Circulation and Systems Librarian

The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; protecting our important government records; and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse. This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide.

The OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

The Washington State Library connects people to the power of libraries. As Washington's oldest cultural institution, the library's unique and rare collections date back to territorial days. Resources include historical print and digital compilations, collections of state newspapers and maps, state and federal government publications, and the Ask-a-Librarian service.

The library benefits local libraries and their patrons through its consulting services, grants, subsidies, training, and programming. Additionally, the Washington State Library provides services to state prison and state hospital libraries. OSOS also operates the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) in Seattle, a library for people unable to read standard print.

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) is a program of the Washington State Library and a Regional Library of the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) network of the Library of Congress. WTBBL provides library services state-wide, at the library and by mail or download, to any Washington resident unable to read standard print material due to blindness, visual impairment, DeafBlindness, physical disability (cannot hold a book or turn pages) or reading disability.

Circulation and Collections Management
Tasks include: 

• Develops and implements policies, procedures, and standards of best practices for circulation and collection maintenance.
• Manages daily activities and scheduling; implements and evaluates workflow priorities.
• Manages all aspects of the Circulation Department including book, magazine, and equipment circulation, mail services, monitoring tools and trends in line with NLS and library services for persons with print disabilities.
• Applies senior level knowledge to the development and growth of the collection, and the expansion of or changes to circulation processes and procedures, including keeping current with patron interests and needs.
• Plans, implements, leads, and evaluates the development of collections and delivery of services to WTBBL patrons and other patrons or NLS libraries in the cooperating Network.
• Oversees the duplication on demand (DoD) and custom book and magazine cartridge service in the Circulation Department.
• Supervise staff that monitor patron request queue for DoD orders from readers’ advisors and librarians, duplicate cartridges, process returned cartridges, and label new cartridges for circulation with DoD system. 
• Supervises the mailing of all materials to patrons, including daily circulation and equipment. Acts as liaison with the US Postal Service and ensures daily mail deliveries and pick-ups. Mediates between USPS and other garage tenants to avoid conflict and keeps library deliveries on schedule. 
• Supervises the receipt of all returned materials from patrons, includes sorting, checking in, re-shelving books, book inspections, and volunteer work parties.
• Provides quality control of collection processing; manages library collection of audio, braille, and large print materials, ensuring accurate inventory of collection; oversees the processing and inventory of all new books and equipment into the KLAS and Gutenberg circulation system; trains new staff and volunteers, and monitors accuracy. Uses KLAS reports to identify departmental priorities and provide circulation statistics, data, and trends to director. 
• Manages shelving classification of public area and warehouse library stacks for optimum item layout for shelving and retrieval. Works with other librarians to identify specific weeding targets, and strategizes the ongoing shifting of materials to make the best use of limited space.
• Manages inventory and operations as head of WTBBL Machine Lending Agency (MLA), acts as designated expert in policies and procedures governing custodial responsibility for all sound reproducers (digital talking book players), other recording equipment, accessories, and repair of equipment assigned to it, and will design and implement security precautions for their safekeeping. Attends all NLS equipment repair and equipment association meetings.
• Acts as the WTBBL expert on supplies and materials available from NLS for use in circulation, duplication, processing, and readers services activities; regularly reviews NLS supply catalog for stock and is responsible for ordering all materials from NLS. Monitors all supplies used in Circulation, and initiates orders so that normal operations are never interrupted.
• Implements inventory control plan for all MLA equipment, maintains accurate inventory of equipment, provides MLA inventory data resulting from complex machine audits utilizing ILS reports and patron contact and verification, to authorized NLS representative in a timely manner.
• Heads the refurbishment or repair of digital talking book machines as MLA head by training staff on inspection, reprocessing, and repair of returned equipment, and monitors the quality of their work. Identifies and sends machines to other repair sites inside and outside of Washington State as needed to maintain an adequate supply for WTBBL patrons.
• Plans, monitors, and oversees stacks maintenance and space allotment; manages the organization, selection, and shipping of cartridge and container surplus to designated NLS approved site.
• Writes and maintains departmental procedure manuals. Develops practices and procedures for operations of the department. 
• Interprets and ensures compliance with organizational and agency rules, NLS rules and regulations, USPS rules and regulations, policies, and procedures. Stays current on all NLS regulations and guidelines governing equipment procedures, digital book recall, circulation, postal regulations, or readers’ services; troubleshoots questions with NLS staff, and trains Shipping and other staff on all changes.
• Prepares statistical and administrative reports, including monthly circulation statistics, quarterly statistics, annual statistics, and biennial operational department report for NLS consultant review, submits annual Machine Lending statistics and performs annual machine audits.
• Designs and develops training materials and instructs other staff and patrons on circulation services and the WTBBL collection. 
• Participates in Readers Services meetings, provides Circulation and Collections updates, and recommends policy updates and changes.
• Serves on Collection Development Committee, assists in selection of books and materials for production in audio and braille, and recommends policy updates and changes.
• Is a member of the librarian leadership team, participating in strategic planning, policy development, and other decision-making efforts. 
• Manages the budget for the Circulation Department and coordinates expenses with the director.

