Job Summary
The Youth Services Librarian supports the growth of a patron-centred, innovative, and vibrant library service environment that responds to community needs and advances WPL’s strategic vision and mission to create opportunities for discovery and connection. As a member of a small and agile leadership team, this is a highly influential role that helps shape organizational culture, service excellence, and strategic direction within an organization recognized for its impact and innovation.
The position co-manages the Service Department, providing leadership in performance management, coaching, and staff support to ensure consistent, high-quality service across the organization. The Youth Services Librarian oversees service delivery to families, caregivers, educators, teens, tweens, and children, and leads staff to deliver efficient, consistently high-caliber library experiences. The role also designs and coordinates programs and services that foster literacy, learning, and lifelong relationships with the library. In addition, the Youth Services Librarian plays an active role in budget planning and oversight, aligning resources with evolving service priorities and community needs.
This role requires the ability to respond effectively to challenging situations, work collaboratively within a team, and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple projects and competing priorities. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership and change-management skills, the ability to build and maintain positive working relationships, and excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, including comfort presenting to groups both in-library and in outreach settings such as school visits.
Qualified candidates will hold a Master of Library and Information Studies from an ALA-accredited program, with coursework or experience in youth services and programming, and bring two to three years of progressively responsible public library experience, including leadership responsibility. The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in youth services, programming, supervision, readers’ advisory, information services, and public library collection management, along with experience planning and delivering engaging programs for diverse age groups and working with school communities, including daycares and K–12 schools. Strong skills in supporting the public with a wide range of computer applications, devices, and library resources are required.