Librarian I

Compensation Range

$47,914.88 - $61,391.20

Please note: This job opening may close earlier than the stated date, due to high candidate volume. If interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Who We Are:

At the City of High Point, we celebrate the creator in everyone. Building on our rich cultural history steeped in industrialism and innovation, our employees seek not only to transform themselves, but the world around us. We are collaborators, we are makers, we are visionaries. 
  
We invite you to explore the many opportunities to serve our community, by sharing your talents, skills, and expertise. You'll join a diverse team of over 1300 individuals dedicated not just to making a career, but a difference; because what we create in High Point, changes the world! 

Our Core Values:

• Integrity: Saying what we mean and consistently doing what we say with no desire other than the good of the citizens we serve. It means standing up for beliefs.

• Responsibility: A continual process that emphasizes a high level of personal accountability by each member of the organization.

• Partnership: Adding competitive value and quality to the services provided to our residents, businesses, and visitors through responsible fiscal stewardship, increased innovation, greater use of technology, and expanded civic, neighborhood and regional partnerships.

What We Offer:
The City of High Point offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefit package for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

• 401K and 457B Retirement Plans

• PTO earned within first year

• 12 Paid Holidays per year

• Tuition Reimbursement Plan

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective day one

What You'll Do:

The Genealogy Librarian at the City of High Point provides patron assistance with family research, collects and maintains genealogical resources, and offers programming and instruction on research methods and local history. This role involves expertise in navigating databases and historical records, teaching information literacy for genealogy, and collaborating with community groups to promote library services. Key duties include reference services, indexing, cataloging, and community outreach to meet the needs of researchers.

Essential Tasks & Responsibilities:

Essential Tasks

• Provides reference service to the public which involves communicating in person or on the telephone, finding information in library resources including books, periodicals, computerized sources, microforms, vertical files and card files.
• Indexes newspaper articles, books, vertical files.
• Assists the public with all microfilm reading equipment, computerized reference sources and photocopiers as needed.
• Assists the unit supervisor in planning and presenting programs for the public as requested.
• Provides educational instruction in genealogical and historical research which may include preparing written materials and/or oral presentations.
• Takes responsibility as requested or assigned for on-going major projects related to informing library users about library resources and services.
• Assists in evaluating and acquiring new materials for the collection, and very occasionally in assessing the value of older materials and weeding or reassigning them as needed.
• Catalogs or describes and arranges new materials (whether monographs, clippings or manuscripts) and prepares bindery orders of older materials. A familiarity with NCCardinal cataloging software is a plus but not required.
• Help locate historical records for patrons in other archival institutions.
• Ensures that all work is performed in accordance with OSHA and City Safety Standards and Policies.
• Collaborates with the High Point Museum on special projects.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited institution.
• Valid driver's license
• Proficient in the use of computers and software applications, including word processing, data management, and database systems.
• 2-3 years of professional experience providing reference services or research assistance using genealogy, local history, archival resources, or primary historical documents.
• Prior experience managing genealogical databases tools such as census records, vital records, census indexes, family history sites, newspapers / obituaries, city directories, etc.
• Experience conducting public programming or instruction related to genealogy or local history (workshops, classes, one-on-one help, or outreach)?
• Must have thorough knowledge of library principles, procedures, materials and practices
• Good working knowledge of reference materials and principles of reference service
• General knowledge of reader interests, books and authors
• Ability to evaluate library programs and services and to make appropriate improvements
• Ability to learn supervisory skills; and skill in time management.
• Must be able to deal with and communicate well with the public. Must have good listening skills.
• Must be able to read and interpret reference material in library records including card files and computers.
• Must be able to follow written and oral instructions.

Preferred Qualifications (not required)

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a social sciences field or in education
• Experience as an educator
• Extensive experience working in a frontline public service occupation
• Experience in librarianship

Physical/Mental Requirements

Minimum Reasoning ability associated with this classification:

• 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; to deal with abstract and concrete variables. Good judgment is essential.

Minimum Math ability usually associated with this classification:

• Using Arithmetic: Ability to use arithmetic to the extent used in calculating answers to reference questions and in compiling statistics related to use of library materials.

Minimum Language ability usually associated with this classification:

• Read: Ability to read books, manuals, instructions, directions, computerized indexes, reference information, periodicals, microform readings and other documents relating to the job.
• Write: Ability to write names, addresses, figures, telephone numbers, information given in person or over the telephone, reports and training programs.
• Speak: Ability to be conversant in voice and diction to participate in discussions with supervisors, other employees and the public in person and by telephone.
• Amount of Training, either on-the-job or formal education, usually associated with this occupation in addition to the Reasoning, Math and Language detailed above:

Degree of Physical Demands (Strength) usually associated with this classification:

• Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to carry and/or move books and other research material.
• Work usually requires walking, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, lifting, pushing book carts and climbing steps to a significant degree, however, the worker does sit on occasion.

Type of Physical Demands usually associated with this classification:

• Reaching, Handling, and Fingering: (Reaching - Extending the hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction, but normally to the front or side). (Handling - Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with hand or hands (fingering not involved). (Fingering - Picking, pinching, or otherwise working with fingers primarily (rather than the whole hand or arm as in handling).
• Employee must reach to answer telephone, file, work with computer terminal, etc. Handles books, materials, cards, various forms, documents, files, pencils, pens etc. requiring use of hands and fingers.

Talking and/or Hearing:

• This is a public contact position, so it is necessary for this person to be able to communicate with people in person and over the telephone.

Seeing:

• 1. Acuity, far - Clarity of vision at 20 feet or more. Both eyes 20/25 - R 20/30 - L 20/30 corrected
• 2. Acuity, near - Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less. Both eyes 20/25 corrected
• 3. Depth Perception - Three-dimensional vision. Ability to judge distance and space relationships to see objects where and as they are. Depth Perception - 4
• 4. Field of Vision - Area that can be seen up and down or to right or left while eyes are fixed on a given point.
• 5. Accommodation - Adjustment of eye lens to bring an object into sharp focus. This item is especially important when doing near-point work varying distances from eye.
• All five aspects are judged to be important in carrying out the essential functions of this job.

Environmental Conditions (Physical Surroundings) usually associated with this classification:

• The worker is subject to Inside Environmental Conditions: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.

Machines, Tools, Equipment, and Work Aids which may be representative, but not all inclusive, of those commonly associated with this type of work.

• Typewriter, computer, FAX machine, microform reader, microform reader-printer, photocopier, cash register, calculator, staple gun, pen, pencils, Personnel Resolution, reference books, catalogs, charts, forms, inventories, manuals, subscriptions, paper clips, cards, card files, telephone and directory.

The work location of this job will be 901 N Main St High Point, North Carolina.

Our Commitments
The City of High Point is dedicated to fostering a work environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and seeks to attract and retain the most qualified partners in service to the citizens of High Point. As an at-will employer, the City allows employees to terminate their employment, or be terminated at any time, with or without cause, as long as it is not prohibited by law.