks of vacation annually, depending on classification (see )

Holidays

15 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays annually

Uniform Allowance

Employees in select classifications receive up to $1,400 annually (see )

(SEIU)

01

I acknowledge that this position requires that I am available to work evening and weekend shifts.

02

Do you possess a Master's Degree in Library Science?

03

How many years of experience do you have as a professional librarian?

04

In 200-300 words, describe your experience supervising the work of others in a public library or other busy, fast-paced customer-service-oriented setting.

05

In 300-500 words, describe a time when you led a change that you knew was going to be unpopular with your direct reports. How did you help get them on board? What was the outcome?

06

In 300-400 words, describe tactics and strategies that you have used successfully to cultivate a collaborative team in a union setting. What challenges did you face?

Required Question