Library Field Ranger at Metropolitan Library Council

The Library Field is a project of the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO). METRO’s mission is to create a sustainable culture of creativity, collaboration, and open exchange for libraries, archives, museums, and cultural institutions in the Metropolitan New York region and around the world.

The Library Field is an open-air laboratory where library and archives workers can reestablish their connection to nature, reflect on the work they do, and consider why they do it. METRO’s network of hundreds of libraries and archives across the New York region are invited to use this as a place to host their own outdoor programs, attend METRO’s programs, and to visit and enjoy this restorative environment.

The Field itself is a secluded 26-acre location just 40 minutes north of Manhattan in New Castle, New York. The location features two woodland ponds, historic ruins, beautiful hiking trails, and relatively healthy ecosystem. It is directly adjacent to another 82-acre nature preserve.

METRO is currently working with the town and the county to obtain the permits necessary to build a small garage and experimental library facility on the property. Our goal is to do this with minimal environmental impact while preserving the peaceful and contemplative nature of the location. The grounds will be opened for public access from dawn to dusk. Now, prior to building any facilities, the Library Field is open for ongoing participatory and co-design exercises, program prototyping, and experiments of all kinds that will help to inform the future of our work in this unique setting.

We anticipate this interactive, process-focused phase will go on for years, and it will be critical to informing any further development or interventions at the site.

To support and coordinate this work, METRO is seeking a hybrid librarian / park ranger — a new role that we invite you to grow and graft with us at METRO’s Library Field! The Library Field Ranger’s greatest responsibility will be the supervision and oversight of all on-site activities at the Library Field. Some of our expectations of the Library Field Ranger fall into the following categories:

Outreach, Vision, and Foundational Knowledge

• You are a leader, connector, and steward who will bring your own vision and ability to network the Library Field and METRO membership with other related initiatives across Westchester County and in the greater New York Metropolitan area.
• You have experience working with, for, or in partnership with libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions (the LAM world).
• You have any experience working with some combination of the following: environmental organizations, capital projects, fundraising, or media production.
• In addition to experience in the LAM world, you must show passion and curiosity for how library work connects to other disciplines and fields of practice, including ecology, environmental studies, and/or the natural sciences; as well as the arts and design.
• You may bring your own research and/or artistic and technical practice, and expand upon it or adjust it to develop programs and projects that benefit other METRO program areas and METRO member institutions.
• You are excited about an opportunity to join us early in our journey, and to help align METRO’s vision for the project with your own. You understand that the Library Field is a long-term project, and we are just laying the groundwork.

Operations

• You will be responsible for supervision and oversight of all on-site activities at the Library Field.
• Supervision of programs and events organized by METRO and METRO member institutions.
• Management of relationships, projects, and site visits from contractors and other partners related to site development, permitting, design and construction: designers, engineers, municipal authorities, etc.
• Site maintenance. This is a physical job, and applicants should be prepared to safely operate equipment, use hand tools, set up and break down tents, picnic tables, chairs, and more.
• You are a local resident or intend to become a local resident, and you are able to travel across our entire service region — which encompasses…