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Principal Librarian

City of Carlsbad
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Principal Librarian: The City is seeking an experienced professional with expertise in administering, coordinating, and supervising the programs and activities of a community library. The ideal candidate will not only have experience in designing, managing, and delivering high quality, comprehensive library services, but will also possess the skills and abilities necessary to serve and understand the needs of a diverse community of users. Candidates also need the skills to lead a diverse team while supporting the mission and vision of the library and the city.

This recruitment will fill the Principal Librarian position at the Carlsbad City Library Learning Center but may be used for future opportunities. 

Scheduling may require availability during any library operating hours, including days, evenings, weekends, and occasionally when the library is closed. Although a weekly schedule is established, the needs of the library may require scheduling changes and flexibility.

The Library: The Library & Cultural Arts Department provides educational, informational, and cultural services for all community residents, and contributes to a high quality of life by supporting lifelong learning, the pursuit of knowledge, and an environment conducive to a community gathering. The Library & Cultural Arts Department operates three public facilities that include the Carlsbad City Library, the Georgina Cole Library, and the Library Learning Center, along with presenting public art throughout the community. The Carlsbad City Library is also home to the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, George and Patricia Gowland Meeting Room, and the Cannon Art Gallery which supports a variety of visual and performing arts programs, arts education, and cultural arts services.
 
Our Organization: Carlsbad’s mission is to enhance the lives of all who live, work, and play in our city by setting the standard for providing top quality, efficient local government services. Our organization values character, innovation, stewardship, excellence, empowerment, and communication. As a full-service city, Carlsbad has its own police and fire departments, a water district, parks, recreation, library, and cultural art departments, as well as administrative and public works functions. As a member of Team Carlsbad, you will find that Carlsbad is a great place to make a living and a life. 

The City: The City of Carlsbad, known as “The Village by the Sea,” is a charming seaside community located in North San Diego County that offers its nearly 113,000 residents a great place to live, with over 50 miles of hiking trails, a wide variety of housing options, world-class library services, and excellent schools. Carlsbad’s comprehensive economy and positive quality of life creates an atmosphere of opportunity and prosperity for its residents.

The Community: Carlsbad has a small-town feel with beach community character and connectedness which was built on the city’s culture of civic engagement, volunteerism, and philanthropy. Carlsbad is able to draw top organizations from throughout the country because of the City’s diverse economy centered around action sports, manufacturing, life sciences, information and communication technology, cleantech, and hospitality and tourism.

Job Description: 
Key Responsibilities
  • Plan, organize, and supervise the technical library operation and services as assigned
  • Develop policies, rules, and procedures for the effective operation of the divisions and department including establishing goals and objectives and priorities
  • Develop and administer division budget and contracts; evaluate and recommend staffing needs, equipment, materials, and supplies
  • Assign work to subordinate personnel, providing instructions and answering questions; coordinate the scheduling and completion of work by determining operational priorities and resolving workload problems; review work for accuracy and completeness; evaluate work techniques and methods for conformance to established standards
  • Oversee the management of the library facility, including the supervision of staff who provide a full range of services to the public
  • Participate in and advise staff on the acquisition and processing of library collection materials
  • Respond to citizen requests for information and represent the library in the community and at professional meetings as required
  • Provide a variety of staff assistance to the library administrative team, Library Board of Trustees, Friends of the Library, and others, such as the preparation of written reports and oral presentations, complex analysis regarding library service and personnel policies, and similar work
  • Coordinate library-related activities with other city departments and divisions and with outside agencies
  • Coordinate departmental training and development
  • Plan, monitor, and report on grants and other funding sources
  • Perform other related duties as assigned
Additional Responsibilities: 
  • May lead and support a variety of department initiatives and programs
  • Work with cross-disciplinary teams 
  • Foster awareness and use of bilingual, literacy and learning services to diverse audiences
  • Develop, implement and evaluate partnership opportunities and collaborations that may complement and enhance access to programs and services
  • Ability to work effectively with nonprofit and community organizations, volunteers, city departments and government agencies is essential
  • Coordinate with the department's Community Relations Manager to promote programs and services 
  • Collect and evaluate community participation, attendance and satisfaction and overall results of specific tools such as surveys, measures and goals
Qualifications
To perform a job in this classification, an individual must be able to perform the essential duties as generally described in the specification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties in a specific job. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.
 
Knowledge of:
  • Principles and practices of organization, administration, budgeting and personnel management
  • Principles and practices of library operations, procedures and resources
  • Principles and practices of planning and directing professional library work
  • Knowledge of library automation and new technologies as applied to public libraries
  • Strategic management techniques and methodology
  • Research methods and techniques and methods of report presentation
Ability to:
  • Organize and supervise the development and operation of library services.
  • Administer and implement Library programs.
  • Communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing
  • Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
  • Select, supervise, train, develop, and evaluate assigned staff.
  • Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
  • Exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs
  • Work well under pressure to meet deadlines
Physical/Mental Requirements: 

While performing the duties of this class, an employee is regularly required to:
  • Walk 
  • Stand 
  • Sit
  • Talk or hear, in person and by telephone
  • Use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment
  • Reach with hands and arms
  • Use written and oral communication skills
  • Read and interpret financial and statistical data, information and documents
  • Analyze and solve problems
  • Use math and apply mathematical reasoning and abstract statistical concepts
  • Observe and interpret people and situations
  • Learn and apply new information or skills
  • Perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks
  • Work under intensive deadlines
  • Interact with staff, Council members and others encountered in the course of work
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus to read and operate office equipment as necessary during the course of the work assignments
  • The employee works under typical office conditions and the noise level is usually relatively quiet
  • Employees may be required to travel to work sites or other sites for meetings and events
Experience & Education
Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:

  • Equivalent to a Masters degree from an accredited college or university in Library Science or closely related course of study
  • Masters of Library and Information Science degree from an American Library Association accredited program, highly desirable.
  • At least three years of increasingly responsible professional library experience including supervisory experience