LibraryJobline

Job Description

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
"From date of hire until December 31, 2023, this position is funded by grants. This position will transition to permanent funding in January 2024." 

This position is Full-time and is Hybrid (Remote/Home Office w/requirement to report to Work location per business needs).
Office hours are typically Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm

• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs
• Travel required within Denver Metro/Downtown for Meetings/Training
• 15 - 20% Travel Within the State of Colorado (outside the Denver Metro area)
  
  • Heavy travel months may require up to 25% travel.
• A Remote (Home) office is required
• Required to report to the work location per business needs
• Essential Functions (ADAAA)
  • MEDIUM/Office-Work Site Environment:
    • Required to sit, view a computer screen, and utilize a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time
    • Required to exert up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs. of force frequently, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force constantly to move objects.
    • Required lifting, bending, stooping, pushing, walking, squatting, climbing, etc.
    • May Require exposure to inclement weather, extreme temperatures, high elevations, noise, etc.
  • DL Not Required: Required to independently obtain and determine means to complete travel requirements.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Early Literacy Consultant promotes early literacy and advances early childhood library services by providing support, expertise, and leadership for public library staff who serve Colorado children ages birth through eight years of age, their families and their caregivers. The consultant delivers this support via individual consultations, professional development training, correspondence, site visits, and resource development as well as coordinating the State Library’s Growing Readers Together initiative. In addition, they work to help public and private partners better understand and support the role of public libraries in early childhood.

This position is situated within the Youth and Family Services team of the Library Development office at the Colorado State Library, Colorado Department of Education.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Active Engagement with Stakeholders (30%)

• Consult for and coach Colorado public library staff as they continue to develop evidence-informed programs, services, outreach, collections, and spaces for young children ages 0-8 and their families, as well as formal and informal/license-exempt early childhood caregivers.
• Support library staff in developing and providing equitable, inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible library programs, services, outreach, collections, and spaces for Colorado’s diverse communities.
• Facilitate collaboration among Colorado children’s services staff to intentionally strengthen early literacy programs, improve service sustainability and encourage innovation.
• Provide direct support to library staff in need by responding to communications promptly. Listen reflectively and offer resources in an assets-focused manner during site visits, training, and all other communication.
• Engage in field work to build supportive relationships with and learn from Colorado children’s services staff, to assess the early literacy support needs of the state’s diverse sub/urban, rural, and mountain communities, and to observe children’s services library environments.
• Coach and guide Colorado public library staff to integrate programs, outreach, and services for informal/license-exempt early childhood caregivers and the young children in their care into their early literacy work.
• Maintain a community of practice among library staff participating in the Growing Readers Together initiative through the use of online training, meetings, and other technology to develop social and professional exchanges of ideas and promising practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Professional Development of Self and Others (20%)

• Keep well informed on librarianship, early literacy/learning, early childhood development, adult learning theory, learning technology, equity practices, and presentation/facilitation skills, trends, and issues through informal self-directed learning, formal continuing education opportunities, and attendance at regional, state, and national meetings and conferences.
• Reflect on and self-evaluate goals and objectives to continuously learn, improve, and refine professional practice.
• Develop, coordinate, facilitate, and evaluate professional development activities for Colorado children’s services staff through multimodal strategies and a variety of delivery methods (i.e., in-person, virtual, synchronous, and/or asynchronous) to grow their knowledge and understanding of topics such as early childhood/early literacy development, out-of-school learning, library service to young children, inclusive, equitable, and accessible programs, collections, and services for young children, families and early childhood caregivers and to develop the capacity of children’s services staff to build on successful practices.
• Integrate accessibility and language justice practices into all professional development activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Strategic Planning and Leadership (20%)

• Collaborate on strategic planning, assessment, evaluation, and feedback for the Youth & Family Services team’s early literacy priorities and activities.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships that improve the capacity of Colorado libraries to meet their diverse community’s early literacy goals in equitable, culturally responsive, and accessible ways.
• Promote early childhood initiatives in Colorado public libraries that support early brain development and early literacy skill-building, to include working with Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy, Colorado Association of Libraries Children’s and Teen Services Interest Group, and REFORMA Colorado as well as other non-library early childhood organizations.
• Serve on committees and task forces related to early childhood and early literacy, as requested.
• Track and report on activities to demonstrate the scope and impact of the work.
• Other duties as assigned

Effective Resource Management (20%)

• Maintain, evaluate, and refine the Youth & Family Services team’s online early literacy presence and digital resources and ensure accessibility standards are met for all online and digital resources to include CSL’s Early Learning and Literacy in Libraries website.
• In partnership with NRS, develop, maintain, evaluate, and refine early literacy and learning circulating program kits for Colorado libraries.
• Monitor grant opportunities from various local, state and national organizations and foundations, and disseminate information to public library staff.
• Manage all early literacy-related grant deliverables; to include the Growing Readers Together initiative.
• Other duties as assigned.

