Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY: Seeking a collaborative, passionate and creative professional to join the Children’s Services Department and Educational Resource Center (ERC) at the East Library. This is an exciting opportunity to help further develop homeschool services both using the ERC and through Children’s Services districtwide. This position operates in a diverse environment to help fulfill PPLD’s mission by providing children’s programming, children’s reference, readers’ advisory services with a focus on homeschool services. This position uses comprehensive knowledge of library science, the PPLD children’s collection, electronic databases, current technologies, and community resources.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provides expertise regarding children’s developmental stages, interests, community needs and children’s literature
- Will coordinate and implement initiatives for ERC services both for homeschool and traditionally schooled students and families.
- Will lead the Homeschool Services Committee, planning and implementing homeschool programming for families with children, preschool through high school.
- Works on the public service desks both in the East Children’s department and ERC, providing reference service to walk-ins, over the phone, and via electronic delivery, references services includes reference and reader’s advisory services with age-appropriate materials and online searches for children, caregivers and educators.
- Creates, promotes, and presents children’s programming (focuses on developmental needs, interests, and promoting children’s literacy to parents and other adults and caregivers)
- Promotes library services and materials through age-appropriate tours, publicity, displays and merchandising; collaborates with schools and provides outreach
- Develops reading lists, booktalks or other creative means to make the children’s collection more accessible
- Collaborates with school districts, community groups, homeschooling groups/families and provides outreach to communicate services and programs
- May coordinate a major function in the preparation of Summer Reading Program (such as web page development, prize management, or sponsor liaison).
- Suggests Children’s collection materials based on PPLD’s collection guidelines and policies, examines Children’s collection for replacement and/or removal of materials
- May manage Children’s collection materials (i.e., homeschool collection, ERC materials and children’s materials)
- May organize and conduct projects related to departmental goals and needs.
- Performs other job-related duties and projects as assigned
Additional Info & Requirements
POSITION HOURS: 40 hours per week per the following schedule:
Monday- Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Every third Saturday (in the ERC) 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Every sixth Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Prefer a candidate with a minimum of one year of professional experience working with children in a library setting. Prefer a candidate with experience with a homeschool community and public school environment.
- Knowledge of children’s development stages, interests, community needs, and children’s literature; and the ability to promote library resources and programs for children
- Excellent communication skills, demonstrates a “whatever-it-takes” work ethic, and models an excellent customer service attitude.
- Bilingual ability is a plus in serving our diverse community
The Community
Colorado Springs, located at the foot of Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, is a diverse community with excellent opportunities for education, culture, outdoor activities and offers great weather averaging 245 days of sunshine annually. It is the mission of the Pikes Peak Library District to seek, engage, and transform through library services and resources that enrich individual lives and build community.
HR Info
PPLD Human Resource @ 719-884-9800 x6994
Requires an essay response. In order to be considered as a qualified applicant for this position, you must write and submit a typed and double-spaced essay (250-300 words each), in response to the following topic:
What experience have you had with a homeschooling environment, if any? Was it positive or negative, and how do you think traditional schooling compares with a homeschooling experience?
Applications that are submitted without the above requested essay will not be considered for this position. Include the essay with your other PPLD job application materials.