How to hire an instruction librarian

How to hire an instruction librarian, step by step

Here's a step-by-step instruction librarian hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an instruction librarian job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new instruction librarian
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an instruction librarian do?

Post an instruction librarian job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the instruction librarian you need to hire. Certain instruction librarian roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect instruction librarian also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of instruction librarians.

   Type of Instruction Librarian	Description	Hourly rate
   Instruction Librarian	Librarians help people find information and conduct research for personal and professional use. Their job duties may change based on the type of library they work in, such as public, school, and medical libraries.	$16-34
   Youth Services Librarian	Youth services librarians are people who plan and conduct the library's programs and services for children. The librarians execute their tasks under the supervision of a library director... Show more	$16-34
   Technical Services Librarian	A technical services librarian is responsible for overseeing the technical and circulation services at a library. Typical duties for this role include supervising the technical and circulation staff, working closely with other library services, and directing the activities on library automation... Show more	$17-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Collection Development
   • Library Services
   • Reference Services
   • Research Assistance
   • Professional Development
   • Library Resources
   • Research Services
   • Instructional Materials
   • Philosophy
   • Emerging Technologies
   • Electronic Resources
   • University Libraries
   • Reference Desk
   • Library Instruction Sessions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage integrated library system including OPAC, serials control, cataloging and acquisitions.
   • Perform collection management for adult non-fiction.
   • Provide opportunities for students to use the library for class-relate research, individual investigation, independent reading, and personal inquiry.
   • Conduct copy/original cataloging of all resources.
   • Maintain all records update and create original cataloging as necessary.
   • Create an inventory of all materials locate in the corporate HQ's attic.

   More instruction librarian duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the instruction librarian job description is a good way to get more applicants. An instruction librarian salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an instruction librarian in Louisiana may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level instruction librarian. Additionally, an instruction librarian with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average instruction librarian salary

   $50,234yearly

   $24.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level instruction librarian salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average instruction librarian salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$62,563	$30
   2	California	$61,492	$30
   3	New Jersey	$61,377	$30
   4	Connecticut	$59,928	$29
   5	Oregon	$58,670	$28
   6	Michigan	$56,291	$27
   7	Maryland	$55,133	$27
   8	Utah	$54,584	$26
   9	New York	$53,247	$26
   10	Rhode Island	$51,208	$25
   11	Illinois	$49,825	$24
   12	Ohio	$48,843	$23
   13	Georgia	$45,584	$22
   14	Wisconsin	$45,561	$22
   15	Alabama	$43,472	$21
   16	Florida	$41,861	$20
   17	Colorado	$41,744	$20

   Average instruction librarian salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kern Community College District	$116,211	$55.87	1
   2	Yale University	$77,885	$37.44	4
   3	Northern California Power Agency	$75,663	$36.38	3
   4	Rutgers University	$66,977	$32.20	2
   5	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	$65,622	$31.55
   6	Mercy College	$64,874	$31.19
   7	Cornell University	$64,514	$31.02
   8	Loyola Marymount University	$64,452	$30.99
   9	Palo Alto University	$61,349	$29.49
   10	The City University of New York	$59,664	$28.68	2
   11	Salve Regina University	$58,709	$28.23
   12	Tacoma Community College	$58,139	$27.95
   13	Lawrence University	$56,882	$27.35
   14	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$56,725	$27.27
   15	Syracuse University	$55,559	$26.71	2
   16	St. Lawrence University	$55,193	$26.54
   17	Alamance Community College	$53,772	$25.85
   18	PSEA	$53,451	$25.70	3
   19	Cincinnati State	$53,418	$25.68	1
   20	Marquette University	$53,377	$25.66

4. Writing an instruction librarian job description

   A good instruction librarian job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an instruction librarian job description:

   Instruction librarian job description example

   Rhode Island School of Design is looking for a part-time temporary Research and Instruction Librarian to join its Fleet Library for the 2022-23 academic year. Fleet Library is a place for inquiry and inspiration, occupying the first and second floors of 15 Westminster Street. With over 150,000 books and periodicals, special collections, artists' books, institutional archives, material samples and picture collection, the library provides the RISD community with access to a wide range of digital resources, along with professional expertise to help navigate both online and physical resources for classroom instruction, individual research support, and creative work. As an employer, RISD offers a supportive, collegial and inclusive work environment.
   
   The temporary Research and Instruction Librarian will provide research support and library instruction across RISD's curricular areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and liberal arts; foster a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere; and approach their work with the capacity to share knowledge and provide instruction in accessible and inclusive ways across multiple platforms.
   Essential Functions:
   Under the supervision of the Research & Instruction Librarians, provide individual in-person and online research support for undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research needs by responding to emails, conducting research appointments, and advising users how to organize and develop sustained, exploratory inquiry acoss interdisciplinary topics related to the arts, sciences and humanities.Develop and provide course-specific group instruction for in person and zoom classes to RISD students, faculty, and staff.Edit and update Libguides, as needed.Contribute to print and electronic collection development initiatives.Cover circulation and research desk operations on an occasional and emergency-need basis.
   
   Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience:
   Bachelor's degree with advanced MLIS coursework, or equivalent combination of education and experience;. Experience providing research support, instruction, or public service in a library or academic setting. Demonstrated commitment to serving the needs and interests of a diverse, creative population of students, faculty, and staff.Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work collegially and independently within a small team that is flexible and extremely responsive to users. Knowledge of contemporary issues in art, architecture, and design, and an awareness of cross-disciplinary issues in an art school setting. Experience using and instructing others in the use of print and electronic resources
   
   Valued but not required skills and experience:
   ALA-accredited MLIS degree Undergraduate degree in art history, design, or fine arts Experience in print and electronic collection development.
   
   Union
   No
   
   Work Schedule
   October 15, 2022 - May 15, 2023
   Monday-Tuesday, 10am-5:30pm, Saturday 10am-5:30pm
   
   Employment Status (Temp, Term, On-call, etc)
   Temporary, Part-Time
   
   Grade
   N/A
   
   Documents Needed to Apply
   Resume (required)
   Cover Letter (preferred)
   
   Priority consideration will be given to applications received on or before October 6, 2022.
   
   Salary Grade Structure
   
   Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.
   
   The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.
   
   RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
   
   For internal use only - Job Family:
   Temporary

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find instruction librarians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your instruction librarian job on Zippia to find and recruit instruction librarian candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with instruction librarian candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new instruction librarian

   Once you've decided on a perfect instruction librarian candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an instruction librarian?