Assistant Manager-Children/Youth Services

Library Assistant

Under general supervision, is responsible for assisting in the administration of a branch or main library department of the Detroit Public Library (DPL); assists with the supervision of the day-to-day operations, staffing, planning, and implementation of assigned children/youth services program area; ensures quality customer service; maintains and organizes a relevant collection of library materials; provides relevant programs for the community; and participates in and supports organizational goals, policies, and guidelines

Works under the general supervision of assigned Library – coordinator or manager; and does exercise supervisory responsibility.

Primary Responsibilities

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

In children/youth services area of assignment:

• Supervises, coordinates, schedules, assigns, and inspects the daily work activities of assigned staff; coaches, trains and motivates staff; and coordinates and/or provides staff training.
• Assists with managing and prepares the daily workflow and prioritization of projects and staff; measures the performance of the unit and staff and recommends or suggests appropriate corrective action when necessary; provides advice and counsel to staff; develops developmental work plans for staff; recommends corrective actions and discipline procedures as appropriate or necessary.
• Drafts and completes weekly sign-in sheets for staff members; completes bi-weekly timesheets for payroll office; creates work schedules due to illness or other emergency or unforeseen changes in employee's personal schedule.
• Provides reference services in assigned children/youth services program area; analyzes customer requests to determine needed information; assists in furnishing or locating the information; searches reference materials including printed, online, and Internet sources, to provide the necessary information; and instructs customers in basic computer skills, such as searching the library's computerized databases, so they can continue their research on their own.
• Locates unusual or unique information in response to specific requests; explains library resources and services outside the scope of assigned area or department; troubleshoots malfunctioning equipment such as computers, copiers, printers, and other peripheral equipment and finds alternate methods, if necessary, to satisfy customer's needs; translates or interprets library literature, conversations, and communications between library staff and customers, enabling verbal and written communication between non-English-speaking customers and the library organization; proofreads translated materials; provides solutions in translated language to customer service issues; assists with translating marketing programming; and assists in producing media materials in-house written for non-English speaking customers.
• Provides collection development and maintenance functions; reviews and evaluates print materials using book reviews, catalogs, and customer recommendations to select and order items to be added to the collection; reviews and evaluates potential electronic resources; evaluates existing books, periodicals, and other materials to determine outdated or unused items for discard; organizes collections of books, periodicals, and other reference materials for convenient access.
• Confers with community members and organizations to plan, develop and implement informational programs in assigned area; oversees partnerships with community organizations; makes collection decisions and determines additional library services to offer; and plans and implements monthly displays focusing on a specific aspect of the department's/program's holdings.
• Maintains and collects a variety of data to produce reports used for future reference, comparisons between branches and main library, and for program evaluation; maintains various statistics such as daily reference statistics, disposal/acquisition statistics, circulation statistics, program attendance statistics, meeting and activity statistics, and federal depository statistics.
• Assists in assuring that work areas and/or building and grounds are properly and safely maintained; performs opening and closing routines; fills out work order requests for building and grounds maintenance and repairs; conducts annual survey of physical assets; checks doors at closing, ensuring that library is ready for next day; supervises tidying of library by customer service assistants; assures working status of computers, copiers, printers, fax and other peripheral equipment; and ensures building alarm system is properly set at close.
• Supervises children/youth programs including supervision of librarians, assistants, and support staff; trains staff and volunteers; implements associated policies and procedures; serves as reference and Reader's Advisor; coordinates and/or participates in special events; places holds and pulls holds from shelves. Supports supervisor and assumes responsibilities in their absence related to building security and other library customer issues; supervises daily departmental operations, including scheduling and output; arbitrates customer disputes regarding service or fines, library materials not returned or any other library-related interactions; plans and conducts special projects as directed; performs opening and closing routines; checks doors at closing, ensuring that library is ready for next day; supervises tidying of library by customer service assistants; and ensures building alarm system is properly set at close.
• Administers, monitors, and maintains assigned budgets including book, audio, video, periodicals, and programming budgets; and prepares and processes requisitions or purchases for items utilized in programs.
• Performs miscellaneous duties such as typing; computer troubleshooting; creating displays to encourage traffic flow and visibility of materials; keeps abreast of community milieu and the changing literacy needs reflected in the service area and develops and customizes programming as appropriate; laminates shelf-reading, records audio selections of public domain materials; oversees supply inventory; processes gifts; maintains bulletin boards; may open and distribute departmental mail; and substitutes as a reference librarian at other library locations as needed.
• Provides support to the assigned Library – coordinator or manager on matters as directed; participates on a variety of committees as assigned; prepares and presents reports and other necessary correspondence; attends and participates in professional group meetings; maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment; ensures processes, policies and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensures accountability and compliance with all current and applicable state and federal laws, Library policies and procedures, rules and regulations.
• Ensures an environment of customer-responsive services, providing customer-responsive service and handling customer service issues.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited institution and four years of professional library experience in area of assignment, including one year of supervisory/lead responsibility over staff and/or programs.

Required Licenses or Certifications:

Must possess a valid State of Michigan Driver's License.

Certifications Preferred:

Level 1 Librarian Certification by the State of Michigan.

Supplemental Information

Required Knowledge of:

• Advanced principles and practices of library science.
• Principles and techniques of library materials selection and cataloging.
• Dewey Decimal system, the alphabetical systems of shelving, and computer searching techniques.
• Books, publishing, the book trade, and book review media.
• Reference tools and services.
• Automated library information retrieval system.
• Reference and circulation processes and procedures.
• Understanding of different classification schemes for library materials.
• Significant authors, associations and publishers of books and reference sources in the assigned field.
• Project/program planning and management principles and practices.
• Public and community relations principles and practices.
• Other pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
• Public library operations, services, and policies.
• Customer service standards and procedures.
• Supervisory principles, practices, and methods.

Required Skill in:

• Interacting with people of different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Analyzing, evaluating, and appropriately selecting popular level library materials.
• Researching and finding answers to complex reference questions.
• Managing and administering the coordination of the development and maintenance of library collections.
• Selecting materials and collections of contemporary significance and of permanent value.
• Command of all reference tools used.
• Library research techniques, including the use of technology.
• Database records management.
• Problem solving and decision-making.
• Program design and development.
• Presenting ideas and concepts orally and in writing.
• Working cooperatively with internal and external customers in a professional, friendly and cooperative manner.
• Responding to inquiries in effective oral and written communications.
• Utilizing personal computer software programs affecting assigned work and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets and reports.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with Library and department staff, board members,