Youth Services Librarian Lead - Tween and Teen (FT - 37.50 hours/week)

Description

Are you passionate about connecting with tweens and teens? Do you enjoy leading and training others? Do you often find yourself scrolling through memes and TikTok? Have you created your own viral content? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we have the perfect position for you!

The McHenry Public Library District seeks a tech-savvy, trendy, collaborative, and service-oriented professional to join our Youth Services Team. The ideal candidate for this position will assist our Library’s mission by supporting the Youth Service’s Department Manager with staff training, professional development, establishment and evaluation/refinement of departmental performance standards, and designs and leads programs that teach library skills and research strategies. Additionally, this candidate will contribute to planning and implementing library programs, collections, and services for youth and teens, provide excellent customer service to patrons, and promote a positive teamwork environment. The skills required for this position are leadership, strong verbal and written communication skills, a flexible presentation style, and the ability to adapt to the library’s technology needs. The salary for this position ranges between $21.79 - $26.25, depending on qualifications. 

Schedule

• This position requires a flexible schedule, including dates, nights, and weekends, with an emphasis on after-school times and school breaks.

Benefits

• Includes health, dental, & vision benefits, vacation, sick/personal time off, and retirement (IMRF) benefits.

Summary:

Under the supervision of the Youth Services Manager, contributes to the planning and implementation of library programs, collections, and services to youth and teens. Primarily serves ages birth through age 18 and their caregivers. Also assists the Youth Services Manager in defining standards and best practices for services, programs and collections. Provides excellent customer service to patrons and promotes a positive teamwork environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• Performs all aspects of a Youth Services Library Associate and/or Youth Services Librarian I position.
• Designs, coordinates, and implements programs of bibliographic instruction and library skills orientation, including library tours and off-site visits. Analyzes the success of the programs to replicate them.
• Attends appropriate professional meetings at the local, state and regional level.
• Assists in the development and evaluation/refinement of departmental performance standards.
• Assist the Person-in-Charge in closing procedures on evening and weekend shifts.
• May assist the Department Manager in preparing work schedules of department staff.
• May oversee Youth Services staff in the manager’s absence and may assign and review work.
• Provides training to Youth Services staff and helps Manager seek/develop CE opportunities for staff. 
• Acts as the “first line troubleshooter” for a broad range of library technology.
• Assists in coordinating staff meetings and participating in library management meetings as needed.
• Assists the Manager with the generation and analysis of statistics and reports as needed.
• May act as a department liaison cooperating with others internal or external to the library.
• Participates in collection evaluation and development efforts.
• May participate in the development of departmental and/or library budget.
• May be responsible for monitoring and administering one or more budget items.
• Promotes the library and its resources to community organizations.
• Participates in near-term and long-range planning for the department, including budget forecasting.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

•  Teen Volunteers 

Qualifications

• MLS (MLIS) degree (or equivalent education and work experience)
• 2-3 years of previous library experience with youth patrons
• Knowledge and appreciation of popular material for youth and teens
• Understands the recreational and educational needs of youth and teens
• Familiar with automated library services, ILS, and the use of library technology in general
• Familiarity with a broad range of professional library services and library trends
• Proficient technology skills, including Microsoft Windows and Office applications, Google Suite applications, internet, eReaders/tablets, and the ability to adapt to changing technology
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Aptitude for leadership and the ability to mediate, delegate, and manage projects
• Strong commitment to dynamic public service working in a team environment with a shared public service desk
• Ability to complete detailed work accurately, efficiently, and on time with minimal supervision
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments (individually and as a team)
• Website development skills, a plus
• Bilingual (Spanish, Polish, or ASL) are desirable

Working Conditions

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear and see.  
• The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach with hands and arms, get down on floors, climb stools, and perform other physical tasks.
• Repeated movements with the wrists, hands, and/or fingers while using a keyboard.
• Employee may be exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time of work, including possible extreme hot and cold weather.
• Noise level is generally similar to an office environment but may be loud at times.
• The employee will occasionally lift or move up to 35 pounds and push or pull carts up to 150 pounds.

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