• Acts as ILS/KLAS administrator. Manages the KLAS integrated library automation system, providing complex consulting to staff, patrons, and stakeholders, and working as a liaison with the vendor, OSOS IT, and NLS to ensure seamless statewide library service for customers.
• As KLAS administrator, responsible for creating new user accounts, assisting staff with updates, managing complex changes in global patron profile settings, managing monthly MARC loads, and working with librarians and KLAS vendor support for subject heading and mapping updates.
• Acts as Gutenberg circulation system administrator and liaison with NLS technical staff for issues or updates to system.
• Works with NLS DoD staff to troubleshoot Gutenberg system and resolve complex issues to ensure circulation functions properly, works with KLAS ILS staff to troubleshoot duplication on demand module and resolves issue with circulation
• Oversees the receipt and distribution of any new machinery, equipment, accessories, or supplies including electronic braille displays, CCTV magnifiers, and iBill currency readers; works with NLS and other agencies to procure, track, lend, and service new machinery and equipment. Prepares new borrower packets and printed instructions to be sent with all equipment.
• Has expert knowledge of KLAS and Gutenberg circulation and equipment modules functions, trains staff in use of KLAS and Gutenberg, troubleshoots KLAS and Gutenberg circulation systems to keep staff and volunteers working, and ensure the accurate tracking of books, magazines, equipment, and accessories sent to and from patrons.
• Manages WTBBL’s interlibrary loan program (ILL).
• Is systems expert in NLS's ILL portal. Manages resource sharing operation; conducts searches and maintains interlibrary loan data; raises awareness about materials to be loaned including locally produced braille books and specialized book cartridges; works with other network libraries to problem-solve requests for books not available through NLS's ILL portal.  Tracks and reports WTBBL's ILL statistics.
• Is the systems expert on NLS’s WOW2 ordering and supply system.
• Researches ILS options, and LBPD best practices, recommends software and procedure changes to improve delivery of service, and patron satisfaction.

• Supervises, leads, trains, and directs the work of lower-level staff.
• Supervises and reviews performance of staff through assessments to identify program needs. Delivers annual performance reviews and annual expectations and provides ongoing feedback to staff.
• Develops and disseminates instructions and information to departmental personnel. Organizes, conducts, and facilitates departmental staff meetings.
• Provides leadership for program staff, mentors staff and works with leadership and HR to provide appropriate guidance, feedback, resolution, and strategic planning for program.
• Provides technical assistance and specialized consultation to staff to ensure highest quality of work is performed regularly to meet department goals.
• Recommends resolution for complex circulation problems and issues relating to the day-to-day work of department staff.

• Supervises, leads, trains, and directs the work of students, interns, and other volunteers.
• Acts as mentor to students and interns.
• Works with university or other organizations to provide meaningful work to students and interns; provides feedback and completes assessments as necessary.
• Plans work for volunteer groups, coordinates work parties and develops ongoing connections with volunteer organizations.
• Schedules individual volunteers and work groups to accomplish library goals and cancels or reduces volunteer hours when the workflow is reduced.
• Directly supervises most volunteer work parties and is in charge of the library when supervising volunteers at WTBBL during evenings and weekends. 
• Writes and edits training material for staff and volunteers. Delivers training, and corrects performance issues or reassigns volunteers to more appropriate work when necessary. 

• Acts in the absence of the director.
• Conducts tours of WTBBL as needed.
• Contributes content to WTBBL website
• May participate in library outreach
• Assists walk-in patrons with book pickup at front desk; phones and emails patrons with equipment needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an American Library Association accredited program.
• Three years’ experience of full-time experience as a professional librarian with experience developing, managing, and/or implementing library programs.
• One year of full-time experience working in a supervisory level position.
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable hardware and software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position.
• Ability to read and write the English language.

• Experience with library technology, ILS systems, library management systems, inventory systems, or data management. Experience with Keystone Library Automation ILS preferred.
• Professional level knowledge of library trends, principles, and practices.
• Ability to read, write and converse fluently in Spanish or in a second language other than English.
• Desktop and network technology support and troubleshooting experience.
• One year of full-time equivalent experience (40 hours a week) in shelving, shifting, and other collection maintenance activities within one or more large collections of materials, including print and multimedia.

WORKING CONDITIONS
This position works in a warehouse and library environment that serves blind, visually impaired, deaf/blind, physically disabled, and/or learning disabled patrons. The standard work hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  The incumbent of the position must have the ability to handle stressful work situations, maintain confidentiality, lift up to 35 pounds and push and pull heavy wheeled bins weighing up to 300 lbs with or without a reasonable accommodation. The incumbent of this position must have the ability to tolerate sudden loud noises, work in adverse conditions (e.g., working with or around chemical or solvent scents, and/or working in areas that are cramped and/or somewhat confining.)  The incumbent of this position must have the ability to use a stepladder to perform routine job duties, the ability to perform tasks that require physical agility (e.g. bend, reach, stoop, kneel, carry, climb, push) and the ability to sit at a computer for long periods of time.  This position works with internal and external customers and the incumbent of the position needs to be able to maintain a positive attitude when dealing with diverse customers and be able to communicate effectively, both orally and written. The incumbent must be willing to work with individuals who are blind, visually impaired, deaf/blind, physically disabled, and or reading disabled.

• Required: To be considered for this position you must attach the following:
  • Letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the duties and qualifications of the position.
  • Current resume
  • Three Professional references. Personal references will not be considered.
• You must complete the supplemental questions at the end of this application. Incomplete responses such as "see resume" will not be considered.
• All veterans must include a copy of your DD214 to receive preference in the hiring process.  You must black out your social security number before attaching it to your application.