Department Head (Reference Services or Adult Circulation Services)

The Fall River Public Library has two (2) openings for department heads: one in Reference Services, and one in Adult Circulation Services. Both positions manage busy library departments and provide direct public service. 

Both positions involve providing timely and efficient service to the people of the City for a variety of professional library functions, including functions which are highly technical in nature and which require the highest degree of technical expertise and which involve considerable interaction with other library professionals external to the City library system; to be responsible for conformance to city and state codes and professional standards of all work performed under his/her direction and to conform to policies and directives promulgated by the Administrator of Library Services; to coordinate the work for which s/he is responsible with the work of coworkers; work is subject to periodic review by the Library Director; this work is performed with a high degree of professional independence in judgment and decision-making and under the general administrative direction of the Administrator; performs related work as assigned by the Administrator of Public Library Services.

Responsibilities may very between departments, but generally include the following: 

• Manages staff driven collection development within their respective department and recommends relevant material acquisitions monthly to the Administrator. • Regularly attends off-site and/or remote professional meetings and training as required and approved by the Administrator; conveys gained knowledge to supervised staff and the general public. • Trains staff within their department regarding policies both local and within our network. • Provides recorded monthly departmental achievements and statistical reports; • Supervises other professional staff; provides feedback to Administrator regarding department staff’s individual strengths, need for training, and in team working dynamics. • Recommends and carries out departmental objectives, library service goals and programming; collaborates with other city departments as required. • Promotes library services though community outreach and programming, and through building seasonal library displays. • Catalogs all departmental materials in a timely efficient manner appropriate to public service needs; maintains strict adherence to established cataloging standards, at both the network and local library levels; trains departmental staff in said standards. • Maintains a current and thorough knowledge of the library field with specific emphasis on special areas such as automation, e-devices, database searching, reference materials and service and catalogs on-line, cataloging and classification, etc.; • Oversees the technology used within their own department by both staff and the public; performs necessary updates to software and library technology as required. • Oversees short and long term projects related to their respective departmental functions as required and directed by the Administrator. • Ability to cover in different departments and/or branches as needed • Performs all opening/closing procedures, and maintains the ability to respond to emergency situations according to library and city policies. • Performs other professional/technical functions either independently or in assisting the Administrator as assigned; • Performs related tasks as assigned

Qualifications

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers and supervisors and the general public; ability to work cooperatively and harmoniously with other city employees; a positive “can-do” attitude; willingness to work overtime hours as required; ability to observe and enforce necessary safety precautions, in a manner which assumes responsibility for the safety and well-being of employees under his/her supervision; ability to motivate subordinates into a unified effort; highly skilled in technical automated operations pertaining to library work; must be able to train individuals regarding automated library systems and general library functions; must be familiar with general library operations and material; willingness to maintain state-of-the-art technical skills. This position is a highly technical professional position requiring an in-depth technical knowledge of a specific area of the library profession as well as a thorough familiarity with current trends in the library field. Requires a high degree of interaction with other professionals, libraries and the general public; therefore a set of mature, well-developed interpersonal skills is required.

Physical Requirements: • Ability to move and/or lift materials up to 25 pounds • Ability to push a loaded book truck weighing up to 200 pounds • Regularly required to stand, walk, bend, kneel, reach, climb, balance, and sit • Regularly required to talk and/or hear; use hands to operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms • Vision and hearing at or correctable to "normal ranges"

A master’s degree in Library Science from an accredited college or university is required. Must also have three years’ experience in library setting, preferably with one year in a supervisory capacity. The Administrator of Public Library Service when recommending employment to the appointing authority reserve the right to consider other qualifications and abilities of applicants for this position and to waive any requirements as long as such waiver is in the best interest of the City of Fall River.

Full/Part Time

Full Time

Education

MLS/Masters

Salary Range$1,800.82 - $1,988.10  / bi-weekly

Salary Notes

Union position (AFSCME 11AL)

Closing Date

Position will remain open until filled.

How to Apply

Please submit your letter of interest and resume to Nick Macolini, Human Resources Director, One Government Center Fall River, MA 02722 or e-mail to [email protected].