Seattle Room Collections Curator, Adult Services Librarian

Invitation to Compete #33-25: Seattle Room Collections Curator, Adult Services Librarian

Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave. Seattle, WA 98104

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

Salary range: $43.36 - $52.57 per hour

Schedule:

Week A: Weds - Thurs, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Fri, Off; Sat – Sun, 8:30 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Mon, Off; Tues, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Week B: Weds - Fri, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sat – Sun, Off; Mon - Tues, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

A pay period is two weeks in length that starts on Wednesday and ends on Tuesday. Hours will include weekdays, evenings and weekends. This is a fully in-person role. The schedule listed represents the Library’s current operational need and is subject to change. This classification 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 June 26, 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 Seattle Room Collections Curator, Adult Services Librarian position. 

The Seattle Room Collections 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 select and maintain materials added to the Seattle Room Collections, an internationally regarded collection on Seattle and Pacific Northwest Culture and History.  The Seattle Room Collections are a key element of Special Collections, maintaining local history resources that have been in existence at the library from its very inception. The position also collaborates with the Library’s Collections Services Department and  Special Collections team members to acquire new materials for the collection. 

As a member of the Library Programs and Services Division, this position will be based in the Central Library and reports to the Special Collections Services Manager.  As a member of the Special Collections team, this position will be called upon to provide expert information reference in person and online (via LibAnswers) for service points at the Central Library, which houses the Seattle Room Collections serving information needs related to the Seattle Culture and History Service Priority.

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 community. 

The position will work collaboratively with librarians and library staff 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 Seattle Room Collections will be part of this position’s scope.

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 Seattle Room Collections and efforts to support it. The position also collaborates with other Collection Curators and the Digital Collections Librarian to research and describe collection materials and prepare selected items for digitization. 

• Research Services and Support: Serve as a primary Subject Matter Expert on primary and secondary resources related to PNW and Seattle Culture and History, especially within the Seattle Room Collection. 

• Seattle Room Collections Management & Promotion: Serve as curator, subject matter expert, and liaison for the Seattle Room Collections at the Central Library. 

• Maintain and promote Seattle Room Collection resources in alignment with approved scope statement and the priorities of the city, library, and special collections unit.
• Support selection of materials by keeping current with publishing, film and music industry trends, local interests and popular culture related to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. 
• Develop collections through vendor and donor relationships.
• Review incoming materials, check for holdings information in Library catalog and WorldCat and compare condition of copies already held. 
• Analyze and monitor collections for material condition, relevancy within scope, and subject needs.
• Assess collection gaps, especially related to historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
• Identify unique and historically significant materials within the library’s collections and highlight notable materials within the Special Collections. 
• Document accessions and supply critical details for the creation of finding aids and catalog records.
• Periodically review scope, purpose, intended audiences of Seattle Room Collection. 
• Contribute to the development of collection standards, coordination and analysis of selection recommendations, and the formulation and implementation of the selection plan for the Seattle Room Collections at the Central Library. 
• Assist in determining strategies and resources for preservation as part of the Special Collections Department. 
• Provide collection updates at staff meetings. 
• Budget and Fund management, including, but not limited to
  • Seeking funding through grants and fundraising; managing grants, endowments, and gift funds
  • Expending annually allocated funds through resource collection and acquisition

• Community Engagement and Partnerships: Understand the role of community engagement in identifying community information needs and goals, specifically on resources related to Pacific Northwest history and culture and its preservation therein. 

• 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 that might be different than your own..
• 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 Seattle Room Collections at Central Library, 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 Seattle Room 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.

• Information Services: Minimum two years of professional experience in a special collections department or agency.  Minimum of two years work experience providing information services to the general public. Minimum of two years 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. 
• Knowledge and experience in providing Seattle and Pacific Northwest culture and history research support including, but not limited to, published print and electronic resources, ranging from textual, photographic, film and music industries and popular culture.

• Exemplary Customer Service: Minimum of two years 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 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
• 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 Japanese, Chinese or other Asian languages, Spanish, Somali or other East African languages). 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. 

How to Apply

This recruitment will be open until the position is filled with application review beginning on June 26, 2025 for first consideration. 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.