Reporter Newspapers is hiring: Reference Library Supervisor in Denver

About Our Job

Denver Public Library (DPL) is a growing urban library system that serves the residents of the City & County of Denver. DPL sees more than 4 million visitors every year across its 27 locations, serves Denver’s most vulnerable communities through outreach and mobile services, hosts thousands of programs a year and manages a collection of more than 1.4 million physical and digital materials. We believe a strong library is vital for a strong community. DPL is committed to serving the evolving needs of Denverites through inspired programming, diverse collections, culturally-representative spaces, and equitable policies & procedures.

ABOUT OUR TEAM

The Special Collections and Archives (SCA) unit at Denver Public Library comprises two repositories at the Central Library and the African American Research Library at Blair-Caldwell Library. Our team of over thirty librarians, archivists and paraprofessionals are committed to exceptional access, preservation and customer service for our world class collections.

ABOUT THE POSITION
DPL is hiring a Reference Supervisor to lead the Reference Team in the Special Collections and Archives subdivision. You will oversee reference work and scheduling for SCA’s Research Services Department. This includes management of full-time and part-time librarians and staff who support these responsibility areas.

• Manages the schedules for multiple in-person service points
• Manages Collections Assistants schedule
• Tracks coverage hours and statistics to ensure equitable contributions from the team
• Ensures coverage in the event of employee absences
• Oversees online reference work
• Trains new members of the reference team, and keeps entire team current with best practices through trainings and communication
• Leads monthly Reference Roundtable meetings
• Performs reference work during regular desk shifts
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

This position is a part of the Special Collections and Archives supervisory team and works with other supervisors, SCA department Managers and the Special Collections and Archives Director to create a cohesive and unified department.

ABOUT YOU

Do you have a passion for libraries and archives? Are you passionate about public service? Do you have a strong sense of inquiry and excitement to share the story of our region’s history? Are you a team player with a strong track record of collaboration and problem solving?

For the Reference Supervisor role, we’re looking for someone who has a vision and can create a plan for successful execution and has some or all of the following skills and experiences:

• A passion for archives and special collections work in a public library setting with preference for a knowledge about or interest in United States and American Western history.
• Experience as a supervisor of staff, volunteers and/or interns including teaching and assisting with technology and new processes.
• Comfort managing a complex schedule to cover multiple service points taking into account the needs and strengths of ~20 individual team members while working to meet the needs of the public.
• An ability to manage interpersonal conflicts that may arise with respect and compassion to everyone involved.
• A passion for information access and initiative to work toward improving that access.
• Commitment to clear and thorough communication with staff, managers, and the public.
• Excellent organizational skills and an ability to manage multiple projects at once with an attention to detail and strong stakeholder communication.
• Strong writing, communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to use workplace technology effectively including email, calendar, internet, video conferencing, searching databases, creating spreadsheets.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, innovation and flexibility, including proposing process improvements; work well under pressure and meet deadlines and have excellent problem solving skills.
• Ability to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, positive attitude, cultural sensitivity and a sense of humor in working with customers, coworkers and community members.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education Requirement: Master’s degree in library and information science from ALA accredited institution of higher learning or equivalent degree in related field as required.

Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of supervisory experience in a retail or public service operational setting, or three (3) years of professional library experience with at least one (1) year in a leadership role.

Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

License/Certification Requirement: By position, requires a valid driver's license at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

About Everything Else

Job Profile: LQ3486 Library Supervisor

Position Type: Unlimited

Library Hiring Range: $72,534.00 - $96,108.00

Starting Pay: $72,534-$96,108

Agency: Denver Public Library

Assessment Requirement: The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.