JOB OPENING: YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN
LITCHFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY

Title of immediate supervisor: County Librarian

Pay grade: 10 (starting $21.85/hour)

Hours: 29 hours/week: Tuesdays 1-8, Wednesdays 9-4, Thursdays 9-4, and Fridays 9-5. Some flexibility possible to set a slightly different permanent schedule.

Job description: Provides professional children’s and teen services to library patrons: juvenile and young adult book collection development for four libraries in Meeker County, children’s and teen programming for Litchfield Library, plus reference, research, and circulation services for all ages.  Responsible for public communication about the library’s services for children and teens.

Duties and responsibilities:

These examples do not include all possible tasks and do not limit the assignment of related tasks.

• Selects new juvenile and YA books for Litchfield, Dassel, Grove City, and Cosmos libraries and manages the youth book budgets for those libraries. Manages the Litchfield juvenile and YA book collection.
• Organizes, leads, and promotes programs for children and teens at the Litchfield Library, coordinating with the Legacy program coordinator for the county, staff leading individual programs, and County Librarian. Leads story times for young children at the Litchfield Library. Advises and collaborates with staff from Dassel, Grove City, and Cosmos libraries to plan the summer reading programs.
• Writes a Litchfield newspaper column about children’s materials, programs, and/or literacy issues. Records a local radio spot. Creates website and social media content about children’s services at the Litchfield Library. Creates handouts and flyers about youth services. Coordinates outreach to Litchfield schools and community organizations involved in children’s learning and wellbeing. May attend relevant community meetings and/or serve on committees as a representative of the library.
• Provides individual instruction to patrons of all ages in the effective use of library facilities, resources, and equipment.
• Provides professional reader’s advisory services for children and teens, based on knowledge of reading levels, child development, and current and classic literature. Provides reader’s advisory services to people of all ages.
• Conducts reference interviews of patrons of all ages and provides research services, locating information and resources to meet patron needs.
• Functions as shift lead when County Librarian is not present, assuming some supervisory responsibility over library assistants.
• Stays up-to-date on youth literature and issues related to children and teens that are relevant to libraries through continuing education and current resources.
• Works with County Librarian in addressing and resolving problems with library programs, collection development, and library equipment, and makes recommendations for improvements to services.
• Administers library building and security procedures and responds to emergency library situations. Enforces library policies.
• Maintains and compiles statistics related to children’s and teen programs.
• Performs library circulation and other activities: checking materials in and out, registering new patrons, answering phones, greeting patrons, managing public computer usage, assisting patrons in locating materials, filling interlibrary loan requests, and other basic functions of the library.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public libraries.
• Knowledge of children’s and teen literature and library selection principles.
• Ability to coordinate and manage a collection in a mid-size community library.
• Skilled and experienced in planning, developing, and implementing youth programs, especially story times for young children.
• Ability to effectively work with babies, children, and teens. Knowledge of the needs and abilities of youth at all developmental stages.
• Knowledge of and experience in professional reference and research methods.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, coworkers, and the general public.
• Ability to work independently.
• Skilled in using computers and other technology.
• Knowledge of alphabetical and numerical classification systems.

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of directly-related work experience, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training necessary to perform the essential requirements of the job. Master’s degree in library science preferred.

Certification or licensing requirements: None

Physical requirements: Walking, stooping, crouching, reaching, lifting, fingering, feeling, grasping, talking, hearing, and seeing. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently. Some lifting and carrying may be required up to 25 pounds.

Other requirements: Appointment for all Pioneerland hires require the approval of the Pioneerland Library Board and successful completion of a background check.

Applications available from the library or www.pioneerland.lib.mn.us. Submit application by October 3, 2024 to:

Beth Cronk
Litchfield Public Library
PO Box 220
Litchfield MN 55355

Questions to elizabeth.cronk@pioneerland.lib.mn.us or (320) 593-9447.