Job Description
Provides leadership, innovation, knowledge, skills, and service for Colorado’s teacher-librarians/library staffs, K-12 stakeholders and other librarians in such areas as providing backwards-designed learning opportunities, modeling reflective practice, following up in a timely manner on consultation services, and more. Serves as a guide for the K-12 librarian community and others within and outside of CDE. Collaborates and partners with K-12 stakeholders, State Library colleagues, CDE, and others. Makes decisions for K-12 Librarian guidance based on needs assessments from K-12 librarian/library staff stakeholders. Supervises part-time Highly Effective Schools Through Libraries (HESTL) Coordinator. Works independently on a diverse scope of existing and new initiatives. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. Receives little guidance on day-to-day work. Adheres to CDE and CSL policy and practice.
Additional Info & Requirements
Key Responsibilities
50% Strategic Leadership
• Works with numerous State Library partners, CDE, and other educational organizations and partners to help develop high-quality librarians, library staffs, and library services so that PK-12th grade learners engage in meaningful learning experiences that help them thrive in school and beyond.
• Provides leadership, learning opportunities, guidance, partnerships, and timely consultation services with teacher-librarians, paraprofessional library staff, administrators, and other educators.
• Develops and provides learning opportunities for and with teacher-librarians/staff, administrators, teachers, and others on a variety of topics such as: teacher leadership, instructional promising practice, digital and media literacy, empowering and involving younger learners in making decisions around their learning, CO Essential Skills, and other library and/or educational-related topics.
• Promotes and/or develops guidelines and standards that inform teacher-librarians and library paraprofessionals to use with their respective administrators and CDE to improve school library programs and services at local, regional, and statewide levels.
• Supervises and works with the Highly Effective Schools Through Libraries coordinator to guide and promote promising practices and programs so as to ensure excellence and sustainable outcomes for teacher-librarians, library paraprofessionals, school staffs, and PK-12th grade learners that are served by the teacher-librarian.
• Establishes strategic partnerships, innovative statewide initiatives and projects that improve the capacity of Colorado’s K-12 library community to meet community needs, aspirations, and encourage family engagement.
• Facilitates collaboration among Colorado libraries and staff to intentionally strengthen K-12 librarian sustainability, diversity, and innovation.
25% Professional Engagement
• Coordinates and participates in continuing education and/or lifelong learning opportunities for school library staffs, teachers, administrators, and other librarians that promote the value and role of the teacher-librarian and school library program in helping adult and younger learners thrive in school and beyond.
• Engage in and promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as aligned with CDE s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion core values as stated below.
• Keeps well informed on library trends and issues through informal self-directed learning, and/or formal continuing education.
25% Teamwork/Needs Assessment
• Participates as a library development team member to establish and accomplish units and unit goals and objectives.
• Attends seminars, conferences, job-related training, and other staff development programs, and, depending on needs of the field, may serves on committees and task forces; shares new knowledge with library development team through emails, meetings, and in-house training opportunities.
• Demonstrates and interprets a thorough knowledge of librarians and library in consulting work and communications and/or at conferences.
• Conducts needs assessments of the K-12 community, and based on that, provides strategies, trainings, tools and/or resources that will improve service to Colorado communities of interest following established fiscal and departmental procedures; promotes and delivers training and evaluates impact.
• Evaluates programs and services regularly; streamlines processes and procedures for greater efficiency and effectiveness; identifies unmet needs.
• Other Duties as Assigned.
Competency & Qualifications
Knowledge of:
• issues, practices, policies, standards, and trends related to Library Science and Information Resource services and programs provided to library users, including access to library data, collections, and information (electronic and physical), reference and research services, and digital services
• the use of current library systems, technologies and tools used to organize, manage, and provide access to print and digital information
Skills in:
• project planning, management, and evaluation
• written and oral communication
• meeting management and presentation
• the use of Microsoft Office applications, with proficiency in Word, Excel, and Outlook
Ability to:
• plan, develop, and implement statewide projects and programs for various library communities of interest
• write grants, if needed.
• develop and maintain professional working relationships in complex and/or difficult situations to achieve work goals
• serve as a guide or partner in working with internal and external organizations; plan and develop long-term, strategic partnerships
• establish and maintain effective collaborations and relationships with other librarians in the state
• serve as a role model and coach others in building strong working relationships
• establish and maintain effective verbal and written communications with administration, management, peers, staff, and library customers
• communicate information about major and/or complex situations to internal and external audiences; serve as a technical resource in
• developing responses to external audiences
• apply full knowledge of the Federal Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) Grant Program and compile mandated LSTA annual report.
License and/or Certification Requirements
CO Teaching License
5 or more years as a teacher-librarian AND an MLIS/MLS or teacher-librarian endorsement.