Librarian I

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Marin County Free Library (MCFL) is a special taxing district that operates ten branch libraries in Marin under the authority of the Board of Supervisors. It provides public library services to the residents of the unincorporated areas of the County and the cities of Corte Madera, Fairfax, and Novato. The Marin County Free Library is an innovative and dynamic civic institution that is committed to providing exceptional services to a community that cares deeply about the library and encourages the library to assume a critical role in supporting the community to be resilient, equitable, and progressive. MCFL is committed to racial equity and the inclusion of those with multiple perspectives and backgrounds in our decision making.

There are two (2) full-time vacancies, one for the Novato branch and one for the Marin City branch.

Librarian I - Novato, Youth Services:

This Youth Services Librarian I at Novato will be working with young people from our community, ages 0-18, providing opportunities for growth, experience, and learning at all levels of development while always keeping in mind equity and inclusion.  The position at Novato will share coverage of children’s and teen services in an often-bustling library space. Tasks include performing traditional youth librarian duties such as reference interviews, readers’ advisory, and storytimes, overseeing teen leadership activities, and hosting outreach activities. Finally, the youth services librarians are expected to work collaboratively with other branch staff, ensuring the branch is a quality community resource and safe place for all. Bilingual skills are highly desired.

The hours for this position are: 

Tuesdays: 9AM - 5PM

Wednesdays: 12PM - 8PM 

Thursday-Saturday: 9AM - 5PM

Librarian I - Marin City, Adult Services:

Under general supervision from the Branch Manager, the Librarian I performs a variety of professional librarian duties including reference services for all ages, community outreach, collection development, cataloging, and programming for children and young adults. The incumbent is expected to work independently and take a material role in library operations, in addition to performing related work as required. This position is the first level class in the professional library series.

The Librarian I position in the Marin City branch will have a strong focus on building and maintaining community partnerships with local organizations. This includes developing programs and services to support the adult Marin City community in their lifelong learning pursuits. The Librarian I is responsible for selecting and deselecting materials to help build and balance the MCFL adult collections with equity, diversity, and inclusion in mind. This position will also work in partnership with both the Children's Services Librarian I and the Makerspace Coordinator to support programming for teens and adults that supports a framework of joyful learning, community centered empowerment and collective impact with community partners to inform the scope and direction of the work.

The hours for this position are:

Sundays:  11:30AM - 5PM

Monday & Thursdays. 11:30AM - 8PM

Tuesday & Wednesday: 9AM - 5PM

Our Highly Qualified Candidate: 

Novato

The ideal candidate is passionate about providing excellent library services to children and young adults (from ages 0 to 18) with an emphasis on programming, outreach and readers’ advisory.  The Youth Services department at the Novato branch operates a “single desk” model of service and the ideal candidate strives to support and build successful relationships with their colleagues at all levels, learns from all staff members, and thrives working in a diverse, fast-paced environment. As an ambassador of the library, the candidate must have the ability to provide superior service and make patrons feel valued, from the grandparent and teen to the 4-month old child and everyone in between.  Public library experience; experience working with families, children and young adults from various socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; knowledge of social media platforms, current library trends, and youth literature are highly desirable. 

Marin City

The highly qualified Marin City Library Candidate has experience working with vulnerable populations and collaborating with community partners to offer programs and services that benefit the Marin City community. Bilingual skills highly valued for this position. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of: 

• Principles, practices and techniques of library science and information services.
• Reference sources and search techniques, including the use of on-line catalogs, databases and Internet sources.
• Techniques for organizing library materials to meet patron needs.
• Principles of collection development and materials selection.
• Automated library information systems software and hardware.
• If assigned as a children's' librarian, techniques and practices of children's services, including juvenile literature and story telling.
• If assigned as an adult services librarian, techniques and practices of adult services, including provision of readers' advisory services.
• If assigned to oversee a small community reading station, techniques of facilities and collection oversight; and techniques for assessing the needs of a specific community and meeting such needs.
• If assigned to technical services, principles, practices and resources of library cataloging; experience with integrated library system and major cataloging utility.

Ability to: 

• Advise patrons on reference sources and methods and perform detailed reference searches using on-line, print and other methods.
• Provide reader's advisory services and referrals to patrons of various age groups.
• Instruct patrons and staff in the use of catalogs and reference tools.
• Identify the needs of the public and assist with collection development by evaluating and recommending materials for acquisition.
• Represent the library system in the community and at professional meetings.
• Explain policies and procedures to patrons and staff.
• Use initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
• Organize own work and set priorities.
• Maintain accurate records and files.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, educational materials and other written materials.
• Direct the preparation of effective displays.
• Use current automated library technology effectively.
• Establish and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
• If assigned as a cataloger, apply cataloging skills to enhance public access to information in a text and/or web-based catalog.

Equivalent to an American Library Association approved Master's degree in Library Science, Library and Information Services or similar curriculum. Course work in the area of service specialization is desirable.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

LiveScan: Candidates selected are subject to fingerprinting by the Sheriff's Department and must pass a Department of Justice LiveScan background check prior to appointment.

All applicants will receive email notifications regarding their status in the recruitment process. Please be sure to check your spam settings to allow our emails to reach you. You may also log into your GovernmentJobs.com account to view these emails.

Bilingual Testing/Certification:  To be eligible for a bilingual differential, the successful candidate must possess bilingual skills and must demonstrate proficiency in both English and the designated second language prior to appointment.  A bilingual proficiency exam will be administered to ensure the candidates possess the appropriate skill level to meet the requirements. 

Testing and Eligible List: Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination may consist of a highly qualified review, application screening, online assessment, written examination, oral examination, performance examination, or any combination to determine which candidates' names will be placed on the eligible list.  The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill the current vacancy, and any future vacancies for open, fixed-term, full-time or part-time positions which may occur while the list remains active. 

Disaster Service Workers: All County of Marin employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: If you have questions regarding equal employment opportunities, please contact Roger Crawford, Equal Employment Opportunity Director, at 415-473-2095.  If you have questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Alisa Samuel, alisa.samuel@marincounty.gov.