Children's Librarian

The Children’s Librarian is a professional position that plans, organizes, coordinates, and manages all library services, programs, and collections associated with the Providence Athenæum’s Children’s Library. This is a front-facing position that manages the daily operations of the Children's Library with an emphasis on fostering a welcoming space for members and visitors. Main duties include providing patron assistance, readers’ advisory, programming, and collection development.

The Children’s Library primarily serves families with children under 12 years of age.

A member of the Library Operations team, the Children’s Librarian works collaboratively with other staff and reports to the Director of Collection & Library Services.

• Assists members and visitors with an emphasis on excellent customer service.
• Contributes to user policies and strategic goals for the children’s department.
• Maintains department statistics and submits annual report for the children’s department.
• Writes a monthly e-newsletter (Owlet).
• Leads school tours for elementary and middle school children.
• Oversees volunteers and high school student community service projects (when needed).
• Member of Library Operations team.

• Evaluates and selects purchases for the children’s and YA collections.
• Maintains the shelves and creates book displays.
• Weeds and discards children’s material based on relevance, condition, knowledge of the collection, and trends in children’s literature.
• Evaluates damaged children’s books for replacement or weeding and may perform minor repairs (e.g. torn pages).
• Monitors annual materials budget for acquisitions.
• Reviews gifts/donations of children’s materials.
• Coordinates projects with other staff as needed.

• Develops, implements, and oversees all children’s programs.
• Regularly presents “in-house” programs such as nursery songs and rhymes, fingerplays, storytelling, reading aloud, and craft activities etc.
• Selects, schedules, and coordinates with local presenters and community partners to enrich program offerings.
• Provides descriptions and images to promote children’s events.
• Maintains supplies for children’s programs and services.
• Contributes children’s activities/components to building-wide events.

• Provides support to and coverage of the main Circulation Desk and Visitor Center and has knowledge of library functions associated with these services (e.g. answering and transferring calls, processing memberships, and locating materials etc.).
• Assumes supervisory role to maintain the smooth daily operations of the library in the absence of other staff, or when requested.
• Attends appropriate adult programs and donor events as required.
• Works regular evening and weekend hours.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Compensation: dependent on experience

Start date : early December 2026

• Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited library school.
• Deep knowledge of children’s and young adult literature and materials.
• Experience creating, managing, and presenting children’s programs.
• Knowledge of library trends in children’s literature and programming.
• Experience with ILS circulation systems (Sierra preferred).
• Basic computer literacy, including Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to perform work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and pleasant working relationships with library members, visitors, and staff.
• Ability to stand, sit, lift, stoop, walk, climb stairs, and move library materials.
• Punctuality.

Sept. – May

Wednesday, 11 am – 7 pm

June-August

The Providence Athenæum is an independent, member-supported library located on Providence’s historic Benefit Street.

Over its nearly 200 years of existence, the library has welcomed illustrious writers, spirited thinkers, and engaged community members through its doors to read, learn, gather, and debate. Our mission is to enrich the mind, inspire the spirit, and elevate the public discourse.

The Athenæum was founded in 1836, and predates the establishment of public libraries. All are invited to join as members, visit the building, explore our history, engage with the collections, participate in programs, and be part of the Athenæum’s ongoing story!