City Librarian

Library Department Manager

Under general direction, plans, organizes, oversees, coordinates, and manages the staff and operations of the Library Department, including reference services, collection development and maintenance, youth and adult services, circulation services, technical services, and community programming; participates in the development of policies and strategies for department operations; manages the effective use of division resources to improve organizational productivity and customer service; provides complex and responsible support to the Deputy City Manager in areas of expertise; and performs related duties as assigned.

Receives direction from the assigned management or supervisory personnel. Exercises technical and functional direction over and provides training to lower-level staff.

This is a management classification responsible for planning, organizing, reviewing, and evaluating library services, programs, collections, and operations of the Library Department. Incumbents are responsible for performing diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making responsibilities, which include policy development, budget administration, program oversight, and compliance with State Library and other applicable requirements. Incumbents serve as a professional-level resource for organizational, managerial, and operational analyses and studies. Performance of the work requires the use of considerable independence, initiative, and discretion within broad guidelines.

Examples of typical job functions (illustrative only) include:

• Planning, managing, and overseeing the daily functions, operations, and activities of the Library department, including public service delivery, collection-related operations, and library programs.
• Participating in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, work plans, policies, and priorities for the department; recommending, within department policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommending and administering policies and procedures.
• Participating in the development, administration, and oversight of the department budget; determining funding needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; ensuring compliance with budgeted funding.
• Developing and standardizing procedures and methods to improve and continuously monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned programs and service delivery methods; assessing and monitoring workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifying opportunities for improvement and making recommendations to the Deputy City Manager.
• Participating in the selection of, training, motivating, and evaluating assigned personnel; providing or coordinating staff training; working with employees to correct deficiencies; recommending and implementing discipline and termination procedures.
• Providing overall management direction for library collections, service areas, and programs, including collection development and maintenance, reference services, circulation, youth and adult services, technical services, and literacy, educational, and community engagement programs; ensuring services and materials meet community needs and professional standards.
• Directing the delivery of public-facing library services; addressing complex service issues and patron concerns; and ensuring responsive, equitable, and effective customer service.
• Preparing, reviewing, and submitting required statistical, operational, and grant-related reports; ensuring compliance with State Library, funding agency, and other external reporting requirements.
• Developing and managing requests for proposals for professional and/or contracted services; preparing scope of work and technical specifications; evaluating proposals and recommending award; negotiating contracts; administering contracts to ensure compliance with City specifications and service quality.
• Serving as liaison for assigned functions with other City departments, divisions, and outside agencies; providing staff support to commissions, committees, and task forces, as required.
• Providing highly complex staff assistance to the Deputy City Manager; preparing and presenting staff reports and other written materials; supervising the establishment and maintenance of working and official department files; ensuring the proper documentation of operations and activities.
• Reviewing the work of staff to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Representing the City in meetings with members of other public and private organizations, community groups, contractors, and the public.
• Attending and participating in professional group meetings; staying abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of library services and information management.
• Monitoring changes in regulations and technology that may affect operations; implementing policy and procedural changes after approval.
• Ensuring staff observe and comply with all City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications include knowledge of organization and management practices, principles and practices of employee supervision, principles and practices of leadership, administrative principles, practices, and methods, principles and practices of budget development and administration, principles and practices of contract administration and management, general principles of risk management, principles, practices, and trends of modern public library administration and service delivery, principles and practices of library collection development, organization, and maintenance, library technologies, automated library systems, and electronic information resources, community engagement, literacy programming, and public-facing library services, research methods and techniques, methods and techniques of preparing technical and administrative reports, and general business correspondence, applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, as well as industry standards and best practices, City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols, techniques for providing a high level of customer service, the structure and content of the English language, modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability to select and supervise staff, provide training and development opportunities, ensure work is performed effectively, and evaluate performance in an objective and positive manner; develop and implement goals, objectives, practices, policies, procedures, and work standards; provide administrative, management, and professional leadership; prepare and administer complex budgets; allocate limited resources in a cost-effective manner; plan, direct, and evaluate library services, collections, and programs; apply professional judgment to resolve complex service delivery and patron-related issues; prepare, interpret, and present operational, statistical, and grant-related reports; perform mathematical calculations quickly and accurately; research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques; supervise the establishment of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems; understand, interpret, and apply all pertinent laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures, and standards relevant to work performed; prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, documentation, and other written materials; use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines; independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments; effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Education: Possession of a master's degree in library science from an accredited college or university. Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience performing public library services, including two (2) in a management or supervisory capacity. Licenses and certifications: None required.

Physical demands include mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 20 pounds. Environmental conditions include working in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing divisional policies and procedures. Working conditions include the possibility of working extended hours, including weekends, evenings, and holidays to meet the City's operational needs; employees also serve as a Disaster Service Worker during emergencies consistent with California Government Code Sections 3100-3109.