Summer 2008 Position Available - 2008 Adult Reading Program Manager

cover letter, resume, and references due March 20

The Keene Valley Library ( Keene Valley, NY http://www.kvvi.net/~library/ ) is seeking a person for a full time summer position, Memorial Day – Labor Day 2008. This position is supported by a grant from a Library patron. The position will have two main responsibilities:

(1)To develop and implement an adult reading program by identifying and creating themed presentations of adult fiction and non-fiction. The idea is to draw people into the fun of reading for recreation. An example of a themed presentation would be a selection of books on global warming outlining different perspectives. Another might be a presentation of books by the winner of the most recent Nobel Prize for literature. Our goal is to increase adult circulation, as evidenced by data from the library’s system. This will require working with the library board, the director, the grant maker, community reading groups and interested patrons. We envision some 20-40 themed collections; 4-5 will rotate to the main shelves each week.

(2) To attend to normal library operations to help us extend our summer hours. Currently the library closed on Wednesdays, Sundays and after 4pm the rest of the week. Our hope is to stay open until 5pm each day and add hours on Wednesday and/or Sunday. The second role for this person is to help make this possible.

The time in June will be needed to select and assemble the themed collections and to learn the operating procedures of the library. In July and August, the library experiences greatly increased usage; most of this time will be spent interacting with patrons and library events of the summer.

Key skills and qualifications required:

• People Skills: This position needs someone who is outgoing and comfortable dealing with the public on the topics of adult fiction and non-fiction. Team working skills and positive interaction with the library director and staff are critical.
• A Love of Books and Reading: The successful candidate should have broad knowledge and experience with both adult fiction and non-fiction to bring to the job. As a regular library patron, the person hired should be familiar with current literature reviews and lists.
• Computer Skills: To succeed in the job, the person will need computer skills sufficient for writing and creating posters for outreach to the community informing people of the themed book collections available each week and any related programming. In addition, the person will need to use the library system to generate reports on circulation in 2008 vs. 2007 to determine our level of success.
• Independent Self-Starter: We expect this person to be comfortable creating this adult reading program from scratch with input, but not direction, from a number of people.

We are open to many types of applicants. This would be a great internship opportunity for someone in a university library science program, particularly someone with an interest in community library experience. It could be an excellent summer position for someone running a university library or a school library. A person with bookstore experience, particularly someone who has created displays and collections to draw readers into a store may well be a good match.

The person will be paid a stipend commensurate with their skills and experience. If the successful candidate is from out-of-town we will endeavor to find a suitable housing situation.

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Phyllis Buchanan, Keene Valley Library, P.O. Box 86, Keene Valley, NY 12943 or via email to: library@kvvi.net