Law Library Assistant (Part-Time)

Arlington County

Location: Arlington, Virginia, United States
Job type: Part-time

Required skills

customer service
legal advice
statistics

About the role

Important Notice: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The pay range listed above is effective July 1, 2026

Arlington County’s Walter T. McCarthy Law Library is seeking a Part-Time Law Library Assistant to support public service and key behind-the-scenes projects. This position is a great fit for someone who enjoys helping people, is comfortable in a professional courthouse environment, and has strong attention to detail, especially for cataloging/data entry and research tasks.

Please Note: Library staff assist patrons with locating and using legal information resources but do not provide legal advice.

Responsibilities

Specific duties include:

Providing friendly, professional assistance to a wide range of patrons, including members of the public, attorneys, self-represented litigants, and courthouse staff;
Helping patrons locate and use legal and court-related resources in print and online (e.g., statutes, court rules, case law reporters, legal encyclopedias, and forms);
Assisting patrons with library equipment and technology, including public computers, printers, copiers, and scanners;
Maintaining orderly, welcoming public areas by straightening workspaces, ensuring supplies are available, and keeping equipment areas neat and ready for use;
Monitoring shared spaces and report issues (equipment problems, supply needs, or facility concerns) to the supervisor;
Collecting and recording service statistics (e.g., patron questions, resource assistance, computer use) and maintain routine daily logs as assigned.
Entering library collection items into the catalog, including accurate data entry and record updates under staff direction;
Researching historical Virginia texts to support identification, description, and improved patron access to historic materials; and
Supporting additional collection projects as needed (organization, shelf reading, basic inventory support, and preparation of materials for processing).

The ideal candidate will have the following:

Strong customer service skills and a professional communication style;
Comfort using computers and basic office technology (email, internet searching, scanning/printing/copying);
Ability to follow procedures carefully and maintain confidentiality in a courthouse setting; and
Demonstrated reliability, punctuality, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma/GED or equivalent; and
Some administrative support experience, preferably in a court or legal environment.

Substitution: Additional education may be substituted for experience.

Desirable: Preference will be given to applicants with one or more of the following:

Experience in a library, courthouse, legal office, archive, museum, or other public-facing service environment;
Interest in legal information services, local history, or historical collections; experience working with older texts is a plus;
Familiarity with cataloging/data entry, metadata, spreadsheets, or library systems (ILS); and/or
Coursework or experience in library science, history, paralegal studies, criminal justice, political science, or a related field.

Special Requirements

Background Check: A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It will include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You will be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Resume Requirement: A complete application includes a resume highlighting relevant experience (customer service, research, data entry, library/archives, historical materials). Please attach your resume to the application and verify that the details of your application provide further evidence of your experience and qualifications as displayed on your resume.

Letter of Interest: A complete application includes a letter of interest. Please attach your letter to this application detailing your day/shift availability (9:00 AM–12:00 PM and/or 12:00 PM–4:00 PM), background, experience, and interest in the role’s cataloging and historical research projects.

Please complete each section of the application including the supplemental questions. Your responses to the supplemental questions are required because they provide us with specific information necessary to evaluate your qualifications for this position. These responses are considered part of the selection process. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not write "see resume" as a response to the questions.

Additional Information

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

Work is performed indoors in a public service environment within a courthouse.
Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods.
Ability to lift and move library materials and push book carts (up to 25–35 lbs).

The official title of this position is: Court Assistant

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About Arlington County

Provides essential public services and infrastructure to Arlington residents.

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