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Librarian I – Teen Services – Keene Public Library (Keene, NH)

The Keene Public Library is seeking an enthusiastic professional with excellent public service skills and experience in libraries and working with teenagers to join our team as a Librarian I- Teen Services! The Keene Public Library is a cherished community resource for the City and one of New Hampshire’s foremost public libraries. The Library has an active and supportive Board of Trustees and community, as well as dedicated staff and volunteers, who all contribute to a stimulating and positive work environment!

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Provides library services to young adults and their caregivers, including reference, reader’s advisory, programming, outreach activities, and collection development.
  • Works with staff to monitor and evaluate services to all youth and promotes and publicizes the youth services program in schools and the community.
  • Curates content including print, digital, web resources and special collections for and with teen patrons.
  • Plans and coordinates STEAM programs for teen and adult users of the Makerspace, researches new technologies, designs new initiatives, develops training classes and schedules for staff and volunteers, and researches appropriate services to enhance the library’s offerings.
  • Leverages community experts, coaches, and mentors for services and programs that meet teen needs and interests.

Requirements include, but are not limited to:

  • A Bachelor’s degree, plus one year of library experience or library training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. A graduate degree in library science is preferred as well as experience working with teens ages 12-18!
  • Comfortable using library software and circulation services. Comfortable assessing online databases and using current/emerging makerspace technology applications and equipment such as 3D printing, 3D design, coding, scanning and image editing.

Pay and Benefits include:

  • This full-time position offers a pay range of $26.81- $33.41 per hour. The work schedule includes Saturdays and evenings each week.
  • Are you used to spending a considerable amount of money on insurance? YOU WON’T HERE!

The City of Keene offers low deductible/low-cost health insurance, low-cost dental insurance, and other benefits such as life, disability, defined benefit retirement, paid time off including vacation days, personal days, and sick days and more!

If you are excited about working with a dedicated team of employees in a library where the focus is on learning, creativity, collaboration, and community interaction, then apply today! Please upload your resume and cover letter before submitting your application. Applications will be accepted until Sunday, April 30, 2023 at midnight.

To apply: https://KeeneNH.gov/jobs
Job Description: Librarian I- Teen Services

THE CITY OF KEENE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

– Posted 4/12/23

Registration Closed – The conference is full!

Be The Place: Libraries Are for Everyone

Registration has closed for the 128th Vermont Library Conference, a joint event bringing together the Vermont School Library Association (VSLA) and the Vermont Library Association (VLA) for a full day of learning, networking, and celebrating all things library. The theme, “Be the Place: Libraries Are for Everyone,” reflects the shared goal for all librarians of creating inclusive, accessible, exciting, and sustainable spaces—whether in person or online.

VLA/VSLA Joint Conference Call for Proposals

Let’s celebrate! The Vermont Library Association (VLA) and the Vermont School Library Association (VSLA) are pleased to announce their joint sponsorship of a one-day conference in 2023, and we need YOU!

We are seeking presenters for:

“Be the Place: Libraries Are For Everyone!”

The conference will be held at Doubletree by Hilton in South Burlington on Monday, April 3, 2023. Proposals are due by Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. 

We are looking for presenters for a wide variety of sessions.

Read more→

Librarian Kelly McCagg

VLA President’s Letter

Whether we like it or not, the world in which we are currently living—sore throat, mask, test, repeat—is not going to change in the foreseeable future. So, it is up to each one of us to make this “new normal” better than before. What does this mean in the library world?

Hopefully, COVID has taught us to be more accessible—or at the very least, loosen our requirements for access. Maybe your library initiated an online registration tool or simply mailed paper registration forms to patrons’ homes. Is it feasible to keep these accommodations? Doubting Debbie (I mean no disrespect to anyone named Deborah) will say, “The library is back to its full schedule of hours. There is no reason why we need to keep offering this service.” But what if your pre-COVID hours didn’t work for the person’s schedule? They may work multiple jobs or lack reliable transportation. However, once they have their library card they can access all your online resources when their schedule allows. Do a cost vs. reward analysis to see if it is worth keeping. My guess is if you have chosen librarianship as a profession, you will find a way to efficiently offer this service to your community.

On the flip side, look for processes, programs, or policies that can be updated or weeded—“because we’ve always done it that way” no longer holds water. Are you still keeping paper copies of patron information already stored electronically? Does your program lineup look similar to that from the 1950s? Do you offer a virtual option for meetings and programs? Does your cell phone policy limit use to certain areas due to fear of disturbing other users? Are your bathrooms still gender specific? Be brave enough to be uncomfortable and your patrons will thank you!

Our communities, whether they are large universities, bucolic towns, or tiny hamlets, are all composed of smaller sections that need to work together in order to create a dynamic, cohesive unit. That means we all need to put our egos aside, and maybe even that argument that happened three town managers ago, to find a way to work together. Take the initiative and sit next to the person who rubs you the wrong way at the next meeting. You may discover some small similarity on which you can build a relationship that will benefit not just the library, but the community at large. Now can be a considerable time of growth. It will require very little, if any money, but a great deal of dedication and enthusiasm.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.”
–Mark Twain

Kelly L. McCagg
Vermont Library Association President
Director, Burnham Memorial Library
president@vermontlibraries.org
November 2022
(This letter was first published in the November 2022 VLA News email newsletter, sent quarterly to Vermont Library Association members.)

