Assistant Director/Patron Services Librarian
posted November 23, 2016
Assistant Director Job Description
Forbes Library, the public library in Northampton, MA seeks candidates for the position of Assistant Director/ Patron Services Librarian.
Northampton, MA is one of the top small arts cities in the United States and lies in the heart of the beautiful Connecticut River Valley. The city of just under 30,000 offers a vibrant downtown unique for its number of independent businesses and a lifestyle rich in cultural, artistic, and academic resources.
The library has a collection of 360,000 and a dedicated staff of 24 FTE, including full and part-time employees. The budget for FY 2017 is $1.49 million. The Richardsonian Romanesque building opened in 1894 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes an inviting children’s area, exemplary arts and music collections, a strong reference department, an art gallery, extensive local history and genealogy materials for Hampshire County, and the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum. There is an active and supportive Friends group.
The Assistant Director/ Patron Services Librarian is a member of the administration of the library and assists the director in all matters, assuming the role of director in absence of director. This position requires balancing multiple responsibilities in a fast paced and forward thinking environment with an emphasis on quality customer service. We seek candidates who see challenges as opportunities and will continually strive to develop and improve service models through creative thinking and effective use of technology. Library staff are encouraged to work collaboratively at all times, and the Assistant Director/Patron Services Librarian serves as a team leader and mentor to staff in various work teams and across all departments.
Responsibilities of this position include both administrative and direct patron services. The focus of this position is on borrower services, collection development, personnel management, community engagement, library programming, data analysis and volunteer coordination. For a detailed job description see, http://forbeslibrary.org/info/jobs/.
Qualifications: Master’s degree in library science from an American Library Association-accredited library and information studies program; enthusiasm for and a record of success in developing innovative patron services; 3 or more years of experience in public library supervisory roles and the ability to effectively plan and supervise the work of others; attention to detail, strong organizational skills; strong service orientation; ability to organize work, develop effective work processes and work within budget; assess work priorities and work independently; aptitude and experience with social media and technology savvy; analytical skills.
SALARY: Full time benefited position, $66,000 annually
To apply, please submit cover letter, resume and names of three references to Director, Forbes Library, via email at jobs@forbeslibrary.org — Deadline to apply is December 19, 2016.