Selection Librarian

King County Library System; Issaquah (WA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The King County Library System is seeking a Selection Librarian in the Cataloging and Access department. The role develops and maintains the system’s materials collections and acts as a collections expert across areas and formats.

Candidates should hold an MLS from an ALA-accredited program with strong budget planning and DEI knowledge. This role includes administrative duties such as planning, grant management, and policy development.

Qualifications

• MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program is required.
• Experience with budget planning, forecasting, and prioritization is highly desirable.
• Extensive knowledge of public library collection development is essential.
• Strong written and in-person communication skills are required.
• Understanding of DEI principles and Intellectual Freedom is essential.

Responsibilities

• Select materials for system-wide distribution across formats and subjects.
• Review patron purchase requests and anticipate demand for new titles.
• Negotiate, review, and renew vendor contracts.
• Manage workflows with vendors and improve selection processes.
• Analyze collections and plan replacements to keep the collection current.

Skills

Budget planning

Forecasting

Prioritization

DEI principles

Intellectual Freedom

Collection development

Strong communication

Vendor negotiation

Education

MLS degree (ALA accredited)

Tools

Integrated Library Systems (ILS)

Job description

Job Number: 2026-00181

The King County Library System is seeking an experienced and customer service focused Selection Librarian to join our Cataloging and Access department. The Selection Librarian performs a wide range of professional library services pertaining to the selection, development, and maintenance of the KCLS materials collections. This position serves as a system-wide collections expert in specialized areas (i.e. music, adult, children's, young adult, etc.) and formats (i.e. scores, recordings, audiobooks, etc.). The position carries out administrative functions such as planning, budget forecasting, grant management, coordination, and the development of standards, guidelines, and procedures unique to area of specialization. Success in this role requires strong written and in-person communication skills, and along with the ability to make sound decisions in complex and sometime ambiguous situations. The ideal candidate will have solid experience with budget planning, forecasting and prioritization, as well as extensive knowledge of collection development practices and public library collection. A strong understanding of foundational DEI principles and Intellectual Freedom is also essential. Experience selecting or managing materials for a large library system—and evaluating items within a public library collection—is highly desirable. This position requires a Master of Library Science degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program.

About King County Library System (KCLS)

KCLS has a vision of a world where knowledge allows diverse communities to prosper and grow. In order to support this vision, we create opportunities through meaningful connections by acting as the knowledge sharing center for over 1.5 million diverse patrons, providing an unparalleled collection of library materials, resources, technology, services, and programs. Approximately 1,000 engaged and passionate staff provide service in 50 community library locations and patron engagement using direct outreach, programs, and virtual assistance. Our service area includes cities, towns, tribal lands, and unincorporated districts of King County, with the exception of the city of Seattle. From a 2021-2022 comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Assessment Demographics and Language Report, of the more than 1.5 million residents who live within the KCLS service area, almost half identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Moreover, roughly one-third of the KCLS community speaks a language other than English as their first language.

The King County Library System values the diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures of all qualified individuals. We seek applicants that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color), immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities, veterans, etc.

KCLS welcomes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities as an opportunity to assist qualified individuals to participate in the job application or interview process and/or perform the essential functions of the position upon hire.

Need an accommodation to apply or interview? Call [phone] or email [e-mail].

KCLS ensures equal opportunities and consideration for all job applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

KCLS does not tolerate discrimination or harassment during any stage of employment, including in recruiting, hiring, promotion, termination, leave of absence, compensation, or training.

Examples of Duties

Essential Duties

• Selects materials to acquire for system-wide distribution across a range of formats and subjects, ensuring alignment with the KCLS collection philosophy and criteria. Develops and maintains a system-wide collection in a specialized area (e.g., music, movies, adult, children’s, young adult, world languages) and format (e.g., print, digital content, visual recordings, audiobooks).
• Reviews and evaluates patron purchase requests, researches new title acquisitions, and anticipates demand and interest in forthcoming publications.
• Contributes to negotiation, review, and renewal of terms and contracts from vendors.
• Interacts with vendors to establish and maintain well-functioning workflows. Evaluates selection workflows for improvements.
• Analyzes collection usage and trends. Assesses condition of collections, develops replacement programs, and manages the disposition of materials. Assesses ongoing replacement needs of core materials to keep collection up-to-date and refreshed. Weeds the collection as appropriate and teaches the weeding process and techniques to library staff.
• Creates communication for the intranet and website about new and existing materials and services. Informs patrons and staff of new and existing materials and services.
• Responds to patron, author, and staff questions regarding selection/collection questions and issues. Resolves procedural or operational questions for community libraries in area(s) of specialization. Addresses escalated materials inquiries referred by staff.
• Designs, develops and implements projects, programs, and special collections as needed.
• Provides mentoring, problem-solving, and information sharing about collection methods and philosophies for all levels of staff.
• Collaborates with peers and supervisors to create, analyze and update collection procedures and recommend policy updates or changes. Prepares response and clarification on selection policies and procedures for patrons and staff.
• Contributes to the creation of annual collection budget providing information and a plan for future selections. Allocates and monitors budget in assigned area(s) of specialization.
• Prepares reports and analyses on collections, usage, and future projections and plans including regular distribution assessments that consider changing community demographics, building configurations, and circulation.

