Youth Services Librarian (Children and YA Specialist) – Ashburnham Stevens Memorial Library (Ashburnham, MA)

Position Title: Youth Services Librarian (Children and YA Specialist)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Supervision Received: Works under the general supervision of the Library Director

Essential Functions:

  • Delivers prompt and courteous assistance to all patrons regarding the use of library resources, equipment, and services. Responsible for maintaining and promoting a welcoming and inclusive physical and virtual library environment.
  • Provides circulation services including card registrations, answering account questions, checking materials in and out. Assists with Interlibrary loan delivery processing, shelving materials, and responding to reference and information requests.
  • Provides leadership in planning, developing, implementing and evaluating youth services services programs including story times. Directs and coordinates the operations of the youth services library spaces. Coordinates part-time staff, work study staff, volunteers, and interns assigned to youth services.
  • Conducts regular community needs assessment to identify community teen and youth needs and to develop strategic directions for youth services and programming.
  • Fosters community engagement. Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with schools, community groups, and other community partners in order to develop and deliver programs and services that meet local teen and youth needs and interests. Conducts outreach at community events and schools. Meets with a Teen Advisory Board in order to coordinate programs and activities and to inform collection development.
  • Curates and develops library collections to include relevant print and digital resources that support the interests and needs of the teens and youths. Purchases teen, youth, and parenting materials for library acquisition. Manages a budget for materials and programming in collaboration with the Library Director. Evaluates and weeds the library collection. Creates and maintains book displays related to library services and  library programming.
  • Identifies and applies for grant opportunities that support and develop library youth services. Attends and participates in professional library conferences, seminars, and network committees.
  • Provides reference service to teens, youths, and families. Provides reader’s advisory service. Fulfills book bundle requests for children, teens, and adults. Instructs teens and caregivers in information gathering and research skills in order to promote digital and information literacy skills.
  • Coordinates youth services content on the library website. Maintains an active online presence through the library website and social media. Contributes to the library’s social media accounts. Creates a virtual monthly newsletter to be distributed to local schools.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s Degree.
  • Two years experience working with children, teenagers, and families in a library setting.

Preferred Job Requirements:

  • Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited school with a concentration in Children’s Services or equivalent degree.
  • Experience working in a public library or other learning environment with children, teenagers, and families.
  • Experience with collection development.
  • Experience with grant writing.
  • Experience with Evergreen ILS or similar ILS.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to identify and establish priorities, and exercise initiative and independent judgment in a variety of situations.
  • Knowledge of child development and its relationship to library services.
  • Knowledge of best practices in youth services, including guidelines and standards published by ALA, YALSA and other recognized organizations.
  • Must be available to work evenings and weekends.

Compensation:

Hourly rate: $20.11-$27.41 Yearly rate: $36,600-$49,886
Paid work week 35 hours including one evening a week and one Saturday a month.
Starting vacation commensurate with experience.

Closing date:

Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. Initial screening will begin August 30, 2021.

To apply, please submit cover letter, resume, and names of three references to: jmynes@ashburnham-ma.gov. Please direct questions to the same email.

– Posted 8/11/21