Queen’s College is seeking to appoint a Special Collections Librarian on a fixed-term contract, working 29 hours per week, Monday to Thursday, until the end of September 2027. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, friendly team and work with an outstanding collection of early printed books and manuscripts in a medieval library.

Founded in 1448, Queens’ Old Library is still situated in its original room with bookcases made from medieval lecterns. Although none of the original medieval collection remains, the library holds a fine collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts, and c.35,000 printed books dating from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries. Most of the books are in original bindings and many have been annotated by past readers, thereby providing an invaluable record of intellectual activity from early modern times until the eighteenth century. The collection covers a range of subjects studied by Queens’ members during that period, including theology, classics, history, philosophy, astronomy, medicine and English literature. The library has benefited from a number of major benefactions including those of Sir Thomas Smith (Humanist works, many of them annotated (1577)), Isaac Milner (theology, science, French mathematical works (1820)) and the extensive library of John Smith, the Cambridge Platonist (1652).

The College also holds an extensive ‘reserve collection’ of nineteenth-century books, and an ‘Oriental Collection’ dating from the sixteenth- to nineteenth centuries. The latter includes books on the language, literature, history and archaeology of the ancient Near East, particularly Biblical studies, medieval Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac and Arabic language and literature.

Queens’ Library supports the College’s commitment to excellence in teaching and research through the curation, development and promotion of library collections. The purpose of this post is to care for and catalogue the college’s special collections as well as to assist the Librarian in promoting use of them in teaching, research and outreach. The collection includes around 35,000 early printed books which are housed in a medieval old library that is the oldest in Cambridge. The College also holds a significant collection of manuscripts (some medieval), and an ‘Oriental Collection’. The College’s special collections are widely used by students and researchers and its Old Library exhibitions are much appreciated by the general public.

We welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate the following essential skills and experience:

Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex ideas to a wide range of audiences.
A relevant first degree.
Practical experience of cataloguing early printed books; knowledge of rare book cataloguing standards (DCRM(B), LCSH, MARC21); experience of handling fragile original material.
Interest in and knowledge of early modern European print culture and wider historical issues relating to it.
Good reading knowledge of Latin (or willingness to develop this).
Awareness of the reference works used to support research in this area.
Excellent IT literacy.
Keen attention to detail and ability to work to deadlines.
Ability to work on own initiative.
Ability and interest in working with academics, students, general public and school children.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the Librarian, Tim Eggington at tje25@cam.ac.uk / 01223 335549.

Remuneration and Benefits:

Salary range: £34,866.25 – £43,182.31 per annum (FTE)
Type of contract: 29 hours per week, fixed term contract until 30^thSeptember 2027
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: The Cambridge Colleges Federated Pensions Scheme (CCFPS)
Holiday entitlement (FTE): 26 days’ annual leave plus public holidays (34 days in total)
We currently offer a range of discretionary staff benefits, including:

- One free meal during working hours
- On-site parking (subject to availability)
- Free access to sporting facilities, including on-site gym
- Free annual flu vaccination
- Free access to physiotherapy
- Subsidised sports and social events
- Annual loyalty service award, additional holiday entitlement and a day off every year for your birthday (subject to qualifying periods)
- Discretionary bonus scheme (subject to eligibility and scheme rules)
- Discounted membership of dental or medical insurance
- Access to University Card, which also offers discounted travel on the Universal ‘U’ bus

To apply for this position, all applicants are required to complete the HR Details and Application forms. Please submit the forms to jobs@queens.cam.ac.uk.

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 12pm, Thursday 27th August 2026 . We anticipate interviews to be held at Queens’ in the week beginning 6th September 2026.

As part of our recruitment process, we are required to verify the right to work in the UK before employment begins.

Queens' College is a Registered Charity, registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1137495

Main Navigation

Site Search

Connect with a cause that needs you!

Special Collections Librarian (Fixed term)