Secondary Duties

• Attends and actively participates on internal and external committees.
• Develops programs and workshops in area(s) of expertise.
• Represents KCLS at conferences, book fairs, and in professional associations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Core Competencies

Organizational Competencies

Valuing Diversity

Manages relationships with all kinds and classes of people inclusively and equitably. Respects, values, and encourages the unique dimension each employee adds to the organization and each member of the community brings to the whole. Seeks opportunities to learn about differences.

Customer Focus

Primarily focused on customer needs. Able to deliver high-quality, value-added services. Constantly strives to find new ways to increase customer satisfaction and understanding, foster equitable services, and forge meaningful connections.

Ethics, Values and Judgement

Exercises best judgment, trustworthiness, and professional standards of conduct. Consistently demonstrates organization’s values, moral principles, and accountability in behavior, character, and action. Defends intellectual freedom and confidentiality.

Professional and Technical Knowledge

Demonstrates proficiency in professional and technical skills and/or knowledge in position-related areas. Purposely keeps up with current developments and trends in areas of expertise, in order to better foster personal success and connections for others.

Job-Specific Competencies

Communicates Effectively

Conveys ideas and information in a way that is clear, engaging, and suitable to the audience. Main point of their message is apparent. Listens more than they speak and responds appropriately. Seeks influence.

Organizing and Planning

Establishes courses of action for self. Can influence others to ensure that work is efficient. Appropriately sensitive to real restraints on time and resources. Willing to take a risk.

Decision Quality

Makes decisions and solves problems. Can deal adeptly with varied levels of complexity, ambiguity, and risk. Takes responsibility and accepts ownership for decisions regardless of outcome. Responds promptly and appropriately in crisis situations.

Teamwork/Collaboration

Works cooperatively and productively with others to achieve goals and deliverables. Is aware of, utilizes and celebrate their own and team member’s strengths and differences.

Desired Minimum Qualification

Education And Experience

• Master of Library Science degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program.
• Four years’ experience as a professional librarian, with evidence of training, experience, or study in a relevant functional area.
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position will be considered.

Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced knowledge in using integrated library systems (ILS) and other relevant software for managing acquisitions.
• Working knowledge in data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform decision-making.
• Working knowledge of allocating, monitoring, and forecasting budgets.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and intellectual freedom.
• Model for customer service mindset and delivery.
• Flexible in an environment with many interruptions.
• Responsive to demands in a proactive manner.
• Attentive to details and accuracy of tasks.
• Adept at verbal, active listening, and written communication with various and diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated skill in presentation and public speaking with groups of all sizes.
• Analytical and decision-making skills to assess an issue and determine an optimal solution.
• Multilingual skills preferred for World Language Selector.

Professional Licenses and Certifications

• Washington State Librarian’s Certification is required.
• A valid Washington State driver’s license.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

Physical Demands

• Constantly sit throughout work shift and occasionally will walk and stand.
• Frequently reach out at chest level with hands and arms.
• Constantly use hands in conjunction with finger use. Keyboarding may be repetitive up to frequently..
• Rotate neck up to occasionally.
• Change tasks depending upon the shift.
• Require extensive close work, including use of a computer monitor.
• Seldom operate foot controls.
• Frequently lift up to 10 lbs. and seldom up to 20 lbs. Occasionally carry up to 10 lbs.
• Occasionally push or pull carts and wheeled equipment with light to moderate force.

Work Environment

Work is performed in a typical office environment and in the library or a shipping area depending on work tasks. Some travel within the service area is required. Incumbent may be permitted hybrid telework schedule upon request.