Teen and Young Adult Program Coordinator

Invitation to Compete #48-23: Teen and Young Adult Program Coordinator

Hours will include weekdays, occasional weekends, and evenings. This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME.

This position is open to the public and to The Seattle Public Library’s employees. Please submit your application, cover letter, and resume in NEOGOV by 5:00 p.m. on July 7, 2023 to be considered.

Overview

The Seattle Public Library’s mission is to bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. We view Seattle as a city where imagination and opportunity continue to thrive. Since 1891, we have grown from a single reading room in Pioneer Square to a world-class library system with 27 locations.

The Library works every day to foster and support a healthy city and a healthy democracy. We do this work guided by the principles of intellectual freedom, literacy and the love of learning, racial equity, privacy and confidentiality, respect for the community, strong partnerships, and innovation. We are an active and committed partner in the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Library employees are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge, quality of service, and caring. As a workplace, we value respectful and transparent communication, partnership, and engagement. We are enriched individually and organizationally because of our diversity and growth mindset. We take time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of others.

If you share these values and meet the qualifications, the Library invites you to apply for the Teen and Young Adult Program Coordinator position that will support programming and engagement for youth ages 12-26-years-old.

The Library supports youth in their academic success, career readiness, and life. Youth and families engage in library programs and services that are culturally relevant, utilize community partnerships, and support traditional and emerging literacies. The Children and Teen Services (CTS) Department, located in the Central Library, is a dynamic and demanding environment that serves a diverse patron base, including many youth-serving community organizations, Downtown residents and tourists, immigrant and refugee families, and insecurely housed youth and families. The successful applicant will be flexible, responsive, and capable of working on a high-performing team.

The Teen and Young Adult Program Coordinator will work collaboratively with the Teen and Youth Services Librarians to connect with and provide high-quality engagement opportunities for youth ages 12-26. They will also collaborate with CTS as a whole to serve the information needs of youth and families in the Downtown Region.

• Programming: Work in partnership with the Teen Services Librarian and the Youth Services Librarian to coordinate and lead the Downtown Region’s Young Adult Drop-In program. Recommend relevant improvements to the program for continued alignment with the Library’s strategic goals and sustainability. Contribute to program effectiveness by developing and implementing appropriate procedures. Support evaluation efforts and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Build framework that other interested library locations can utilize to create their own YA Drop-In.

• Assist with Community Outreach: Support the Teen Services Librarian and Youth Services Librarian in their engagement work with teen and young adult organizations that provide services relevant to YA Drop-In.

• Maintain YA Drop-In supplies: Determine community need, organize orders, manage materials, and coordinate distribution of YA Drop-In’s distributable items.

• Meeting Coordination: Assist with scheduling and facilitating bi-monthly, library-led meetings for young adult service providers in the Downtown Region.

• Reference Services and Readers' Advisory: Provide basic readers' advisory and reference service in all subjects to Library patrons with an emphasis on reference and readers' advisory for youth and families. Develop and maintain expertise in a wide range of information resources in order to deliver high-quality reference and readers' advisory in a variety of modes (in person, phone, virtual). CTS staff also provide support to other departments at the Central Library, frequently working on public service desks on other floors. Refer complex reference questions to the appropriate reference service point at the Central Library.

• Information Resource Maintenance: Work in partnership with librarians and other paraprofessional staff in CTS to ensure the department’s collection and resources reflect the range of information needs in the community and effectively serve the city's diverse and growing population. Work in partnership with librarians and other paraprofessionals in CTS to build book displays that reflect our communities’ cultures, needs, and interests.

• Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service while at reference desks, on the phone, or through email and chat. Promote public awareness of the Library's services, policies, and procedures, including the Rules of Conduct. Assist library users with technology, including accessing digital downloads and using the library catalog and databases. Offer basic information and referral or readers advisory service as needed. Provide excellent internal customer service with staff at all levels of the institution.

• Administrative and Operational Support: Provide technical and administrative support, which may include typing and filing of Library records, preparing correspondence and reports, ordering supplies, assisting with department projects, contributing to the maintenance of SharePoint (intranet) pages for Library staff, and contributing to the maintenance of the collections in CTS. Assist with the development of procedures related to outreach and programming and create related documentation or training. Support internal and external communications.

• Education: A high school diploma or a Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) is required.

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  Youth Services: At least two (2) years of experience working directly and primarily with youth, providing programming, mentorship, or other relevant social services. Particularly ages 12-26-years-old.

• Customer Service: At least two (2) years of experience providing exemplary customer service to a diverse public in an urban environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate a proven, positive, and enthusiastic commitment to public service and providing exceptional customer service.

• Intellectual Freedom: Applicants must have a strong commitment to intellectual freedom as defined by the American Library Association's Bill of Rights.

• Cultural Humility: The ability to self-reflect on how one’s own background and identities impact aspects of internal and external engagement. Recognition of the need to continually develop and practice cultural humility in customer service, reference services, readers' advisory, programming, community engagement, teamwork, and leadership with communities and staff whose identities the Program Coordinator does not share.

• Race and Social Justice Initiative: Applicants must be able to support the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative and have a strong commitment to providing equitable services to historically-excluded populations throughout Seattle. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate a commitment to both external and internal equity.

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  Teamwork and Communication: Must demonstrate an ability to work effectively with other staff in a team environment. Candidates must possess excellent interpersonal communication, problem solving, customer relations, and teamwork skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be comfortable speaking with a variety of audiences, including fellow staff members, community partners, patrons, caretakers, and youth.

• Resiliency: Applicants must be resourceful and able to deal with evolving and emerging dynamics in the community as well as the workplace, cope with pressures, and learn from failures or missteps in ways that respond to patron needs and help the organization move forward. When addressing the Library’s Rules of Conduct or working with challenging patrons, the successful candidate will be able to approach with compassion and professionalism while also centering customer service and utilizing de-escalation skills when necessary.

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  Technology and Information Resources: Must be proficient in creating and editing documents in MS Word and Excel, managing electronic files, using MS Outlook (or a similar email and calendar application). Experience using office equipment such as photocopiers and printers. Ability to troubleshoot minor computer and office equipment issues and assist patrons with resolving issues related to computers and office equipment is desirable.

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  Other Required Skills and Abilities: Candidates must be flexible, committed to team collaboration, able to handle multiple competing priorities and tasks, adaptable to change, proactive, and able to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

How to Apply

Candidates who meet the qualifications are asked to submit the following items in NEOGOV by 5:00 p.m. on July 7, 2023 to be considered:

• Online application
• A cover letter that describes how your experience and skills align with the stated job responsibilities and qualifications. Please let us know why you are interested in this position.
• Current resume that summarizes relevant education, professional experience, training and skills.

Applications that do not include a cover letter, resume, and complete online application will not be considered.

Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The employment history detailed in your application materials MUST validate/support your responses to the supplemental questions. If your responses cannot be validated, you will not proceed to the next steps of the review/selection process. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more interviews.

Benefits and Salary Information

The full salary range for this position is $35.18 - $42.65 per hour

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and covered family-members/most employees-plans

Additional Information

If you have questions regarding this bulletin or employment at The Seattle Public Library, please send an email to job.applications@spl.org. The Library promotes diversity and inclusion in employment. If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please contact us.

Please keep in mind that job offers are contingent on a review of criminal history as well as verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.