Children’s Librarian- West Farms Library

Overview

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 100 years. NYPL’s neighborhood libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island—many of which date to Andrew Carnegie’s visionary philanthropy at the turn of the 20th century—are being transformed into true centers of educational innovation and service, and vital community hubs that provide far more than just free books and materials. 

The Library is seeking a Children’s Librarian to cultivate creative thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and resourceful users of information. Successful candidates will embody each of these four characteristics themselves. 

Key Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Library Manager, the Children’s Librarian:

• Provides reference service and resource recommendations using print, media and digital resources
• Collaborates with the Educational Services Department to develop, promote, facilitate, present and evaluate innovative programs to meet the expressed and anticipated needs of the community’s children population including book discussions, author talks, technology classes, financial literacy sessions, arts and wellness activities, and a variety of other programs both in the Library and throughout the community
• Partners with the collection development team to build and maintain the Children’s collection ensuring it is diverse, current, and relevant and meets the needs of the community
• Works to engage children with the collection in ways that allow them to follow their interests and discover new ones
• Conducts outreach to and develops partnerships with community based organizations, city support agencies, educational institutions and local businesses to promote the library’s services, programs and collections with a focus on children
• Encourages digital literacy and provides technology instruction
• Develops and maintains the layout and appearance of the children space, ensuring a safe and inviting area filled with relevant resources
• Develops and maintains content for social media platforms such as Library blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest
• Mentors library staff in preparing and presenting children programs
• Assists with circulation, fines & fees management, reserves and opening/closing procedures
• May take responsibility for the facility, staff and operations in the absence of the Library Manager
• Maintains a working knowledge of trends in children literature, educational and development needs, children’s services and the profession through webinars, internal training, meetings, conferences, professional literature and organizational memberships
• Performs related duties as required

Department

Branch Libraries

Employment Type

Full Time

Location

West Farms Library

Workplace type

Onsite

Compensation

$68,177 / year

Reporting To

Virginia Quinones

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Required Education & Experience

• ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies
• Public Librarian’s Professional Certificate issued by the State of New York

Required Skills

• Strong commitment to public service and the ability to work well with a diverse patronage
• Experience creating and conducting a variety of innovative programs for children
• Knowledge of children literature and experience maintaining an children’s collection
• Experience building partnerships with local organizations to better meet the needs of community users
• Demonstrated interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including public speaking and presentation skills
• Successfully demonstrated ability to work as part of a team
• Strong organization and planning skills, including the ability to perform multiple projects or tasks simultaneously
• Strong computer and other related technology skills, including MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Google applications, PCs, Macs and e-reader devices
• Demonstrated knowledge of computer services including online searching, social media, reference resources and databases

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• May temporarily oversee the library in the absence of the Library Manager

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of emerging library technologies, service and programming trends for children in urban public libraries preferred

More…

Core Values

All team members are expected and encouraged to embody the NYPL Core Values:

• Be Helpful to patrons and colleagues
• Be Resourceful in solving problems
• Be Curious in all aspects of your work
• Be Welcoming and Inclusive

Work Environment

• Public service library

Physical Duties

• Lifting up to 15 lbs.
• Sitting and standing for periods of time
• Daily use of a computer

Physical Required?

No

Union

Local 1930

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Schedule

35 hours per week to be scheduled during regular branch hours

This job description represents the types and levels of responsibilities that will be required of the position and shall not be construed as a declaration of all of the specific duties and responsibilities for the role. Job duties may change if Library priorities change. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description as needed.

The New York Public Library Salary Statement

At the Library, we believe that pay transparency and pay equity are important to ensuring we source the best candidates and keep the best employees. When making a determination as to the appropriate salary for a candidate, we consider a variety of factors such, including, but not limited to, the position requirements, the skills, prior experience, and educational background required or preferred for the job, the scope and impact of the role within the organization, internal peer equity, and the candidate’s specific training, experience, education level, and skills. No single factor is conclusive; the Library reserves the right to consider any and all relevant factors and make a decision consistent with its policies.

Union Salaries are determined by collective bargaining agreement(s).

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. 

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Our Hiring Process

Stage 1:

Hiring Manager/Panel Interview

Stage 1:

Hiring Manager/Panel Interview

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