Program Coordinator, Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

ALA Brand; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work schedules

Medical and dental coverage

Paid time off

Retirement annuity

35-hour work week

PSLF eligibility

Job summary

American Library Association in Chicago seeks a full-time Program Coordinator to provide administrative support across ALSC and RUSA, manage division programs, awards, and member engagement. The role reports to the ALSC and RUSA Executive Directors and coordinates committees and events.

The position emphasizes project management, timely deliverables, and collaboration across units, with a hybrid schedule and competitive benefits. Starting salary around $55k with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Experience in and knowledge of the children’s and teens book publishing industry and/or user reference services.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to plan and execute projects within established deadlines.
• Ability to organize and follow through on projects.
• Knowledge of MS Office; experience with iMIS and project management tools such as Asana and Airtable.
• Knowledge of HTML and Drupal, or other CMS is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with ALSC and RUSA Executive Directors to ensure activities of the book and media awards programs are completed by established deadlines.
• Support collaborative opportunities across divisions and units of ALA that support programs and projects benefiting members of the division.
• Support staff in development of award ceremonies at Annual Conference.
• Maintain, update, and archive the division’s program and project records.
• Support both in-person and virtual book and media and other awards programming, ensuring relevance, accessibility, and strong member engagement.
• Work with ALSC and RUSA executive directors to support board meeting scheduling, document collection, and dissemination for board reports.
• Support application collection and notification for division scholarships and grants.

Skills

Children's/teens publishing

Written and verbal communication

Project management

Decision making

HTML knowledge

Drupal knowledge

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

iMIS

Asana

Airtable

HTML

Drupal

Job description

TheAssociation for Library Service to Children (ALSC),and the Reference and User Services Associations (RUSA),divisionsof the American Library Association(ALA),areseeking a full-time ProgramCoordinator.The program coordinatoris a sharedroleprovidingadministrative support acrosseachdivision’sprograms, projects, and initiatives. This position also supports member engagement activities.

The Association for Library Service to Children(ALSC) is the world's largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library serviceto children.In September 2026, ALSC’s focusexpandedto include activities that support library service to teens,and the division will becommitted to meeting the needs of practitioners in the field ofchildrenand teen services.

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) serves all types of libraries in reference, user services, adult readers advisory and collection development as well as resource sharing, genealogy and archives, businessreferenceand reference technology.

The ALSCand RUSAengage withother units across ALA as well aspartnerorganizations todevelop professional developmentopportunities, programs,and servicesforthe benefit ofdivision members.This position will support the work ofbothdivisionsbyresponding to member emails,support committee volunteer appoints and committee work, supportthe implementation of thedivision award programs, including theYouth Media Awards and subsequent award celebrations, andprovide administrative support for division programs and projects.This position will handleeverydayadministrative needs and monitor project deadlinesto ensure timelyproject completion.Reporting to the ALSCand RUSAExecutiveDirectors,the ProgramCoordinatorwill serve as the staff liaison forseveral member committees executing work to support the divisions’strategic plans.

Thisrole is integral toadvancingthepriorities, committees, activities, and projectsacrosseachdivisionthrough collaborative work within and outside of ALA.

Responsibilities include:

• Partner closely with theALSC andRUSA ExecutiveDirectorstoensureactivities of thebook and media awardsprogramsare completed byestablisheddead lines.
• Supportcollaborative opportunities across divisions and units of ALA that supportprograms and projectsbenefitingmembers of the division
• Supportstaffin development of award ceremonies at Annual Conference
• Maintain,update, and archivethe division’s programand projectrecords
• Support both in-person and virtualbook and mediaand otherawardsprogramming, ensuring relevance, accessibility, and strongmemberengagement
• WorkwiththeALSC and RUSAE executiveDirectorsto supportboard meeting scheduling, document collection,and disseminationforboard reports
• Support application collection andnotification for division scholarships and grants

Requirements:

• Bachelor’sdegreerequired.
• Experience in and knowledge of the children’s and teens book publishing industryand/or user reference services
• Strong writingand verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to organize and follow through on projects
• Ability to planand execute projects within established deadlines.
• Ability to make sound decisionsregardingcompeting priorities
• Intermediate to advancedproficiencyin MS Office, and someproficiencyinmemberdatabases such as iMISand project management tools such as Asana andAirtable
• Knowledge of HTML andDrupal,or other CMS is helpful.

Why Apply?

This position offers an exciting opportunity tosupport programming focused on library service to children andteens,and userreferenceservices.TheProgram Coordinator will supportALSCasadivisionthat has alo along-established and respectedreputation delivering bookand mediaevaluation training and awards.The positionalsowill support RUSA as a division with a network to educate, empower, and inspire its members to advance the evolution of the profession and better serve users in a continually changing information society.TheProgramCoordinator will playan integral role insupporting divisionawards,scholarshipsand grants,board governance,and member engagement.TheProgramCoordinatorwill work with staffand partners toensurethe administrative functions ofprojects meetestablished timelines andsupportestablishingALSC asa newlyreunited divisionand RUSA as a growth-oriented division.

This is a regular full-time position based in our Chicago office.

ALA staff are currently working on a hybrid schedule. Please note that although we have a generous telecommuting policy for our employees, we do not have fully remote positions outside of our workplace sites.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check and proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

Salary & Benefits

Starting salary range is negotiable from $55k based on relevant experience. ALA offers an excellent benefits package that includes flexible work schedules, medical and dental coverage, generous paid time off,a retirementannuity, and a 35-hour work week. You may also qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

The American Library Association is an equal opportunity employer: Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran