Job opening: Children's Librarian, Dover Public Library (NH)

LIBRARIAN II – Children’s Librarian

(40 hrs/week; $21.83--$30.91 per hour)

The Dover (NH) Public Library (http://library.dover.nh.gov) is accepting applications for a Children’s Librarian (Librarian II). We are seeking an innovative, enthusiastic, creative, and customer-oriented professional to provide vision, leadership and expertise related library services for children (birth through Grade 6).

This person should possess:  a wide knowledge of children’s literature, media, and e-resources,  the talent to develop inventive and imaginative programming, and the passion to nurture lifelong reading habits in Dover’s youth.  This person will oversee all aspects of the library’s Children’s Room and will supervise a part-time staff of six assistants and three pages. Position requires a multi-faceted self-starter, capable of handling planning, organizational, and supervisory duties while working in a busy public service desk environment. The Children’s Librarian is part of the Library’s administrative team and reports to the Library Director.

Dover is the fastest growing city in New Hampshire and its 5^th largest with a population of 30,655. Just 10 miles from the NH seacoast, Dover is about one hour away from Manchester NH, Portland ME and Boston MA. The library circulates 290,000 items annually and its budget is $1.1 million.  Our DoverNet consortium shares its Koha automated library system with the City’s five public school libraries.  We are keen proponents of social media as an outreach tool and currently have over 6000 online followers on various platforms.  Recently, our website was completely overhauled, not only to accommodate responsive design features, but also to add new content and advanced patron access tools.

Responsibilities

·         Supervises daily operations of the Children’s Room, including part-time library assistants, pages, and volunteers.

·         Selects new materials in varying formats for the Children’s Room, including those for retrospective purchase. Also works collaboratively with another librarian who orders materials for teens.

·         Determines the location, organization and display of all materials. Assists with cataloging and classification practices to facilitate access.

·         Evaluates collection for balance, comprehensiveness and current value and interest.  Updates the Children’s Room’s Collection Development Plan as needed.

·         Determines which Children’s Room materials shall be weeded on an annual basis.

·         Works at public service desk, performs all circulation functions, and offers reference and readers’ advisory help.

·         Instructs patrons in use of library’s print, non-print, and electronic resources. Offers download help for customers’ personal reading and viewing devices.

·         Conducts weekly story times for preschoolers.

·         Recruits, interviews and selects new personnel for the Children’s Room. Trains and mentors new employees, assigns tasks and delegates responsibility, determines work schedules, and formally evaluates Children’s Room employees annually.

·         Plans, conducts, and evaluates children’s programs to encourage reading and spark imagination, including Summer Reading Program, story times, special performances, after-school and vacation activities, and early literacy initiatives. 

·         Supervises constructively, evaluates existing operations, and initiates new services to better serve the public.

·         Establishes liaisons and develops outreach partnerships with school librarians and other community organizations serving children.

·         Prepares flyers, displays, bulletin boards, and signage. Prepares monthly Children’s Room newsletter. Writes press releases and other promotional material to attract new users. Maintains children’s pages and calendar listings on the library’s website.

·         Interprets services and policies to customers. Resolves complaints in a timely, pleasant and professional manner.

·         Participates in staff training and development opportunities as a member of the library management team. Encourages staff to engage in continuing education. Attends meetings and conferences representing the library.

·         Serves on community committees, if asked, with goal of advancing the library and the library profession.

·         Insures that physical spaces are in good order, maintaining a colorful, stimulating and inviting appearance.

·         Stays abreast of children’s reading trends, high-demand authors and titles, and emerging formats. Pays attention to current events and to popular culture with a view to its relevance for the Children’s Room.

·         Assists Library Director with short- and long-term planning and annual budget preparation.

·         Maintains accurate records of programs and attendance figures and prepares regular statistical reports. Controls expenditures to stay within appropriate levels set for the Children’s Room.

·         Keeps current with technological advances, innovative services and procedures. Stays open to change, readily taking on new tasks and learning new skills.

·         Contributes regularly to library’s various social media platforms.

·         Conducts class visits and library tours for groups.

Knowledge, Skills and Ability Requirements

·         Understanding of child development, behavior, and learning.

