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City Librarian

City of Paso Robles
Full-time
On-site
Paso Robles, California, United States
$128,778.78 - $163,574.06 USD yearly


Description



Application Deadline: Monday, January 6, 2025 at 10:00 am
Tentative Interview Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025

Employees will receive a wage increase of up to 3% effective January 5, 2025.  

The City of Paso Robles is pleased to announce the search for a new City Librarian who will capitalize on the many strengths of the Library Services division and lead it to the next level of excellence. If you are looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference in your community, look no further!

The Community
El Paso de Robles, or "The Pass of the Oaks," is located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in San Luis Obispo County. Paso Robles, surrounded by scenic rolling oak woodlands, is one of California’s premier wine regions, and is only 27 miles from the beautiful beaches of the Central Coast. This thriving community of over 30,000 actively engaged residents possesses the benefits of a suburban-rural community while retaining a small-town feel. With over 200 wineries nearby and a bustling downtown with a variety of excellent restaurants and specialty retail, Paso Robles is fast becoming one of the most desirable places to live, work, and play.
 
Paso Robles has a long history of agriculture and hospitality resulting in a strong work ethic and an enjoyable quality of life. Once hailed as the “Almond Capital of the World”, Paso Robles is now known for top quality food, wine, beer, distilled spirits, and an annual calendar filled with events that celebrate everything from wine to pioneers to classic cars. Paso Robles has been honored by the national media, including Country Living’s “10 Best Small Towns in America”; Travel and Leisure Magazine’s “Best Small Towns to Retire to in America”; the Today Show’s “Top Summer Destination for 2021”; a New York Times “Must Visit Region”; Sunset Magazine’s “Best Travel Spots for 2021”; and Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s “Wine Region of the Year”.

The City understands the importance of business development and works hard to attract commerce in a diverse array of industries. The economic outlook for Paso Robles continues to be strong. The housing market is robust and offers a variety of housing choices including new neighborhoods, houses with acreage, infill, and charming Victorian homes, with a median home price of about $634,500. Paso Robles also has excellent schools, both public and private. Approximately half an hour away is the nationally ranked Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, and within the City of Paso Robles is Cuesta College, North County Campus.

The Organization
The City was incorporated in 1889 as a general law City that operates under the Council-Manager form of government with a general population of 31,176 as of January 1, 2022. The governing body consists of a five-member City Council and, beginning in 2020, the City is now divided into four voting districts, each district represented by one City Councilmember residing in that district; the Mayor’s position remains at-large. The voters also elect one City Treasurer at-large. All six elected positions are non-partisan. The City Manager, appointed by the City Council, is the Chief Executive Officer, and is empowered to appoint all non-elected employees, except for the City Attorney.
 
The City has a total annual budget of $170 million for fiscal year 2024/2025, and a total of 304.4 FTEs across the departments of: Administrative Services, City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Community Services, Fire and Emergency Services, Police, Public Works, and Utilities.
 

The Division
The Library Services Division is part of the Community Services Department, which also includes Recreation Services and Parks and Trails. Currently, Library Services staff is comprised of the City Librarian, an Adult Services Librarian, Children's Services Librarian, Technical Services Librarian, Outreach Services Librarian, Volunteer Coordinator, two Administrative Assistants, and 11 part-time Staff Assistants. Staff is assisted by approximately 60 volunteers who generally work one shift per week.
 
The library offers 57 public service hours per week at its downtown location and is actively working to expand outreach services through the addition of a bookmobile and small programmable off-site meeting location at the north end of town. With a recently adopted Strategic Plan, the library continues to adapt its materials, technology, programs and services to meet the needs of the community. The library is a member of the Black Gold Library Cooperative System providing access to over 500,000 physical items belonging to other Black Gold libraries, as well as over 400,000 titles in the consortium's OverDrive eBook, audiobook, and magazine collection.

