The Lemont Public Library District seeks a collaborative and forward-thinking Youth Services Manager to lead services for children and families. This role oversees programming, collections, outreach, and a small team of 2 full-time and 2 part-time staff. This position serves on the Leadership Team and is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Youth Services Librarian ready to step into management. A sense of humor and a positive outlook are appreciated in our busy, public-service environment.
Responsibilities
- Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Youth Services staff
- Foster a positive, collaborative, accountable team environment
- Plan and deliver youth programs, including early literacy and summer reading
- Provide direct public service, including desk coverage, reference, and readers’ advisory to children and caregivers (and occasionally answering the same question more than once with patience and professionalism)
- Maintain knowledge of youth and teen literature to support service and collection development
- Manage youth collections, including oversight of staff selections and displays
- Build partnerships with schools and community organizations
- Collaborate across departments on shared initiatives such as selection of e-resources and assist with service desk coverage as needed
- Maintain records and statistics and prepare monthly department reports for the Director
- Evaluate and improve workflows and services, incorporating current trends
- Serve on Pinnacle Library Cooperative committees
- Serve as Passport Agent
- Serve as Person in Charge as needed
- Other duties as assigned (because no two days in a public library are exactly alike)
Required Qualifications
- MLS/MLIS from an ALA-accredited institution
- 3–5 years of public library experience working with children and families
Preferred Qualifications
- Supervisory or leadership experience
Skills & Abilities
- Strong public service orientation with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with sound judgment in navigating challenging situations
- Knowledge of public library services, including reference, readers’ advisory, youth collections, and current trends in youth literature
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt in a fast-paced environment
- Proficiency with standard office technology and integrated library systems (Polaris preferred)
Benefits
- The Lemont Public Library District offers a competitive benefits package, including participation in IMRF (Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund), health, dental, vision and life insurance, paid sick and vacation.
About Lemont Public Library
- The Lemont Public Library District serves a community of approximately 23,000 residents from a single 25,000-square-foot facility in a vibrant historic suburban community southwest of Chicago. The library is a member of the Pinnacle Library Cooperative and is committed to providing responsive, high-quality services and fostering strong community connections. Lemont Public Library District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.