Local History and Genealogy Librarian at Anderson Public Library – Anderson, Indiana

Job Summary: The Local History and Genealogy Librarian plans, coordinates, and delivers educational programs, services, and reference assistance for library customers. This position reports to the Local History and Genealogy Coordinator and supports exhibits, programming, digitization initiatives, and research related to Indiana, with a primary focus on Madison County.

Essential Job Duties:

1. Works the Indiana Room reference desk and assists customers with researching local history or genealogy records. Helps locate information resources for customers and offers research guidance. Provides customer assistance in-person and by phone, chat, email, and mail.
2. Assists customers in using the integrated library system [ILS], computers, digital technology, and other library equipment.
3. Plans, coordinates, and conducts local history and genealogy programming. Promotes library programs and services during customer interactions.
4. Performs collection maintenance duties for Indiana Room collections under the direction of the Local History and Genealogy Coordinator. Shelves and assists with Indiana Room collection management and curation. This includes conducting shelf-readings, creating finding aids and indexes, and organizing materials to ensure access and preservation.
5. Assists the Local History and Genealogy Coordinator with digitization initiatives including scanning, metadata creation, organizing digital files, and helping prepare content for digital collections.
6. Assists in creating and planning displays and exhibits of materials and historical items to engage customers.
7. Participates in community activities and public speaking opportunities, providing positive image of the library. Collaborates and builds partnerships with local historians and organizations.
8. Fills in at Public Services desk to provide general reference assistance, reader’s advisory, and technology assistance as needed.
9. Assumes person-in-charge duties as needed.
10. Complies with Anderson Public Library’s policies, procedures, rules, guidelines, requirements, standards, principles, and practices applicable to the job, including [but not limited to] work scheduling and attendance, customer service, use of Library property and equipment, personal and professional conduct, and confidentiality.
11. Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Education and Experience:

• Education: Master’s Degree in Library and Information Sciences is required.
• Certifications or licensure: LC3 or higher is required.
• Years of relevant experience: 2 to 5 years is preferred.
• Years of experience supervising: None.
• A valid driver's license, automobile insurance, and reliable personal transportation is required.

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of the principles and practices of library science.
2. Knowledge of local history and established genealogical research methods, processes, and reference sources.
3. Knowledge of digitization best practices; skill in scanning and digitization of historical documents.
4. Skill in the basic practices of preservation of primary source materials.
5. Skill in customer service.
6. Skill in public speaking.
7. Ability to plan and present programming of interest to adults.

Work Environment:

Typically performs work sitting in an office that requires frequent walking, light lifting, carrying, bending, grasping, pushing, and other limited physical activities. Requires frequent sustained physical operation of computer, office, and printing equipment, with frequent in-person and phone contacts with customers and library staff.

Physical Demands:

Specific vision requirements necessary for this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• Frequently [over 2/3 of work time] sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.
• Frequently [1/3 to 2/3 of work time] reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally [less than 1/3 of work time], the employee must: stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Frequently [1/3 to 2/3 of work time] exert up to 10 pounds of force to lift or move objects and must occasionally [less than 1/3 of work time] exert up to 50 pounds of force to lift or move objects.

Equipment Used:

Equipment used includes computers, email/calendar software, internet/intranet browsers, word processing, spreadsheets, database software, and various other software, hardware, and job-specific technology and equipment.

The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Core Values:

• Good Stewardship
• Open Access
• Community Focus
• Collaboration
• Purpose Driven