Senior Assistant Project Librarian – London, SW1A

We are looking for a Senior Assistant Project Librarian to join our Library at the House of Lords. This is a position where you will play a key role in delivering the Library’s Legacy Collections Review. You will lead on identifying the information content of volumes within scope, undertaking specialist cataloguing and rare books research and analysis to ensure that the information produced through the review is accurate, comprehensive, and fit for purpose.

Working closely with the Senior Collections Project Manager, you will plan and deliver specialist tasks in line with project timelines, ensuring successful completion of defined work packages within the Library’s special collections. The post holder will also support Review communications, which may include drafting articles, contributing to reports, and highlighting findings of interest to members.

This role will be primarily based onsite at Parliament.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a nationally significant legacy collection by exploring key pre 21st century materials, including special collections and rare books.

Please note that manual handling, use of ladders, trolleys and other Library equipment will occasionally be required. There is likely to be some working at height required at times.

You’ll be accountable to:

• Manage and develop cataloguing standards for project activities, taking account of historic and current cataloguing practices, as well as requirements for future access to materials stored in remote off site boxed storage.
• Coordinate project data capture to ensure alignment with Library cataloguing requirements and standards, working collaboratively with Technical Services colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Oversee and actively participate in all review related data capture, including catalogue records and review tracking documentation, providing overall quality assurance as well as training and support for colleagues contributing to the review.
• Support the Senior Collections Project Manager in planning and defining special collections review work packages that align with agreed project timelines and enable informed decisions about the Library’s future collections footprint.
• Contribute to review planning and recommendations by researching and producing bibliographic reports and papers for management and other stakeholders, as directed by the Senior Collections Project Manager.
• Contribute to collaborative working and shared duties, including providing access to Library collections as required, whether in support of House or Library objectives or, on occasion, through supervised access to unique or rare materials for members of the public.

If this sounds like something you would like to hear more about, please apply below.

What we’re looking for:

• Experience of working with library information resources and collections, including experience of working with historic or special collections.
• Knowledge of cataloguing standards, ideally including RDA, AACR2, LCSH, and MARC21.
• Knowledge of book history/historical bibliography.
• A degree or postgraduate qualification in a Library and Information Science related discipline, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

It would be even better if you had:

• Experience of working as part of a project delivery team.
• Experience handling and moving historic or special collections.

The job description provides full details about the role and what we are looking for.

What you’ll get in return:

• 30 days annual leave (increasing to 35 after one years’ service).
• Generous pension scheme.
• Parliamentary health and wellbeing programme.
• The opportunity to witness history in the making!

The work we do is vital to House of Lords, and you will be a pivotal member in the team strengthening the work of the House. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK parliament. It is independent from and complements the work of the House of Commons to:

• Make laws.
• Check and challenge the actions of the government through questions and debates.
• Investigate public policy and provide a forum of independent expertise.

Please complete your online application by 10:00am on Monday 2nd March 2026.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please contact HLRecruitment@parliament.uk

Job offers are standardly offered at the minimum of the salary range.

The House of Lords Administration is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all candidates with diverse characteristics, including different ages, caring responsibilities, disability, gender/sex, gender reassignment/trans, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race/ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation and socio-economic status. We welcome discussions about flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments.