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African American Collection Curator, Adult Services Librarian

City of Seattle
Full-time
On-site
Various - Seattle area, Washington, United States
$43.36 - $52.57 USD hourly

Position Description

Invitation to Compete #17-25: African American Collection Curator, Adult Services Librarian


Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way, Seattle

Regular, FLSA non-exempt, full-time (40 hours per week)


Salary range: $43.36 - $52.57 per hour


A pay period is two weeks in length that starts on Wednesday and ends on Tuesday. Hours will include weekdays, weekends and evenings. The anticipated work location as described below is subject to change based on the Library’s current operational need and is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME.


This recruitment is open to the public and to The Seattle Public Library’s employees and will remain open until filled. Please submit your application, cover letter and resume in NEOGOV by 5:00p.m. on April 9, 2025 for first consideration.

Overview

The Seattle Public Library is a dynamic urban library system that consists of the Central Library and 26 branch libraries and is Seattle's center of information and knowledge and one of the most popular and valued services in the city. Library staff members are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge, quality of service, and caring. Staff members are committed to the Library's values of care, connection, and learning. They are equitable, demonstrate respect, engage in partnerships, and are transparent in their communications and intentions. The Library seeks to foster a culture of innovation which focuses on creativity, engagement, learning, and staff well-being and belonging. If you share these values and meet the qualifications, the Library invites you to apply for this African American Collection Curator, Adult Services Librarian position.

The African American Collection Curator works as part of the highly collaborative Special Collections team to develop collections through thoughtful selection, evaluation, accession, weeding, replacement, and retention of library materials; to curate the collections in a manner that engages the public; and to provide guidance to patrons on how to best access information using these collections. This position will specifically work with Special Collections and the Library’s Collections Services Department to select and maintain materials that are part of one of the largest collections of African American literature and history on the West Coast. The African American Collection was established in 1965 through a donation by the local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

As a member of the Library Programs and Services Division, this position reports to the Special Collections Services Manager.  As a member of the Special Collections team, this position may be called upon to provide expert information reference in person and online (via LibAnswers) for service points at the Douglass-Truth Branch, which houses the African American Collection serving information needs related to African American experience in the United States and the within the Central Library, which serves the Seattle Culture and History Service Priority.

This position will be primarily based in the Douglass-Truth Branch Library, which houses the African American Collection. The position will also have select days working at the Special Collections office, located at Central Library. In addition to responsibilities related to collection development and maintenance, the position will also be responsible for highlighting the collection’s information resources and engaging the community with the collection, including related support of outreach and programming that is focused on and responsive to the African American community in Seattle. The position will work collaboratively with librarians to serve adult audiences, as well as teens and young adults.  Structured collection support and collection engagement with high school and college students with the African-American Collection will especially be part of this position’s scope as the collection can be a significant resource for students who wish to explore and understand the African American experience.

The Seattle Public Library is actively seeking innovative librarians who see collection engagement with the communities we serve as essential to all aspects of developing, delivering, evaluating and improving programs, services and content. Successful candidates will be creative, self-directed professionals with a strong work ethic, a collaborative work style, a good sense of humor, and the ability to thrive in an environment that requires supportive teamwork to maintain a safe and welcoming service environment for patrons and staff. 

Curatorial duties may include engagement with the staff of The Seattle Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Seattle Public Library regarding the African American Collection and efforts to support it. The position also collaborates with the Seattle Collection Curator and Digital Collections Librarian to research and describe collection materials and prepare selected items for digitization. Alternating weekend hours are required, and evening hours may be required, as necessary. 

Job Responsibilities

  • African American Collection Management & Promotion: Serve as curator and liaison to the Collection Services Department for the African American Collection at the Douglass-Truth Branch. 
  • Support selection of materials by keeping current with publishing, film and music industry trends, local interests and popular culture related to the African American experience in the United States. 
  • Contribute to the development of collection standards, coordination and analysis of selection recommendations, formulation and implementation of the selection plan for the African American Collection at the Douglass-Truth Branch. 
  • Work with Selection Librarian(s) to create a collection review and maintenance plan for the African American Collection at the Douglass-Truth Branch including adherence to the Library’s Weeding Guidelines. 
  • Identify unique and historically significant materials within the collection and determine strategies and resources for preservation as part of the Special Collections Department. 
  • Promote use and awareness of the collection and preservation of the African American history and culture through community engagement, including outreach and programming.
  • Community Engagement and Partnerships: Understand the role of community engagement in identifying community information needs and goals, specifically on resources related to Black History and Culture and its preservation therein.
    • Employ a community-led and outcomes-based approach that successfully balances community and Library goals through collection-focused engagement with community members and organizations, especially within the African American community. 
    • Understand the importance of bringing Library resources to where people are, both inside the library and through spaces in the community.
  • Cultural Humility: Recognize the need to continually develop and practice cultural competence in customer service, reference services, readers’ advisory, program development, engagement, teamwork and leadership with communities and staff that a librarian does not personally identify with.
  • Race and Social Justice Initiative: Support the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative and have a strong commitment to providing equitable services to marginalized or underserved populations throughout Seattle.
  • Reference Services and Readers’ Advisory: Ensure that information resources and library collections, specifically the African American Collection at Douglass-Truth Branch, reflect the range of information needs in the community and effectively serve the city’s diverse and growing population.
  • Program and service design, development, delivery, and evaluation: Continually support community needs and interests within the library's capacity. Support community led programming and create programs that enhance awareness and use of the African American collection.
    • Employ a community-led and outcomes-based approach to design and deliver relevant training and instruction for the public and library colleagues. 
    • Create and give presentations to colleagues and peers, stakeholders, and/or Library administration to market programming or obtain funding for future programming. 
    • Use evidence-based practices, data-driven decision-making, and outcomes-based evaluation practices to review and ensure programming is successfully balancing community and Library goals.
  • Programmatic Leadership: Understand how the role of the Librarian functions within the context of system-wide service initiatives and local service delivery. Initiate conversations with staff about shared approaches to service delivery and empowering staff through increased collection awareness leading staff, volunteers, patrons, community partners, vendors, etc.   
  • Project management: Create, execute, and manage all aspects of project planning for designed services delivery including budget, resources, timeline, and outcomes-based evaluation. Coordinate all administrative and logistical details, such as coordination of volunteers when needed, marketing and advertising, budget tracking, and leading project teams.

Qualifications

  • Information Services: Minimum of one year work experience providing information services to the general public. Minimum of one year work experience providing programming specifically to adults and families and the ability to develop, plan, implement and evaluate a program using a community focus or voice. 
  • Exemplary Customer Service: Minimum of one year work experience providing customer service in person, via online chat, or over the phone; and/or instructional or outreach services to the general public. The successful candidate will have a proven commitment to public service and providing exceptional customer service. Candidates must possess excellent interpersonal communication, problem solving, customer relations and teamwork skills, a sense of humor, and demonstrate a positive and enthusiastic commitment to public service.
  • Leadership: Applicants must be able to utilize their knowledge, skills, and abilities to effect positive change. They must actively seek out information from the library industry and other industries; pursue opportunities to develop networks with the intent to learn about best practices from other organizations and share The Seattle Public Library’s best practices; take initiative in helping the organization to meet its goals; and be able to communicate how the Library is fulfilling its mission.
  • Community Engagement: demonstrated engagement skills and experience in working closely with the African American community and community organizations in promotion and use of library resources.
  • Technology and Informational Resources: Must have current working knowledge of PCs in a Windows environment and library applications and be able to use online Internet searching methods and information resources. Familiarity with social media platforms and blogging software is highly desirable. Experience with Horizon library automation or a similar system is preferred.
  • Collections: 
    • A thorough understanding of the principles of intellectual freedom as they apply to the selection of library materials is essential. A commitment to these principles and to the Library’s mission and goals is required.
    • Professional experience maintaining collections in a public library environment; professional experience developing and preserving collections highly desirable
    • Knowledge of methods of developing and managing collections; knowledge and experience of collection needs assessment, analysis, budgeting, and purchasing highly desirable
    • Knowledge and experience of publishing, film and music industries and popular culture related to the African American experience in the United States.
    • Knowledge and experience of published materials that describe and reflect the African American Experience in the United States.
  • Project Management and Teamwork Skills: Experience planning programs and designing outreach, developing and implementing a project, and evaluation; preferably using outcomes-based evaluation methods. Experience serving as a member on a working committee or project team in lieu of the above experience may be considered.
  • Resiliency: Applicants must be resourceful and able to deal with evolving and emerging dynamics in the community as well as the workplace, cope with pressures, and learn from failures in ways that respond to patron needs and help the organization move forward. Must have the ability to maintain a high level of professionalism and customer service while enforcing the Library’s Rules of Conduct, working in public areas, and when confronted by aggressive or challenging patrons.
  • Education:  Must have an MLS or MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited library school, or Washington State Librarian Certification. (Note: Washington State Law prohibits an individual from being hired as a librarian unless they have obtained a Washington State Certification for Librarianship which requires a Master’s Degree from an ALA-accredited Library School.)

Desired Qualifications
  • Excellent Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Experience in public speaking and formal writing skill is highly desired, as is fluency in a second language (particularly Somali or other East African languages, Chinese or other Asian languages, or Spanish). Must be able to communicate clearly, diplomatically, and in a positive manner with staff and Library users from diverse language, ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, as well as with neighborhood-based or special interest groups.
  • Commitment to Continuous Learning: Acquire and maintain the necessary skills to better serve our patrons and help our organization evolve. A commitment to develop and grow a racial equity practice; this includes but is not limited to focusing on and addressing the emerging needs of specific age groups and understanding the impacts of race and intersectionality in our larger systems, Library policy, programs and services. 

Additional Information

How to Apply

This recruitment will be open until the position is filled with application review beginning on April 9, 2025. Applications received by this date will receive first consideration.

  1. Online application
  2. A cover letter that describes how your experience and skills align with the stated job responsibilities and qualifications. Please let us know why you are interested in this position.
  3. Current resume that summarizes relevant education, professional experience, training and skills.

Applications that do not include a cover letter, resume, and complete online application will not be considered.


Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The employment history detailed in your application materials MUST validate/support your responses to the supplemental questions. If your responses cannot be validated, you will not proceed to the next steps of the review/selection process. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more interviews.


Benefits and Salary Information
The full salary range for this position is $43.36 - $52.57 per hour.
The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plansInformation about retirement plans can be found at: https://www.seattle.gov/retirement


Additional Information

If you have questions regarding this bulletin or employment at The Seattle Public Library, please send an email to job.applications@spl.org. The Library promotes diversity and inclusion in employment. If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please contact us.
 
Please keep in mind that job offers are contingent on a review of criminal history as well as verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process.


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