Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy is hiring: Librarian - IHSCA in Chicago

Librarian - IHSCA

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Instituto Health Science Career Academy along with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to ensure that every child-in every school and every neighborhood—has access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school college- and career-ready. In alignment with CPS/ISBE, our school strives to provide high quality and specially designed instructional supports and services for all students with disabilities within the least restrictive environment. We work collaboratively with the goal of improving the academic achievement of all students with disabilities by ensuring they receive meaningful and relevant access to grade level core instruction within the school. Teachers provide appropriate, effective, and culturally relevant instruction for grades 9-12 aligned to SAT, AVID College Readiness, and state standards. IHSCA ensures that students are provided a safe learning environment that supports student social-emotional growth as well as academics.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Librarian reports to the Principal or designee and collaborates with teachers and other educators to strengthen the connections between student research needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and available information resources. The Librarian's role is to empower students to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skilled researchers, and ethical users of information. Additionally, the Librarian fosters a school-wide culture of curiosity among both students and staff by providing a diverse range of innovative resources and programs within the Instituto Health and Sciences Career Academy and Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy campuses.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promote reading through traditional and modern methods, including print texts, social media, digital news resources, and online databases.
• Organize and initiate school programs that encourage learning and provide cultural opportunities for the school community through research and reading that enhance awareness of gender, culture, and historical perspectives through literature.
• Collaborate with teachers to design instructional lessons that integrate information literacy and technology skills, including selecting high-quality literature to supplement and enrich curricular studies (e.g., student review webpage, career research Google site, and empower projects)
• Select and develop reading materials to support Career Pathways.
• Conduct library orientation sessions on library rules, space layout, the Dewey Decimal System, website navigation, book checkout, and catalog services and demonstrate responsible and ethical use of library-based technologies.
• Promote literature, reinforce reading skills, and encourage independent reading for personal enjoyment, including extending the reading experience by suggesting additional titles based on student interests (e.g., series, genre, themes).
• Perform day-to-day library functions such as maintaining circulation and cataloging systems, providing information on library services, hours of operation, staff, user guides, pathfinders, internet access, and other resources, reshelving, reviewing inventory, updating the catalog to continue to ensure a diverse collection of reading materials representing various ethnicities and cultural groups, answering questions, reviewing references, and evaluating catalog donations.
• Develop displays and exhibits to promote reading.
• Instruct students on methods for obtaining materials not available in the school library (e.g., interlibrary loans, public library access).
• Collaborate with public libraries and promote participation in those programs (e.g., after-school reading activities, summer reading clubs).
• Facilitate book talks and clubs and promote award-winning books.
• Offer reading enrichment programs through participation in national and state reading celebrations and initiatives (e.g., Children's Book Week, Teen Read Week).
• Identify and promote local literacy initiatives.
• Model effective strategies for developing literacy skills.
• Understand, implement and enforce copyright and fair use laws and ensure compliance by library users.
• Develop and evaluate the library program with objectives aligned with school goals and priorities.
• Use effective management principles to supervise resources and facilities.
• Prepare the library program budget to secure funding for specific goals.
• Ensure the library is an inviting, safe, flexible, and conducive learning environment.
• Arrange flexible scheduling to provide student access to library staff and resources as needed.
• Work with Facilities department to ensure equitable physical access to a virtual or physical library by providing barrier-free, universally designed environments.
• Maintain professional competence by attending staff development programs, curriculum development meetings and other professional activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s in library science or library information science from an accredited American Library Association college or university
• Ability to speak Spanish and English preferred
• At least four years teaching experience preferred
• Professional educator’s license is a plus
• Experience with classification systems (e.g., Dewey Decimal System or Library of Congress Classification System), MARC records, and cataloging practices with SOAR – integrated library system is a plus
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office and the Internet
• Ability to maintain a high sense of confidentiality
• Expertise in advising readers and a broad depth of knowledge in young adult literature
• Ability to work with a wide variety of people
• Ability to work well as a member of a team as well as individually with minimal supervision
• Exceptional organization, leadership, and time management skills
• Above average customer service attitude
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including strong telephone skills
• Ability to maintain objectives and achieve goals under pressure, including meeting deadlines and the flexibility to respond to changes
• Dependability and punctuality
• Strong project management skills, attention to detail, and effective management of multiple projects at one time

The above is intended to describe the general conditions of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities and requirements.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, as well as set-up and maintain work files.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Majority of work performed in a general office environment. Position requires availability for extended hours and non-traditional hours as is necessary to complete job functions. Attendance and participation at organization and school sponsored events may be required.

Instituto Health Science Career Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer