Job Description
Join the Boulder Public Library District (BPLD) team and make a meaningful impact on our diverse community. As a Community Resources Connector, you'll play a crucial role in supporting individuals facing homelessness, mental health concerns, and limited resources. Collaborating closely with library users, you’ll assist others in accessing community services or programs that support housing options, health, and various social services and serve as a liaison to unhoused patrons to provide information about community programs and assistance they need. The scope of this role is not tied to a single library facility and you will work in collaboration with your colleagues to connect underserved patrons to resources and help bridge the gap between their needs and available resources.
Job Title: Community Resources Connector
Department: Public Services
Hours per Week: 30
FLSA Classification: Non-exempt
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Job Summary: The Community Resource Connector provides information resources to patrons dealing with mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, or exclusion issues and connects them to library and community resources and services. The Connector maintains professional connections with community agencies that provide various services to underserved community members.
Essential Functions:
· Works with patrons dealing with housing insecurity and complex life issues to assess their needs and provide them with information and referrals to services including job search assistance, mental health assistance, and/ or housing assistance. This is done through various settings which may include one-on-one appointments, drop-in times, and roving services. (35%)
· Coordinates with security officers who address at-risk patrons exhibiting adverse behavior to offer resources and services to those individuals. (20%)
· Connects, builds and maintains a professional network of city/county agencies, neighborhood groups, social services agencies, volunteer organizations that provide resources, services and support to vulnerable or at-risk individuals. (20%)
· Collaborates with and supports their colleagues to address situations with patrons that might benefit from community resources and services and to debrief after incidents. (15%)
· Provides and/or arranges training for colleagues on topics that enhance their understanding of issues related to working with patrons experiencing homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse or to focus on safely working with at-risk populations. (10%)
Additional Responsibilities:
· Guides colleagues regarding their training for effectively serving at-risk community members, with responding to mental health emergencies, and to apply a trauma-informed approach to their work. Provides resources to colleagues to pursue their own self-care.
· Reviews current model of incident reporting and makes suggestions for efficiencies and improvements.
· Serves as a resource to the public, responding to inquiries and providing information on the various types of services, programs, and projects available for the community.
· Regularly makes independent decisions in complex situations regarding how to apply library programs and services and how to enforce library rules of conduct.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications:
· Education and experience: Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and work experience. Prior experience working independently with an increase in responsibilities. Experience working with at-risk populations, explicitly individuals experiencing homelessness
· Skills: Proven interpersonal and leadership skills. Skilled with assessment and employing de-escalation tactics. Proficient in the use of computer software, including MS Office, email, security camera and patron incident tracking systems.
Preferred Qualifications:
· Completed training on trauma-informed care, de-escalation techniques, and mental health first-aid.
· Spanish language skills and/or experience working with patrons from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.?
Working Conditions:
Frequent hand/eye coordination to operate personal computer, office equipment. Ability to lift 40 lbs. Have and maintain acceptable background information, including criminal conviction history. Vision for reading, recording and interpreting information from printed materials and computer screens. Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities that permits the employee to communicate effectively on the telephone and in person. Ability to work under stress from demanding deadlines, public contact, and changing priorities and conditions. Works primarily in clean, comfortable environment that can be occasionally noisy. Works in a setting subject to continuous interruptions and background noises.
Benefits & Additional Compensation Info
Benefits:
Health and Wellness Benefits
· Group medical, dental and vision benefits to employees who work 20 hours or more per week
· Lifestyle Spending Account for all benefit-eligible employees
· Employer paid basic life and long-term disability insurance
· Employer paid employee assistance program for employees and their household members
· Health Savings or Flexible Spending Accounts for all benefit-eligible employees
· Voluntary , employee paid, group accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity plans for all benefit-eligible employees
· Employees who work 20 hours or more per week are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee for adoption or foster care
· Infant at Work Program
Time-off Benefits
· New employees accrue 4 weeks paid vacation
· 80 hours of paid sick leave per year for employees who work 20 hours or more per week
· 12 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
· Time off for jury duty, bereavement and voting
· Pet adoption leave
· New grandparent leave
Helping Your Future
· Public Employee Retirement Association of Colorado (PERA) Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan
· PERA 401(k) Plan
· Tuition reimbursement program and student debt repayment assistance
· Paid training and professional development
Library Perks
· Easy access to unlimited resources—including books, movies, programs, digital technology and more
The Community
The BPLD is committed to advancing equity in our diverse community by providing accessible programs, print and digital materials, tools and technology, and educational opportunities. Across our five current locations, we are proud to offer resources such as a makerspace, art galleries, outdoor learning areas, a multimedia local history archive, community literacy programs, and a theater. Boulder Public Library strives to be a safe and welcoming place to all staff and patrons, alike. Through outreach, community partnerships, and volunteer-driven programs, we seek to adapt our services to those who may experience barriers to visiting our physical locations.
We circulate more than 1.5 million items annually, but we believe that a library is more than a place to borrow free materials. As a vital civic space, we provide opportunities for our more than 500,000 yearly visitors to study, host meetings, be introduced to new people or experiences, and connect to essential local services.
Our employees are part of a vibrant, uplifting workplace culture that honors the joy and commitment of meaningful public service, while still caring for the needs of the individual. Our work is highly collaborative, adaptive, inquisitive, and is always on-going. We are passionate individuals with diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences and we are dedicated to our mission of connecting people, ideas and information to transform lives and strengthen our community.
Links
External Job Ad
https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/2052368
HR Info
Tim McClelland, Patron Services Manager mcclellandt@boulderlibrary.org