Evening Circulation and Reserve Supervisor – Dartmouth College Libraries (Hanover, NH)

Position Purpose: This position supervises all aspects of the circulation and reserve service areas of the Baker-Berry Library and works collaboratively with Research and Learning departments and other Dartmouth Libraries to support patron information needs. This role is expected to support staff through training, ensuring high quality service is provided to library users whether in person, on email or through virtual service. The supervisor may be assigned alternate schedules, including weekends.

Key Accountabilities:

  • Develops and evaluates workflow at the Baker-Berry circulation and reserve desks and consults with other Access Services supervisors to coordinate shared services. (%20)
  • Hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates the Information Access Assistants and the Access Services Student Supervisor positions. Schedules staff and students at Baker-Berry Library service points; works with other library access service points to ensure adequate coverage. May be assigned to supervise or staff other library access service points. (%20)
  • Participates in all aspects of direct patron service. Triage and respond to information requests via email, phone and chat services (%20)
  • Shares responsibility for overseeing building maintenance, security and emergency planning. (%10)
  • Convenes regularly scheduled staff meetings to discuss workflow, procedural, or policy changes; provides training opportunities to ensure staff are proficient in a changing environment. (%10)
  • Participates in the system-wide planning, testing, and implementation of circulation/reserve policies, procedures, and services; works with unit supervisors throughout the Library to ensure mutually effective procedures and policies that impact circulation/reserve operations. (%10)
  • Participates on Dartmouth College Library committees and task forces representing circulation and reserve services. (%10)

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelors plus 3-5 years’ experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
  • At least three years of library experience preferably in public service.
  • Excellent supervisory, organizational and communication skills.
  • Superior skills in diplomacy, conflict-resolution and consensus-building.
  • Experience using a library automated circulation system or the equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS

Salary Hiring Range: $43,600-54,500

To Apply: https://searchjobs.dartmouth.edu/postings/65386

– Posted 10/27/22

Vermont Library Association hosts tour of four Addison County libraries on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

Addison County Library Tour

Last spring’s VLA library tour in the Northeast Kingdom was so much fun that we are doing it again, this time in Addison County (mostly). Here are the details:
Friday, Sept. 30, 2022
Lunch in Vergennes
We also plan to follow up with a librarian happy hour afterwards at a nearby brewery for those who want to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow librarians for a bit longer.
While you are welcome to show up no matter what, it would be helpful to get a gauge of how many people we might be planning to have along for the tour. If you plan to attend, please send an email to director@craftsburypubliclibrary.org. And if you don’t plan to attend, and haven’t RSVPed, but decide at the last minute that you can’t bear to miss the fun, we will still be happy to have you! There is no cost for this tour, and library staff, trustees, and volunteers are welcome to attend.
Susan O’Connell

Library Media Specialist, Long-term Sub – U-32 (Montpelier, VT)

Washington Central Unified Union School District is seeking an enthusiastic educator to fill a long-term substitute position in the U-32 Library during a teacher’s 4-6 week leave of absence from early February to mid-March 2022. Please note that during this time, there is a school vacation (2/21-3/1), and school will be closed.  See here for more details and the job posting.

Please consider if you are retired or even if your license has expired: an emergency license can be applied for with the right candidate.  Please reach out to others who might be interested – we will consider candidates with other educational certifications and experiences other than library/media.

A love of young people, a willingness to learn, a positive attitude, and a collaborative approach are essential.

– Posted 1/18/22

VLAC21 Award Winners

Every year at the annual conference, the Vermont Library Association presents five awards for outstanding service to and support of the state’s libraries. This year, we did something a little different.  Rather than ask people to nominate for our usual awards, we invited them to name their own awards. The results were entertaining and heartfelt.

The winners were announced during the conference, “Emerging Energized,” held online May 25, 26, 27, and June 1 and 2.  You can watch the awards ceremony recording here.

And the winners are…Read more→

Part-time Library Assistant – Highgate Library and Community Center (Highgate, VT).

The Highgate Library and Community Center is looking to hire a part-time (10-15 hours a week) Library Assistant. The Library Assistant will perform a broad range of tasks including, but not limited to, the following: assisting with program planning and facilitation, library circulation and clerical procedures, and daily tasks assigned by the Highgate Library and Community Center (HLCC) Director.

This position requires a friendly, positive, and energetic personality coupled with creative and innovative thinking. The position requires a general understanding of child and youth development, the ability to interact successfully with all age groups, and a desire to further local community connections. A weekly set schedule is required for this position.

Duties and Responsibilities:  

  • Facilitating programs/events for the community (all age groups)
  • Program and event prep work and planning
  • Circulation desk routines such as checking items in and out and searching the library catalog
  • Assisting patrons in finding materials to match their reading interests
  • Assisting patrons in the use of library resources including the internet, library materials, and programs
  • Assisting with the positive promotion of library programs and services
  • Shelving materials and keeping shelves neat and accessible
  • General clerical work such as answering the telephone and routing calls/messages as necessary
  • Performing opening and closing procedures as necessary
  • Performing daily tasks to keep the overall library neat, clean, and organized
  • Filling in as needed for Highgate Library and Community Center staff to cover vacations/sick time
  • Learning the general rules and policies of the Highgate Library and Community Center
  • Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications: 

  • A high school education is required with an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree preferred
  • Prior library experience and/or experience working directly with the public, including children
  • Requires basic knowledge of library procedures, methods, and techniques
  • Computer experience including the use of the Microsoft Office Suite and the Internet
  • Must have exceptional communication skills when interacting with patrons in-person or over the phone
  • Must be able to work days with some evening and Saturday availability

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter by October 5th to: Highgate Library and Community Center PO Box 76, Highgate VT 05459 or email these items to librarian@highgatevt.org

– Posted September 22, 2020