Supervising Librarian

Invitation to Compete #13-26:
Supervising Librarian

Readers Advisory Services (RAS)

Central Library, 1000 4th Ave, Seattle

Regular, FLSA-exempt, full time, 80 hours per pay period

Salary range: $ –  annually

The hours for this position may include weekdays, weekends and evenings, including working every other weekend and one night per week. The schedule for this position is subject to change based on the Library’s current operational need. This classification is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME.

This position is open to the public and to The Seattle Public Library’s employees. Please read the How to Apply section of this bulletin for more information. Candidates are asked to submit their application materials in NEOGOV by 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 2026.

The Seattle Public Library’s mission is to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. We view Seattle as a city where imagination and opportunity continue to thrive. Since 1891, we have grown from a single reading room in Pioneer Square to a world‑class library system with 27 locations.

The Library works every day to foster and support a healthy city and a healthy democracy. We do this work guided by the principles of intellectual freedom, literacy and the love of learning, racial equity, privacy and confidentiality, respect for the community, strong partnerships and innovation. We are an active and committed partner in the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Library employees are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge, quality of service and caring. As a workplace, we value respectful and transparent communication, partnership and engagement. We are enriched individually and organizationally because of our diversity and growth mindset. We take time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of others.

If you share these values and meet the qualifications, the Library invites you to apply for this Supervising Librarian position.

The Central Library serves a broad patron base including adults, children and teens, immigrants, students, researchers, readers, people experiencing homelessness, and others seeking information resources, enrichment opportunities, programs, collection support, and technology access.

Central Library Information Services includes the following public service units:
Children and Teen Services, Readers Advisory Services, Business Science, and Technology, Humanities, and the Quick Information Center.

The Supervising Librarian position supervises the Readers Advisory Services (RAS) team of librarians and library associates and is responsible for managing operations, performing higher‑level administrative duties, and providing direct services at Central Library information desks.

This is an entry‑level library management position that reports to the Information Services Manager, works collaboratively with the Information Services management team to support daily operations, and may supervise other staff as assigned, based on public service needs.

Readers Advisory Services (RAS) operates on Level 3, one of the Library’s primary public entry floors. This high‑traffic area includes the Living Room seating area and co‑located services such as Teen Services, Circulation, the Friend Shop, and a public coffee cart. The Supervising Librarian provides real‑time operational leadership within this dynamic service environment.

Successful candidates for this position will have demonstrated mastery of the essential functions of a public services Librarian. These include proficiency in providing professional library services including readers’ advisory for adult patrons; assuming a leadership role when required including taking charge of the public services environment to effectively respond to service, safety, and operational issues; and contributing to and participating in the Library’s learning and strategic service delivery environment.

The Seattle Public Library is firmly committed to Intellectual Freedom and the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI). To this end, all librarians are expected to understand and support Intellectual Freedom…