Collaborative Teamwork (10%)

• Participate as an engaged member of the Youth & Family Services team and Library Development office to support advancing team/office goals, priorities, and objectives.
• Participate in periodic reviews of the Youth & Family Services team’s guiding documents, budget, and reporting; evaluating progress towards goals and objectives, iterating on programs and services, streamlining processes and procedures for greater effectiveness, advancing equity practices, and identifying unmet needs.
• Share with the team/office new learning gained from formal and informal professional development opportunities relevant to each others’ work.
• Partner and collaborate with colleagues in Library Development, CSL, and other CDE units by offering assistance and expertise when needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits & Additional Compensation Info

The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:

• Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
• Employer-paid short-term disability and life insurance
• 160 hours of Paid Medical Family Leave (PMFL)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
• Employer-paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
• Paid professional development opportunities

Additional Info & Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS:
Qualifications for Success in the Position:
EXPERIENCE:

• Four years of children’s library service experience.
• Demonstrated success in training, facilitation, and presentations to adult audiences.
• Practicing leadership in the library profession by serving on committees, presenting at conferences/workshops, and/or participating in interest groups/organizations related to early childhood or children’s services in libraries.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Awareness of issues, practices, policies, standards, and trends related to all aspects of library service for children ages 0-8 and their families and caregivers; to include those from historically underserved communities and those with diverse needs.
• Proficient understanding of early childhood learning and development; to include evidence-informed early literacy skill-building practices and early brain development.
• Basic familiarity with growth mindset, assets-based coaching approaches, design thinking, and community systems building.

SKILLS:

• Creating and facilitating in-person, virtual, and blended training, presentations, and other adult learning opportunities.
• Project planning, management, and evaluation to include demonstrated success with grant projects.
• Proficiency in MS Office; to include Teams, Project, Outlook, Powerpoint, Word, and Excel.
• Proficiency in Google Suite; to include Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms.
• Proficiency with a variety of video call and conferencing platforms.

ABILITIES:

• Work both independently and collaboratively in a remote/hybrid environment.
• Provide effective, encouraging, and timely consultation services to library staff.
• Design and facilitate professional learning opportunities for children’s services library staff.
• Create and deliver conference or meeting presentations for a variety of audiences interested in learning about early literacy library services and initiatives.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and partners, serving as a role model by building strong communities of practice and collaborative systems.
• Plan, develop, and implement culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible statewide early literacy projects and programs for diverse library communities
• Assist with writing grant applications and managing elements of grant-funded projects.
• Prepare complex reports and advise others for report preparation and presentation.
• Travel regularly to local, regional, state and/or national events, training, and/or site visits.

Conditions of Employment (Required):

• Must be willing and able to submit to the pre-screening process and pass a background check.
• Work extended schedule per business needs.
• Report to work location per business needs.
• Willing to travel to complete the duties of the position.
• DL Not Required: Required to independently determine and obtain means to complete travel requirements (15-25% depending on time of year).

Supplemental Information

Complete Applications must include:
Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.

• Cover Letter: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages)
• Resume: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages)
• Transcript: Required if using education to meet MQs - Attached to the online application and meeting requirements as described under "College Transcripts".

College Transcripts: If you are using education to qualify, a legible copy of your official or unofficial college transcript(s) or a foreign credential evaluation report must be submitted with your application. Transcripts must show the name of the school and that a degree was conferred. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside of the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. Failure to provide a transcript or foreign credential evaluation report may result in your application being rejected and you will not be able to continue in the selection process for this position.

**Failure to submit a complete application as defined above by the announcement close will result in your application being removed from consideration.**

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, a medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Colorado Department of Education is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to hr@cde.state.co.us.