Senior Librarian

The Andrew Heiskell Library is a branch of the New York Public Library, as well as a member of the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) – serving as the Regional NLS Library for the five boroughs of New York City and Long Island. With over 16,000 individual borrowers and 600 enrolled institutions, Heiskell Library provides access to talking books, magazines and braille materials for people who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise physically unable to read standard print. The Heiskell Library collection offers instant access to 145,000 titles for all ages, including classic literature, current bestsellers, popular magazines, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Heiskell boasts a very large browsable collection of braille materials, including a unique special collection of braille sheet music. The collection includes a significant number of Spanish-language titles, as well as titles in a number of other languages.

The Heiskell Library Reader Services Team processes applications for National Library Service, provides reader advisory services at two onsite helpdesks and a 6-day-a-week reference service call center, and offers community programming with an emphasis on providing enrichment and resources to New Yorkers of all abilities. The high volume of physical and digital checkouts to NLS patrons places Heiskell Library among the top-circulating branches in the NYPL system.

In addition to providing specialized services to NLS patrons, the Heiskell Library also serves as a traditional neighborhood branch library for the bustling Chelsea/Flatiron neighborhood. Heiskell maintains a responsive collection of circulating and reference materials for all ages, with standard print as well as braille and large print materials available. Heiskell Library is a popular location for multiple storytimes per week, public computer terminals, quiet study and work, and holds pickup.

Andrew Heiskell Library is seeking a senior Librarian to empower patrons of all ages and abilities to become creative thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and resourceful users of information. Successful candidates will embody each of these four characteristics themselves.

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Supervising Librarian, the Senior Librarian:

Provides reference services and resource recommendations using print, media and digital resources
Collaborates with library staff and central programming departmentsto develop, promote and facilitate innovative programs to build literacy and a love of reading to meet the expressed and anticipated needs of the community’s patrons, through book clubs, visual and performing arts programming, STEM programs, summer reading events, class visits, and a variety of other programs both in the Library and throughout the community
Serves as the primary contact for services and outreach focused on teen patrons, but supports patrons of all ages
Partners with the collection development team to shape and maintain standard print, large print, audiobook, and braille collections ensuring they are diverse, current, relevant and meet the needs of the community; works to engage patrons with the collection in ways that allow them to follow their interests and discover new ones
Conducts outreach to and develops partnerships with community-based organizations, schools, and community groups that target patrons of all ages throughout NYC and Long Island, to promote the library’s services, collections, specialized programs and resources to enhance the reading skills of patrons of all abilities, with a particular focus on patrons with print disabilities
Encourages digital literacy and provides age-appropriate technology instruction to patrons of all ages
Knows and follows customer service standards, particularly for serving patrons with specialized needs, and provides public service by phone, email, and in person
Uses the Keystone Library Automation System (KLAS), Heiskell Library’s specialized patron and collection management database
Performs related duties as required

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