SENIOR LIBRARIAN

DEFINITION OF CLASS:
This is library supervisor work as a manager of a small library or unit or a full time supervisor in a larger library over professional information staff assigned on a continuing basis. The main purposes of the work are to provide technical expertise and leadership to lower-grade professional staff by mentoring, coaching, assigning and evaluating work, to help customers locate information and information resources by leading, retrieving, and/or delivering appropriate information resource materials from the library's collection, to help develop outreach at the branch level and to provide input for collection development. In the absence of the Library Manager, the Assistant Library Manager is responsible for all of the library's daily operations. At a library, an employee in this class may lead Adult, Teen or Children's Services. Contacts are with co-workers or subordinates and other units in Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL), professionals in other library systems and others to exchange routine or non-routine information. Many contacts are with individual customers (or groups of customers) to assess needs and provide information/services. An employee in this class typically provides public service and assistance on a short-term, on-going basis. Service or assistance typically involves questioning customers to determine the nature of assistance that is required and deciding how to successfully deliver that assistance as well as providing instructions in the use of library reference and electronic tools. Public service also includes fostering the work of others providing, or to personally provide, programs or program modules to various groups and leading meetings with groups to explain and promote library services.
As a full, first-level supervisor, an employee in this class typically manages circulation (in the case of Neighborhood libraries), paraprofessional and/or professional staff engaged in all phases of operating a defined program, service or small or specialty library. The employee plans, organizes, assigns, reviews and evaluates the work of personnel, or assists the Library Manager in doing so, regularly participates in personnel management decisions by formally recommending or initiating a variety of personnel actions, and performs related functions to manage service(s) and personnel. The employee has full technical responsibility for the work of self and subordinates, including how the work is to be performed. Work is carried out under the general direction of the Library Manager or higher level management staff and mainly reviewed in terms of effectiveness in meeting objectives. Guides include regulations, policies, procedures and standards of library science, MCPL and other sources, and are normally applicable to the situations that arise. However, the employee is expected to plan the sequence of actions and independently select and apply the right methods or procedures to the work and may have considerable latitude to exercise independent judgment in adapting or deviating from these guides based on knowledge of, and skills in, librarianship. The work consists of functions involving a wide range of processes and methods, including assessment of unusual circumstances, variations on approach or incomplete or conflicting data. The complexity of this class is derived from an employee's handling of particularly complex technical and practical issues as a supervisor over functions and services, all or part of which are provided by circulation staff, paraprofessionals and/or professionals. Complexity also includes consideration of a number of variables and application of various skills in providing information services, programming and outreach at the branch level and by performing equally complex work while supervising it in special functions/services, such as Cataloging and Processing. The impact of properly performed work is realized by customers in effective information services, programming and outreach or by the effectiveness of other work (such as cataloging). All of this supports continuous learning development opportunities in the community. Some work on committees, projects and initiatives may result in system-wide improvements. The majority of all work performed by an employee in this class is carried out in a library to which the public has unrestricted open access with some interpersonal conflict situations and potential for aggressive or unpredictable behavior by others. The work includes light physical effort, such as keyboarding and lifting, carrying and/or moving of book tubs, carts and library books and materials. All positions require the employee to work evenings, nights, Saturdays and Sundays based on customer service needs.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)
Serves as Assistant Library Manager at the library of assignment or as head of unit:
Helps the Library Manager or higher level management staff plan, organize, assign, review and evaluate the work of all branch personnel (typically, supervision of information staff is direct and supervision of circulation staff and volunteers is indirect - through the Library Assistant Supervisor. However, in some cases in smaller libraries supervision of circulation staff can be direct. Helps the Library Manager or higher level management staff ensure customer service-orientation of all personnel and seek continuous improvements in efficiency, service levels, cost effectiveness and other outcomes and measures.
Assesses branch performance through direct observation, reports, customer comments and other means. Makes on-the-spot corrections. Recommends changes in branch staffing or scheduling or improvements in branch policies and procedures, in coordination with other members of the branch management team or key staff members. Identifies relationships, if any, between branch operations and MCPL polices and procedures and, as appropriate, recommends changes in system-wide policies or procedures.
Ensures the compilation of statistical data and other information needed to evaluate branch accomplishment of service goals and objectives and prepares or oversees the preparation of branch reports.
Resolves customer service concerns and complaints not resolved at lower levels.
May assemble, check, correct, tally or submit time cards and report changes for payroll purposes, personally or through others.
Works with the Library Assistant Supervisor or higher level management staff to ensure the daily operational readiness, one-time or short-term fixes and long-term maintenance of the library's grounds, building(s), including the physical plant, and equipment, including hardware/software and other equipment used only by staff as well as public-access equipment.
Ensures that circulation and information staff (as assigned) are coached and trained in workforce development via individual staff training plans, and develops succession planning for the branch of assignment by cross-training circulation staff.
Makes recommendation about collection, facilities, staffing, programming and outreach to the Library Manager or higher level management staff.
Assists the Library Manager or higher level management staff in development of the branch work plan, consistent with the Department's Strategic Plan.
Explains departmental and branch policies and procedures to the public and others.
Works on the public services desk to assess information services workflow, identify improvements/changes needed, observe staff performance, and provide frontline customer service as needed - provides reader's guidance and reference services, instructs customers on use search strategies, information sources and the branch's public-access equipment, etc.
