Public Services Director in Anderson, Indiana at Anderson Public Library

Anderson Public Library is looking for an experienced, community-focused and engaging leader to join our team in a newly-created Public Services Director role, overseeing our Adult Services, Youth Services, Circulation, and Lapel Branch services. As a member of APL's Senior Administrative Team, the Public Services Director will work closely with the Executive Director and Deputy Director on overall library strategy as well as provide direct guidance and leadership in the areas of library customer service, public use of library spaces and resources, programming, and outreach to patrons of all ages.

Job Summary: The Public Services Director provides strategic and functional oversight of library public services, including all branches, outlets and public service coordinative functions. The position participates in Leadership Team planning and high-level decision making for the whole system, and leadership and mentoring to all employees. May serve as Acting Library Director in the absence of the Deputy Director and Executive Director. In partnership with the Executive Director and Deputy Director, builds and fosters a success oriented and accountable organizational environment.

Essential Job Duties:

1. Provides leadership, strategy and project management for public services to patrons of all ages, including reference and readers’ advisory services, circulation services, outreach, branch operations, programming, customer service, and public use of library resources, facilities, technology, and equipment.
2. Oversees planning and implementation of public service-focused initiatives, public programming coordination, outreach activities, and community engagement efforts.
3. Works collaboratively and meets regularly with managers and others to coordinate the provision of public services.
4. Works with public services management team to determine staffing requirements, and interview, hire, and train new employees.
5. Oversees public service areas to help ensure safe, orderly, welcoming, and customer-focused environments for both public and staff spaces.
6. Ensures that staff provide accurate, friendly, courteous service and provide a positive, welcoming library experience for all.
7. Plans and develops goals that correlate with the library’s strategic goals and mission for each department supervised. Responsible for ongoing assessment of public services impact, value, and alignment with community needs.
8. Works on library-wide projects, initiatives, and issues as a key member of the Senior Administration Team in collaboration with the Executive Director and Deputy Director.
9. Recommends, develops, and implements solutions to improve and enhance district-wide services and operations. Advocates for the needs of the Public Services Team.
10. Attends regular and special meetings of the Board of Library Trustees.
11. Works with Executive Director and Deputy Director to develop, communicate, and implement system-wide policies, procedures, projects, and goals related to public services and customer experience.
12. Collaborates with Executive Director and Deputy Director in planning, strategic initiatives, and researching and implementing library services.
13. Assumes systemwide in-charge duties in the absence of the Executive Director and Deputy Director; assumes library Person in Charge duties at the Main (Anderson) location on a regular basis.
14. 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.
15. Performs all other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Adult Services Manager, Circulation Services Manager, Lapel Branch Manager, Youth Services Manager

Job Education and Experience:

• Education: Master’s Degree in Library Information and Science is required.
• Certifications or licensure: Indiana LC2 or higher is required.
• Years of relevant experience: minimum of 5 years required.
• Years of experience supervising: minimum of 3 years required
• A valid driver's license, automobile insurance, and reliable personal transportation is required.

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to:
• develop and maintain strong relationships with colleagues and community members.
• anticipate and creatively solve problems with a flexible mindset.
• positively adjust to change.
• think strategically about the library’s role providing services to the community.
• gather, analyze, and use meaningful data in decision-making processes.
• demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and conduct fair and impartial treatment to all patrons and staff.
• coordinate and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines with excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• work independently while also flexible to work collaboratively in a team setting.
• Understanding of and commitment to library values and ethics.
• Ability to demonstrate thorough knowledge of library services and operations.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects concurrently and efficiently organize work.

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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Core Values:

• Community
• Trust
• Learning
• Inclusion
• Responsibility