Youth Services Librarian

The Lantana Public Library was established in 1947 as the Lantana Women's Club Library. After generously supporting the Library for 45+ years, the Town acquired the Library and created a Library Department in 1996. For the first time, a professional library director was running the Lantana Public Library. This Director ran the library for 24 years as the only full-time employee in the Library Department. In 2019, after the original Director stepped away, the new Library administration decided to steer the library towards a more community and youth-oriented library. The Town allocated 1.4 million dollars towards renovating and expanding the library in 2020/2021. When construction was completed in 2023, the Library saw exponential growth - we are talking 600% increases in new cards, checkouts, foot traffic, and program attendance, some which still see growth month after month. It was clear that more than one full-time staff member was needed. Town Manager and Council quickly decided to add another management position, and then a Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator was added in rapid succession. Part-time hours were doubled. And now, we are looking for a FT Youth Librarian that loves teens and their communities to round-out our current team! As we have yet to have a dedicated Youth Librarian at this Library (the Director is a former Teen and Youth Services Librarian), this will be your chance to grow and shape a new department! This person should be great with teens and should be able to work with storytime caregivers, or at least be able to coordinate and help other staff as they gain the skills to present youth programs.

Lantana is a small municipality located in central Palm Beach County along the beach (the Library is less than a mile to the beach!), so as such, the Library is one of the hubs of small-town life. You will know patrons of all ages by name and they will know your name! You will be invited to bake sales and quarter auctions and to Council meetings. The Council and Town Manager are very supportive of the Library and all of the staff. Lantana is one of the last affordable coastal cities in rapidly expanding Palm Beach County and is only a few minutes by car to downtown West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Delray Beach.

Working for the Town of Lantana and the Lantana Public Library also offers the perfect opportunity to learn about all aspects of Librarianship and municipal management. The Town departments work closely with each other, often soliciting input and staff KSAs for their projects (such as community art programs, social media, rebranding of the Town, our beach redevelopment project, and so much more). Town and Library management knowledge is freely shared with other staff as a chance to grow and solicit buy-in.

The Town of Lantana gives Cost of Living Adjustments annually and still offers 0-5% performance based raises on your yearly evaluations.

Job does include healthcare, vision care, dental care, paid leave, life insurance, and sick time.

Job Summary and Essential Functions

JOB SUMMARY
The Town of Lantana seeks a full-time energetic, team-oriented Youth Services Librarian with a strong public service commitment. Under the direct supervision of the Library Director, this position would provide innovative library services and programming for children and teens in a rapidly growing and evolving library. The Youth Services Librarian provides stellar customer service and collaborates with coworkers to create great experiences for youth patrons, their families, and the community. The Youth Services Librarian loves educating patrons, making a difference in the lives of underserved teens and tweens, and keeping up with emerging technologies. The Youth Services Librarian may be in charge of the library during evening hours and assists in Library Administration. They are responsible for coordinating the creation and implementation of all youth programs with the library team, with specific attention to teens. The Youth Services Librarian will be assigned shifts and duties according to the needs of the department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Note: These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed in this classification. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this position.

• Develops library outreach programs for non-users and underserved in the community to garner interest in using the library.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate age-appropriate programs and services for youth (birth through 18), including story times, book clubs, summer reading programs, STEAM activities, and teen events. the library team and assigning scheduled programs to staff.
• Plans and implements youth (teens, kids, toddlers, babies) library programs, activities, and special events, by working in collaboration with the rest of the library team to develop creative and quality programs and assigning programs to staff
• Plans the library's Summer Reading Club and summer reading kick-off in partnership with the Library Manager, Library Director, and Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator.
• Conducts regular community needs assessments to identify youth needs, in order to created tailored services and programs to address these identified deficits.
• Works in the Youth and Teen rooms afterschool during the school year to develop library services that meet the needs of our youth patrons, with a special focus on teens after 3: 30 PM.
• Stays current with national library trends and developments by reviewing publications, attending professional workshops and receiving training from vendors.
• Develops Teen and Youth pages on the library's new website.
• Enforces the Rules of Conduct and maintains order at the library.
• Provides reader's advisory, reference, and homework help to children and caregivers.
• Cultivates welcoming, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate spaces for youth of all backgrounds.
• Develop and maintain a current, diverse youth collection by selecting and weeding materials in accordance with collection development policies.
• Assists in collection maintenance by processing and withdrawing materials.
• Build relationships with schools, community organizations, and youth-serving agencies to promote library services and resources.
• Supports and advocates for underserved populations, including low-income families, English language learners, and youth with disabilities.
• Contribute to outreach efforts such as school visits, off-site story times, and community events.
• Supervise and mentor part-time staff, volunteers, and teen interns as assigned.
• Monitors trends in youth services, early literacy initiatives, teen developmental assets, and educational technology to inform service improvements.
• Collaborates with other library departments and staff to support system-wide initiatives and strategic goals.
• Opens and closes library, arranges tools and materials for daily use, and monitors the library's physical condition as necessary.
• Coordinates daily activities of staff and volunteers assigned to teen services.
• Take a leadership role in developing, implementing and evaluating the overall teen services program.
• Attends and participates in professional library conferences, seminars, and network committees; reads professional literature; attends and participates in staff meeting discussions.
• Collects, analyzes and reports on various statistics; maintain various assigned records.
• Performs related duties as requested by the Library Director.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of professional library principles, youth services expertise, and an understanding of public library operations.
• Demonstrated ability and enthusiasm for working with the public.
• Working knowledge of current best practices in information literacy instruction.
• Ability to work as a part of a cohesive team.
• Willingness to assist and support coworkers, contribute ideas, and maintain flexibility.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing.
• Possess exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain and foster cooperative and courteous working relationships with public, peers, and supervisors.
• Ability to engage and communicate well with teens, tweens, and children.

General Schedule:

M-Th: 10-7 pm

F: 12-4 pm (alternating with occasional Saturdays, 12-4 pm, for emergency coverage or your own programming schedule).

• Master's degree in library science from a college or university accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) or a bachelor's degree and enrolled in an MLS/MLIS program with the ability to obtain an MLS/MLIS within twelve (12) months of hire.
• One year of experience in a library or school library environment.
• Experience working with youth (0-18 years of age).

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