Library Specialist III

Midland County; Midland (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Midland County Public Library is seeking a Librarian to assist the Head of Children’s & Youth Services in planning and administering youth programs and collection development. You will help oversee section operations and promote reading within the community, with a focus on engaging children and teens.

The role includes training staff, coordinating weekly programs, and maintaining statistics and reports to measure impact.

Qualifications

• Associate degree plus 2–3 years of progressively responsible library experience, with youth focus.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree and supervisory experience.
• Master’s Degree in Library Science for an ALA accredited program is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist Head of Children’s & Youth Services with training and assigning work to staff and volunteers.
• Initiate, plan, conduct, and evaluate weekly programs to promote library use by children and teens.
• Assess community program needs and develop age-specific programs to boost attendance.
• Communicate with home schoolers, teachers, students, parents, and community members to improve services.
• Provide readers’ advisory for youth and create bibliographies and displays to boost circulation.

Skills

Public service

Communication

Team collaboration

Customer service

Education

Associate degree

Two to three years library experience

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Master’s Degree in Library Science preferred

Tools

MS Office suite

Library automation system

Online databases

Job description

Assists the Head of Children's & Youth Services by planning and administering programs, section operations, and in promoting reading to the community. Has responsibility for collection development for the section, outreach services, and oversees until section when needed in the absence of the Head of Children's & Youth Services. Provides welcoming customer service to all customers. Positively reflects Midland County Public Library's mission, vision, and values to staff and the public.

Includes some of the following depending on assignment. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists Head of Children’s & Youth Service in the training of and assigning work to staff and volunteers assigned to the section.
• Initiates, plans, conducts, and evaluates a variety of programs and activities to encourage the use of the library by children and young adults on a weekly basis.
• Assesses programming needs of the community and present age and interest specific programs to satisfy those needs; assists in the development of programming and ideas to boost attendance and target audiences.
• Communicates with home schoolers, teachers, students, parents, and community members to help improve library services.
• Performs readers’ advisory for youth, creates bibliographies and displays of materials to boost circulation, increase usage, and highlight areas of the collection.
• Develops the children’s and young adult collections using resources and policies/procedures presented in the Midland County Public Library Collection Development policy, and based on journal reviews, evaluation of the current collection, professional judgment, and preferences of children and young adults.
• Contributes information relevant to children’s and young adults to be included on the library’s website, social media platforms, and other marketing/resource tools (flyers, brochures, etc.).
• Advocates for children’s and young adults and youth services with other community agencies.
• Identifies, collects, and interprets statistics as needed. Maintains records and prepares statistical reports as requested monthly and annually.
• Builds teen mentoring relationships and involves young adults in planning and implementing services for their age group.
• Instructs library users in the use of online resources to track their project work.
• Establishes methods and procedures for attaining specific goals and objectives and receives guidance in terms of broad goals.
• Keeps informed of emerging technologies, current trends, improved programs, and procedures to better meet the needs of the community.
• Performs general maintenance on library equipment and computers, trouble shooting and identifying problems, then reporting to proper repair specialists.
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline, work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
• Takes advance of continuing education opportunities and reviews industry literature to improve services and workflow of team.
• Regular and consistent attendance is required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Associate degree, plus two to three years of progressively responsible library experience, and experience working with children and/or young adults; or any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Preferred: Bachelor’s degree and supervisory experience. Highly preferred: Master’s Degree in Library Science for an ALA accredited school.

Must have a valid Texas driver's license, provide proof of insurance, and have adequate transportation.

• Strong public service attitude and ability to relate to and communicate with children and young adults.
• Thorough knowledge of children’s and young adult literature, library reference methods and procedures. Thorough knowledge of children’s and young adult books, related materials, and appropriate techniques and specialized skills in working with youth.
• Working knowledge of the principles and practices of library administration and youth literatures.
• Initiative, creativity, flexibility, resourcefulness, and good judgment as well as writing and communication skills.
• Flexibility, initiative, energy, patience, and tact to deal effectively with the public.
• Ability to prioritize, complete multiple tasks, and meet program deadlines. Strong organizational skills to oversee and lead workflow in assigned area.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals and groups, both professional and non-professional, co-workers, management personnel, and the public.
• Ability to create clear and concise reports and to maintain accurate files and records; ability to use automated systems. Ability to investigate and research more complex problems, including analyzing and interpreting information.
• Should have an active familiarity of computers and automated systems, and their capabilities, installation, and maintenance requirements. Solid working knowledge of all MS Office suite software is required.
• Thorough knowledge of and ability to interpret overall library policies and procedures and an in-depth knowledge of library operations, policies and procedures pertaining to assigned functional area, including a solid understanding of individual work functions and the ability to adapt work procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of external online databases, system, and resources, including the ability to perform complex online searches. Demonstrated expertise in using library automated system pertaining to the functional area, including database maintenance.
• Thorough knowledge of the library’s policies and practices associated with the ethical use of and access to library and online resources.
• Strong communication and interpretive skills to be able to prepare internal library reports, interview patrons regarding their information needs and guide them in the use of more complex library and online resources.