Job Details

The State of California, Court of Appeal, Division Two of the Fourth Appellate District located in Riverside, is accepting applications for a Law Librarian. This is a sole librarian position.

Under the supervision of the Assistant Clerk/Executive Officer of the Court, the Law Librarianis solely responsible for directing library programs and personnel within organizational and policy confines and ensures the accomplishment of the library's goals and objectives. The Law Librarian will serve as the principal information specialist and resource manager for the court, providing advanced legal research services, overseeing library systems and operations, and coordinating professional development and educational programming for court personnel. The position will play a critical role in preserving institutional knowledge and modernizing our library infrastructure. This position will be hybrid (remote and in-person) schedule.

Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, and performs the full range of work involved in operating and maintaining a modern law library.
• Instructs, trains, and assists justices, attorneys, externs, and other staff members in legal bibliography, manual, and computerized legal research.
• Performs complex legal reference and research, including on California legislative histories.
• Conducts library orientation to all new staff, including externs.
• Instructs classes on California Legislative History and new library products.
• Identifies and organizes educational programming opportunities for court staff on legal and court administration topics.
• Prepares, administers, and monitors the law library budget; reviews and approves for payment all items charged to the library budget; occasionally negotiates contracts with publishers and vendors.
• Formulates and implements library policies, programs, and scope of services.
• Updates and maintains online library database to ensure quality, accuracy and relevance of information.
• Manages SharePoint Legal Research page; adds pertinent legal research tips.
• Updates materials located in the main library and delivers library materials to judicial chambers.
• Develops research guides, memos, and bibliographies on emergent legal topics for distribution to justices and attorneys.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for collection development.
• Partners with library vendors on new products, troubleshooting, and coordinating or conducting training.
• Responds to library correspondence.
• Represents the library and court in professional committees and organizations.
• Actively engages with other appellate court librarians to share best practices, receive training and stay informed of legal information trends.
• Plans the layout of library space and recommends the acquisition of new library materials.
• Obtains needed information and resources from other librarians.
• Modernize to a digital catalog platform in alignment with other appellate courts.
• Transition from manual or legacy systems to automated digital tools.
• Creates and maintains a library procedures manual archiving institutional knowledge and processes critical to library management and legal research.

Qualifications

Equivalent to possession of a master's degree in library science from an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited institution, and three years of experience in a law library.

Additional directly related experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.

OR

Equivalent to possession of a law degree and three years of law library experience.

OR

One year as an Assistant Law Librarian II with the Judicial Branch.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of budget development and administration.
• Operation and management of a law library.
• Principles, practices, procedures, and trends of professional law library work.
• The operation of personal computers and use of specified computer applications needed for legal reference and research, word processing, and spreadsheets.
• Problem-solving and conflict resolution methods and techniques.
• Principles and techniques for preparing and giving oral presentations; and
• Principles and techniques for preparing a variety of effective written materials.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, and direct the work involved in operating and maintaining a law library.
• Develop and administer a library budget.
• Participate in developing and implementing goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards associated with operating a law library.
• Instruct, train, and assist justices, attorneys, externs, and other staff members in library usage.
• Perform complex legal reference and research including California legislative histories.
• Knowledgeably and effectively represent the library on a variety of issues.
• Transport books and boxes of books weighing up to approximately 40 pounds.
• Use initiative and independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
• Apply problem-solving and conflict resolution methods.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing.
• Operate personal computers and mobile computing devices and use specified computer applications for legal reference and research, word processing, spreadsheets and library-related databases.
• Perform general reference and research.
• Travel to local libraries to obtain needed information; and
• Work discreetly and keep court research projects confidential.

How To Apply

This position requires the submission of our official application, cover letter, resume and response to the supplemental question. The application will close February 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

To complete an online application, please click the Apply for Job button.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation. Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Fourth District Court of Appeal Human Resources at (619) ###-####.

Supplemental Questions

The position of solo librarian requires the ability to perform a wide variety of tasks and be an independent worker. Please describe in detail your experience of independently managing all facets of a law library.

Pay and Benefits

$8,129- $9,876 per month

Highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• $130 transit pass subsidy per month
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• FlexElect Program

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Court of Appeal of the Fourth Appellate District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.