Young Adult Librarian​/Specialist II - Van Cortlandt Library

Department

Branch Libraries

Van Cortlandt Library

$70,393 / year

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 100 years. NYPL’s neighborhood libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island—many of which date to Andrew Carnegie’s visionary philanthropy at the turn of the 20th century—are being transformed into true centers of educational innovation and service, and vital community hubs that provide far more than just free books and materials.

The Library is seeking Young Adult Librarians/Specialist IIs to empower young adults ages 12-18 to become creative thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and resourceful users of information. Successful candidates will embody each of these four characteristics themselves.

• Creates a space, in collaboration with Library staff, that is teen-centered, welcoming, and encourages emotional, social, and intellectual growth, building a sense of teen belonging.
• Provides reference services and resource recommendations using print, media and digital resources
• Collaborates with the Youth Educational Services Department to develop, promote and facilitate innovative programs to build literacy and a love of reading to meet the expressed and anticipated needs of the community’s teens, parents and childcare providers, including programs, visual and performing arts programming, STEM programs, summer reading events, and a variety of other programs both in the Library and throughout the community
• Develop and modify, in collaboration with Library staff, flexible programs that engage and sustain teens in content creation while developing marketable skills.
• Operate and inventory a variety of site-specific equipment including but not limited to desktop and laptop computers (PC and Mac), printers, cameras, music‑making tools, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and microphones.
• Provide teens with regular opportunities to showcase their work digitally and in print.
• Partners with the collection development team to shape and maintain the Young Adult's collection ensuring it is diverse, current, relevant and meets the needs of the community
• Works to engage teens with the collection in ways that allow them to follow their interests and discover new ones
• Conducts outreach to and develops partnerships with community‑based organizations, schools, and community groups that target teens to promote the library’s services (e.g., MyLibraryNYC, the Library’s partnership with NYC schools), collections, specialized programs and resources to enhance the reading skills of children and teens
• Encourages digital literacy and provides age‑appropriate technology instruction to children and teens
• Develops and maintains content for social media platforms such as Library blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest
• Develops and maintains the layout and appearance of the teen’s space ensuring a safe and inviting area filled with relevant resources
• Mentors library staff in preparing and presenting teen’s programs
• Assists with circulation, fines & fees management, reserves and opening/closing procedures
• May take responsibility for the facility, staff and operations in the absence of the Library Manager
• Maintains a working knowledge of trends in young adult literature, youth services and the profession through webinars, meetings, internal training, conferences, professional literature and organizational memberships
• Performs related duties as required

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies, Education, or a related field
• Public Librarian’s Professional Certificate issued by the State of New York will be required (within 45 days upon hire) for any candidate with a Master’s in Library and Information Studies

• Strong commitment to public service and the ability to work well with a diverse patronage
• Experience creating and conducting a variety of innovative programs for Young Adults
• Knowledge and appreciation of Young Adult literature, audiovisual materials, computer resources,…