Library Associate - Generalist

• Walkersville Community Public Library

Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members.  If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to Frederick County Government today.

TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE:
Frederick County offers an extensive compensation package to reflect how highly we value our employees. The following is what you can expect in your first year as a full-time benefited Frederick County Government employee.  

• 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment (accrued at a pro-rated rate)
• 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover (accrued at a pro-rated rate)
• 11 paid holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays (10 and 11 month employees may not receive all holidays) (accrued at a pro-rated rate)
• Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution (if enrolled in the high-deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending
• Employee Health Center with no or low-cost primary and urgent care
• 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit
• Participation in the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System  
  • Vesting after 10 years of service
  • Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc. 
• Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Other employee-paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Lifetime Benefit with Long Term Care plan

NOTE: Benefited employees will accrue service and leave based on the FTE and/or hours worked per calendar year. 

For more information, visit our benefits page on the Frederick County Government job opportunities webpage.

• Under direction, develop and present innovative age-appropriate programs  and outreach activities as assigned 
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the library  collection and current literature 
• Participate in  implementation of system-wide programs, events and outreach  
• Assist patrons of all ages with reference questions or readers' advisory requests 
• Assist patrons in using computerized and manual information sources and/or direct patrons to other appropriate sources 
• Perform basic bibliographic searches related to inter-library loan requests and reserves 
• Explain FCPL policies and procedures to patrons and train patrons on the use of library resources 
• Assist with the  maintenance of the branch collection in an assigned area 
• Working with the Supervisor, assist in planning and implementing marketing activities and outreach activities that communicate the mission and goals of the library and the value of library products and services to the public, organizations, businesses and other community entities 
• Actively seek out and engage in opportunities to promote the library in the community 
• Establish and maintain working relationships and partnerships with community businesses, organizations, groups and schools, including outreach and programming 
• Prepare displays and develop programs to promote reading and other library services 
• May perform duties as a Notary Public, to include witnessing the signing of documents and verifying their authenticity.
• Recommend materials for acquisition and/or withdrawal 
• Provide customer service at front desk, including check-in and check-out of materials
• Participate in department, branch and system-wide work teams 
• Attend workshops, meetings and learning opportunities 
• Perform other related duties as required

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The essential duties do not cover all duties that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

The qualifications/requirements, knowledge/skills/abilities and physical requirements or working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  

• Bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university 
• Minimum 1 years of customer service work experience, working directly with the public

• Ability to obtain and maintain Library Associate certification from the MD State Department of Education, plus willingness and ability to attend training sessions as applicable 
• May require the ability to become a certified Notary for the State of Maryland within 90 days of hire
• Working knowledge of public library practices and procedures 
• Knowledge of research techniques and available research materials, as well as general readers' interest, authors, books and other formats of library materials 
• Knowledge of standard computer applications and devices including tablets/mobile devices, software applications, and downloadable e-format materials 
• Knowledge of age-appropriate literature, development stages, and interests 
• Working knowledge of social media tools and techniques, and ability to effectively communicate in an online environment to engage customers via social media 
• Ability to develop and conduct age appropriate programs, events and activities and perform effectively in front of patrons of all ages 
• Ability to effectively access and utilize FCPL's computerized systems and the Internet, and to effectively provide related instruction for patrons 
• Ability to learn and integrate emerging technologies and STEM-related educational tools in programming 
• Ability to create and market high-quality programming in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment 
• Ability to effectively organize work, problem solve, determine priorities, make decisions and complete assigned duties with minimal supervision 
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task and effectively manage time in a busy environment 
• Ability to demonstrate creativity, flexibility, positive attitude and good judgment 
• Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems 
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with patrons, co-workers and the general public 
• Ability to effectively build relationships and partnerships with community organizations, businesses, schools and similar entities 
• Strong and effective spoken and written (English) communication skills

• 6 months or more recent (within the last 5 years) experience working in a library (not volunteer experience) 
• 1 or more years of work experience developing and presenting programs to the public 
• Additional work experience providing direct customer service to the public
• Current Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL) Employee

• While working in this position, the employee is required to frequently sit, walk, lift up to 50 pounds; occasionally stoop. 
• While working in this position, the employee is required to frequently work indoors.
• During outreach programs and events the employee is occasionally working outdoors; working in hot temperatures (above 100 degrees), working in cold temperatures (below 32 degrees) and walking on uneven ground.

• Ability to provide own transportation to meetings/workshops and to various branch Libraries as needed 
• Available for varied workdays and hours within the FCPL operating schedule

1. An evaluation of training and experience 
2. One or more interviews

Frederick County Government is committed to providing an inclusive work environment and complies with all applicable laws and regulations regarding workplace accommodation, including for individuals with disabilities. Applicants who require reasonable accommodation during the application and hiring process may contact the Talent Acquisition section of Human Resources. Inquiries about accommodations can be sent to Recruitment@FrederickCountyMD.gov