Supports circulation and information services staff by empowering them, answering questions, and serving as a liaison between staff and higher level management, fostering teamwork and performing related functions.
Helps establish, maintain and improve outreach and partnerships with user groups and community groups. Gives tours and presentations to user groups or visiting dignitaries or groups.
Helps develop the branch's materials collection and plan/implement branch programs.
Helps develop weekly master schedule for information staff.
Leads or serves on task forces, committees, projects and initiatives concerning system-wide issues.
Attends or leads training and stays abreast of changes in policies, procedures, technology, etc.
As needed, opens or closes the library, as scheduled, following procedures that apply to opening and closing, such as unlocking doors, etc.
Performs a variety of senior level individual contributor functions in specialty areas.
Supervises system-wide cataloging and processing of new materials and replacements by performing the full range of first level work planning, organization and review and supervisory personnel functions. Administers contracts for cataloging services and associated supplies, providing technical specifications and monitoring vendors' performance. Plans, organizes and supervises bibliographic and authority database work for the integrated library system and coordinates item maintenance activities with branch libraries. Evaluates and implements new technology for the unit in order to increase productivity and quality. In addition, personally performs a variety of senior level individual contributor functions in this specialty area.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience: Four (4) years of professional library experience.
Education: Master's degree in Library Science or Library Information Science from a college or university accredited by the American Library Association.
Equivalency: None.
License/Certification: Employees will be responsible for maintaining appropriate level of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to sustain licensing requirements.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge of (or ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of) work organization, staff planning and scheduling (master schedule and information/circulation desk schedules), of the Integrated Library System (especially the functions covering customer accounts and retrieving, delivering and reserving or cataloging library materials) and other technical and administrative systems, of a range of supervisory techniques (including team building, training and empowerment of others) and MCPL policies and procedures (including quality service standards), and of human resource management (including equal employment and diversity) guidelines applying County-wide and to the bargaining unit to plan, organize, assign, review and evaluate the full range of services at the branch level and to perform the full range of supervisory personnel functions common to full, first-level supervisors. This includes, under the direction of the Library Manager or higher level management staff, ability to plan operations, provide work direction to, and supervise, others in a multi-shift environment.
Knowledge of the principles, practices and standards of library science, including the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics, of functions and methods of information classification systems using bibliographic records, of the primary reference databases of MCPL and other databases, of the collection(s) of the library of assignment, of research methods and search strategies to identify information sources and locate needed information, of specialized MCPL guidelines pertinent to area(s) of focus (such as Children's Core Competencies), of the branch work plan, and of core bodies of information needed for programming (such as the wants and needs of the customer base, early childhood learning and adult literacy), all to oversee information, programming, outreach and circulation services at the branch level and perform other functions.
Knowledge of the library's computers, printers, copiers and other electronic equipment to ensure, through others, operationally effective equipment at the branch level sufficient for library staff functions and to instruct customers on use of public-access equipment. This includes staying abreast of technological changes.
Knowledge of departmental graphic standards to approve compliant signs, handouts, exhibits, displays and informational, educational and promotional materials.
Knowledge of bodies of information applying to the assigned program area(s), such as:
Knowledge of Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR2), Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) bibliographic standards, Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) standards, MCPL cataloging practices and other guides to meet international standards and local needs in cataloging, to catalog and supervise cataloging of materials presenting complex cataloging issues, and to clarify and make changes to MCPL cataloging policies and procedures.
Skill in problem solving to select, organize and logically process relevant information (verbal, numerical or abstract) to solve a problem. Examples include skill in assessing the needs of the community or communities served to help set service objectives and evaluate programs (including final decisions on programming and outreach) at the branch level, and in selecting and applying or adapting and adjusting appropriate policies, procedures and techniques to provide effective supervision and customer service.
Skill in written communication to understand written information (including facts, assertions and arguments), and to express information in writing so that others will understand. This includes but is not limited to skill in syntax, grammar, punctuation and spelling to prepare informational, educational and promotional materials, in reviewing books, and in reading or drafting policies and procedures applying to library functions.
and understanding policies, procedures and standards applying to assignments.
Skill in oral communication to understand verbal information (including facts, assertions and arguments) and to express such information verbally so that others will understand and, at times be convinced or persuaded. This includes skill in encouraging effective oral communication by others, such as subordinates and library customers, in listening actively during the reference interview, and in speaking to groups and in programs.
Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with personal contacts in customer service-oriented, businesslike manner, to model proper behaviors for subordinates and to help motivate them.
Skill in using a computer, software (including specialized databases) and peripherals for various tasks.
Ability and willingness to maintain technical and non-technical currency in a fast-changing environment.
Ability to work effectively and calmly under pressure.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
Individuals appointed to this class will be required to serve a probationary period of 12 months; individuals promoted to this class will be required to serve a probationary period of 6 months. During the probationary period performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Medical History Review

Class Established: June, 1980
Revised: August, 1985
January, 1988
April, 1992
September, 2000 (M)
June, 2007
May, 2011 (M)

Incorporated Librarian III class September, 2000