The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will be a dynamic and effective leader who actively promotes the values and virtues of a library to its diverse community. The City is seeking someone who is:
  • An emotionally intelligent communicator and collaborator able to productively navigate the highs and lows of interpersonal relationships
  • Supportive of staff achievements and leads with enthusiasm
  • Able to set clear performance expectations and provide coaching to support staff success
  • Passionate about aligning their work with the Library Strategic Plan
  • Unwavering in their commitment to excellent customer service and community engagement 
  • Innovative and results-driven
  • Supportive of the Library’s efforts to provide equitable service to its patrons
  • Able to thrive in an ever-changing environment 


Typical Duties


  • Manages daily operations of the library; identifies strategic goals and improvements for the delivery of library services, programs, and resources
  • Generates public support for library services through innovative programing, promotion, engagement of community groups, and fundraising
  • Plans, develops, implements, and revises division objectives, policies, and procedures
  • Maintains standards of excellence for library services, collections, and facilities
  • Guides the use of technology to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and provide self-service systems for library patrons and employees
  • Prepares, reviews, and presents detailed staff reports
  • Effectively mentors staff, establishes performance expectations, evaluates work methods, and holds staff accountable while also fostering a culture of mutual respect, diversity, inclusion, and continuous improvement
  • Participates in the development, implementation, and monitoring of the division budget
  • Participates as a partner and serves on the administrative council of the joint powers Black Gold Cooperative Library Cooperative System
  • Identifies and develops collaborative relationships with strategic community and City partners to complement the organization and to support the achievement of mutual goals
  • Attends meetings, conferences, and workshops and reviews publications and materials to remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in public library administration
  • Works closely with the Library Board of Trustees, the Library Foundation, and the Friends of the Library to develop and implement long-range plans, goals, objectives, and policies for the library and to ensure appropriate community input into the operations and programs of the library 
  • May act as the Community Services Director in their absence


Employment Standards & Special Requirements


Knowledge of:

  • Public library organization, objectives, trends, materials, services, programs, and practices
  • Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development and supervision of staff
  • Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures
  • Principles and practices of budget development, administration, and accountability
  • Current library systems such as bibliographic databases, online public access catalogs, and integrated library systems
  • Selection, de-selection, and evaluation of library collections
  • Computer applications related to the work including library management software
  • Marketing and promotion of library materials and programs
  • Techniques for dealing with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, in person and over the telephone
Ability to:
  • Select, train, review, coordinate, mentor, and evaluate the work of staff
  • Effectively represent the department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, and educational organizations
  • Manage, direct, coordinate, and perform complex tasks, often with competing objectives
  • Enthusiastically promote community interest in library services
  • Research and analyze technical and legal issues and take or recommend appropriate actions
  • Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials
  • Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community
  • Recommend plans for modifying or extending library services, programs, and activities to meet community needs and requirements
  • Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including community leaders, public officials, public groups, library staff, and the general public
Education and Experience: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying.   A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be possession of a Master of Library and Information Science degree from an American Library Association accredited graduate degree program and seven years of increasingly responsible professional public library experience, including senior level public library management.

Special Requirements: Must possess a valid California Class C driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving record. Spanish language skills are highly desirable.



Selection Procedure & Application Process


To be considered for this exceptional career opportunity, please submit an employment application, resume, and cover letter describing your interest and how your skills and experience relate to the position of City Librarian no later than Monday, January 6, 2025. This is a confidential recruitment and will be handled accordingly throughout the various stages of the process. Candidates should be aware that references will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established. Application materials received by the filing date will be reviewed for accuracy, completeness, and job-related qualifications.  

A limited number of persons whose applications clearly demonstrate they most closely meet the requirements may be invited to participate in the selection process, which may be any combination of written, oral, and/or performance exams. All statements made in the application materials are subject to verification. False statements will be cause for disqualification or discharge. Appointment is subject to successfully passing a pre-employment background and criminal history check. Before starting work, applicants must present documentation of their identity, authorization to work in the United States and a DMV driving record. 

The City of Paso Robles participates in E-Verify (more information can be found at www.PRCity.com/HR). Following appointment, a twelve-month probationary period may be required as the final phase of the appointment process. The email address you provide on the City application will be the primary means of communication the City will use to contact you regarding your application and this recruitment. If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact Human Resources at (805) 237-3962, or by email at Jobs@PRCity.com.
 

All persons employed by the City of Paso Robles are designated as "disaster service workers" as defined in the California Government Code section 3100 and 3101.
 
The City of Paso Robles provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 
 
The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute a contract.

Photos by: Brittany App