Librarian – PYP – GEMS Education

GEMS World Academy in Abu Dhabi is an IB continuum school delivering the Primary Years Programme through to the Diploma Programme, and this role is for a Librarian focused on the PYP section of the school. The school library in an IB environment is not just a book collection — it’s a working extension of the inquiry-based curriculum, and this role treats it that way.

Day to day, the Librarian supports PYP inquiry units with relevant resources, teaches information literacy and research skills to primary-aged students, manages the library collection and circulation, and collaborates with classroom teachers to align library programming with what’s happening in the curriculum. Beyond the operational side of running a library, there’s a real teaching and curriculum-partnership component to the role.

It suits someone with library or information science training, ideally combined with experience in a primary or international school setting, who enjoys working directly with young students on research and inquiry skills rather than purely managing a collection from behind a desk. Organisation, genuine enthusiasm for reading and research, and comfort collaborating closely with classroom teachers all matter here.

With over two years of relevant experience expected, this is a role for someone who already understands what makes a school library genuinely useful to an inquiry-based curriculum.

A school library that's genuinely woven into the curriculum, rather than sitting alongside it, measurably strengthens how well students engage with inquiry-based learning, since PYP units depend on students being able to find, evaluate, and use information effectively. A Librarian who actively partners with classroom teachers on unit planning and resourcing directly raises the quality of what happens in those units, rather than just providing books on request. In an IB school specifically, strong library support is also part of what accreditation reviewers and prospective parents look at when assessing whether a school delivers a genuine inquiry-based education rather than one in name only. Over time, a well-run, curriculum-integrated library also helps build the reading habits and research confidence that carry students through the more demanding MYP and DP research requirements later in their schooling, making this role's impact felt well beyond the primary years themselves. Over time, this kind of consistent library-curriculum integration is part of what distinguishes a school's inquiry-based programme in the eyes of families evaluating their options.

Working as a PYP-focused librarian builds a genuinely distinctive skill set within library and education careers — the combination of information science expertise, curriculum collaboration, and direct teaching of research skills to young learners is a specialised niche that's increasingly valued in international schools worldwide. Time spent at a GEMS World Academy specifically means exposure to how a well-resourced IB school structures its library programme, knowledge that's directly transferable to other IB or inquiry-based schools later in a career. The close collaboration with classroom teachers required in this role also builds strong curriculum-design instincts that go beyond typical library management, useful for anyone who might later move into instructional coaching, curriculum coordination, or library leadership roles. Because IB schools exist globally and often look for librarians with specific PYP or MYP/DP experience when hiring, this role builds a credential that travels well internationally. For someone who loves both the operational craft of running a library and the teaching side of helping young students become confident researchers, this is a role that lets both sides of that interest develop simultaneously. It also builds confidence designing programming that serves both independent readers and students who need more structured support, a skill valued across any primary education setting.

• Recognised qualification in library science, information science, or education, with a minimum of two years of relevant experience
• Experience working in a primary or international school library setting is strongly preferred
• Familiarity with the IB Primary Years Programme and how school libraries support inquiry-based learning
• Strong organisational skills for collection management, circulation, and library programming
• Ability to teach information literacy and research skills to primary-aged students
• Excellent collaboration skills for working closely with classroom teachers on curriculum alignment
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, and the school’s stated values