·         A genuine respect and consideration for children and considerable experience working with children in a library or other educational setting.

·         Ability to define and communicate the role of the public library’s service to children to the community.

·         Ability to organize and to work independently with minimal supervision.

·         Ability to create and collaborate with others as part of a team.

·         Capacity to handle multiple competing priorities while working at a public service desk.

·         Exemplary knowledge of children’s literature, media, and electronic resources.

·         Proficiency with an automated ILS. (Koha experience a plus.)

·         Proficiency with e-devices of all types.

·         Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to adjust style and content to accommodate diverse audiences of varying ages.

·         Working knowledge of social media, community engagement tools, and website authoring software.

·         Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite, including Publisher.

·         Experience working with, and instructing, customers with all ranges of technical expertise.

·         Evidence of a high degree of versatility, flexibility, and initiative, a committed customer service focus, and a desire to explore and master new technologies.

·         Ability to maintain effective working relationships with department heads, employees, and the public and to deal with service problems courteously and tactfully.

·         Attention to detail, a spirit of collaboration, and a commitment to excellent customer service are imperative.

Education Requirements:                                                                                                     

Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited graduate program. Some previous supervisory experience is required. Experience with an automated integrated library system (ILS) is essential.

If you are committed to delivering outstanding library service to children and wish to join a library that believes in continual improvement and exemplary customer service, your next job may be at the Dover Public Library. To see the complete job description and download the job application, go to: http://www.dover.nh.gov/government/city-operations/executive/human-resources/employment/ Responses must be received by November 9, 2015.

"Mt. Washington: Home of the World's Worst Weather" ---Oct. 20, 7pm

      The Friends of the Dover Public Library will host Will Broussard on Tuesday evening, October 20 at 7pm for an exciting talk and slide presentation about weather atop our state’s highest peak. An infamous place of extremes, New Hampshire’s 6,288-foot Mount Washington has been captivating people for hundreds of years.

     While many places on Earth experience severe weather, few are inhabited by humans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Mount Washington Observatory has been operating a continuously-staffed scientific outpost on this remote peak since 1932, providing the Observatory many remarkable stories and an intimate knowledge of the mountain.

     Through the years, the hardy men and women of the Observatory have experienced white-

out blizzards, stunning 110-mile vistas, and everything in between. They have survived a 231mph wind gust, endless days of disorienting fog, and snow drifts more than 20 feet tall. They have worked with scientists and celebrities, students and snow rangers. They have amassed one of North America's longest continuous climate records, and developed an intimate understanding of the place known as the "Home of the World's Worst Weather."

            Will Broussard is the Outreach Coordinator at the Observatory. He studied conservation biology at Antioch University New England Graduate School. With an undergraduate degree in biology and extensive training in environmental education, he is thankful for the opportunity to share his love of science education with our seacoast-area audience. Will's hobbies include walking, bird watching, and cooking strange meals. The mid-coast Maine native is excited to experience Mount Washington's myriad meteorological phenomena, especially altocumulus lenticularis, temperature inversions, and rime ice.

          Friends of the Library programs are always free and open to all. Refreshments will be served following the program. For more information, please call the Dover Public Library at 603-516-6050.

The Library Will Be Closed Monday for Columbus Day

The Library will be closed on Monday, October 12 for the Columbus Day Holiday. We are open on Saturday, make sure to come for the 2pm free matinee. We will be showing Avengers: Age of Ultron. We are also open on Sunday from 1-5pm.

A Must Listen!

I just finished the audiobook version of Circling the Sun by Paula McClain and cannot recommend it highly enough. The narrator was wonderful, and her pronunciation of the African place names made it so enjoyable because I know I wouldn't have said them correctly. The subject of the book is famed aviator and renowned racehorse trainer Beryl Markham. This book left me wanting to visit Africa and needing to read West With the Night by Beryl Markam. If you like historical fiction definitely give this title a try!

Job opening at the Library

Wanted immediately: LIBRARY PAGE  16-17 hours/week  $10.49 per hour
Hours are after school, evenings, and some Saturdays and Sundays. Must be at least 16 years of age.
Get application here:

http://www.dover.nh.gov/government/city-operations/executive/human-resources/employment/