Assistant Circulation Manager

City of Evanston, IL; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 77,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Evanston is seeking a Librarian Supervisor to oversee circulation staff at the Main Library, branch locations, and service desks. You will supervise shelvers, train staff, and ensure high standards of customer service across all facilities.

Responsibilities include coordinating activities, conducting staff evaluations, developing equitable library services, and producing routine circulation reports while maintaining confidentiality and policy compliance.

Qualifications

• Must possess a high school diploma or GED and three (3) or more years of supervisory customer service work experience.
• Bilingual ability preferred (Spanish or Mandarin Chinese).

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise Library shelvers and evaluate staff performance.
• Coordinate work activities of circulation and shelving staff across locations.
• Provide direct customer service at circulation and service desks; resolve issues.
• Recruit and train new employees; conduct staff meetings and trainings.
• Promote equity and inclusive service; apply equity lens to staffing and programs.
• Compile monthly circulation reports and analyze statistics.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Customer service

Staff training

Recruitment

Team leadership

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Library automation system

Job description

• Date Posted:
  11/6/2026
• Location:
  Main Library
• Closing Date:
  11/20/2026

Salary: $76,956.82- $107,739.06
*Starting salary is dependent upon qualifications, but in most cases is no higher than the midpoint for range.
Full-Time 37.5 hours per week

NATURE OF WORK:

Under the direction of the Circulation Manager, this role assists with the hiring, training, supervising, scheduling, evaluating, and coordinating of circulation activities at the Main Library, branch locations, and service desks throughout the library. Strong customer service skills are essential to lead and guide a diverse staff and patron base. The role works collaboratively with other members of the library leadership to develop system-wide procedures and applications to ensure consistency and the highest levels of customer service.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Specific assignment will include some or all of the following):

• Directly supervises Library shelvers, including training, mentoring, evaluation and disciplinary action when needed, including oral and written reprimands, up to and including dismissal, in consultation with the Circulation Manager and Executive Director.
• Assists the Circulation Manager to coordinate the work activities of the circulation and shelving staff, including, but not limited to, checking out materials; checking in returned materials; shelving and retrieving materials; routing materials to other locations; registering new borrowers and issuing library cards; receiving fines and fees; and assisting customers in person, by telephone, and on-line.
• Reviews on a daily or as-needed basis the performance of staff for accuracy, completeness, and in relation to customer-service standards.
• Participates in the new employee recruitment and selection process.
• Plans and conducts staff training and team meetings.
• Encourages teamwork and motivates employees using human relations skills.
• Provides direct customer service at the circulation and service desks; resolves customer problems relating to circulation matters; empowers staff to resolve customer issues in an appropriate way.
• Assists the Circulation Manager to evaluate all aspects of department staffing, programs and services through an equity lens and seeks to provide library services to diverse Evanston residents in a manner that is consistently equitable and inclusive
• Understands, applies and interprets EPL, CCS and RAILS policies and procedures while safeguarding confidential and restricted information. Advises the Circulation Manager of areas of concern and assists in solving problems that affect the department and the library.
• Supports internal (staff) and external (patron and other CCS libraries) resolution of lost, damaged, missing, and missing-in-transit items owned by both EPL and CCS partner libraries.
• Recommends and implements policies and procedures related to circulation .
• Ensures adequate scheduling of staff and management of workflow for excellent service delivery.
• Directs and monitors cash handling tasks, including determining charges, receiving payments, making change, and balancing a cash drawer at the end of each shift.
• Works with the Circulation Manager to compile and produce monthly circulation reports; analyzes circulation statistics.
• Maintains a personal development action plan as part of annual performance evaluation for continued professional growth.
• Represents the Library at appropriate professional and community activities.
• Stays abreast of changes in technology or library trends which affect operation, recommending equipment, policy and procedure changes to enhance service or performance.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:

Must possess a high school diploma or GED and must possess three (3) or more years of supervisory customer service work experience, preferably in a library or related setting.

The ability to speak a foreign language, particularly Spanish or Mandarin Chinese, is preferred.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, and holidays.
• Ability to lead employees in a positive, professional, and collaborative manner.
• Ability to provide orientation and ongoing training to new employees, interns, and volunteers as to the policies and procedures of performing library services.
• Ability to review and document the work of team members and ensure that high standards are achieved and deficiencies are corrected.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form. Deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of customers and staff throughout the Library, as well as outside the organization.
• Ability to work independently and manage projects: to set clear objectives, measure and monitor progress and results.
• Knowledge of current supervisory principles and practices, incorporating fair and inclusive standards.
• Knowledge of the operations of the library automation system.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure; to perform the four operations with like or common decimal fractions; to compute ratio, rate, and percentages; to draw and interpret bar graphs; to perform arithmetic operations involving all American monetary units.
• Ability to read and prepare business letters, memoranda, reports, Library and technical journals, and financial reports.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:

The ability to work using full bodily movement associated with bending, kneeling, stretching, reaching, pushing, and pulling associated with shelving books and pushing a book cart. The ability to lift, carry or otherwise move objects, books, materials, etc., using up to 40 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. The employee is subject to indoor environmental conditions, including protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from indoor temperature changes. There are no environmental hazards associated with this classification.

SUPERVISION:

Position reports directly to the Circulation Manager as a part of the Library's Circulation team. The Assistant Circulation Manager must take initiative in completing their work and completing projects, with minimal day-to-day supervision. Performance is reviewed through observation, completion of work, status reports, conferences, and meetings. Work is evaluated at least annually with respect to problem-solving ability, customer service, flexibility, ability to work productively and effectively with employees at all levels in the organization, written and verbal communication skills, and performance in accordance with this classification standard.

PUBLIC CONTACT:

The employee has regular and frequent contact with Library staff, Library users, community groups and members of the public. The employee is expected to provide excellent customer service to all.

SELECTION METHOD TYPE OF ELIGIBILITY LIST LIFE OF ELIGIBILITY LIST

Chosen candidates will be required to provide proof of licenses, certifications, and education required for this position. Candidates will also be subject to qualifying pre-employment processes, including medical examination, drug/alcohol screen, employment verification, and criminal background check.

The City of Evanston is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment on the basis of a person's race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. The City of Evanston is also committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Any person needing mobility or communications access assistance should contact the Facilities Management Office at 847-866-2916 (voice) or 847-448-8052 (TTY).