MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY SYSTEM

JOB DESCRIPTION COLLECTION

BERKSHIRE ATHENAEUM

CLASSIFICATION TITLE:       Director

JOB TITLES:                            Library Director

GRADE LEVEL:                        [ungraded]

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Responsible for planning, organizing, directing and coordinating all activities of the Berkshire Athenaeum, the public library for the City of Pittsfield.

Decision-making and problem-solving requiring the interpretation of library policy and the exercise of independent judgment are involved, and/or in-depth knowledge, education, training, and ability in advanced library procedures.
 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: The Library Director is the highest management position at the Berkshire Athenaeum and is responsible to a fifteen-member board of trustees.
 

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: The Library Director is responsible for the supervision of all other library staff and volunteers.
 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

·         Develops and proposes major policy direction for consideration by the board of trustees.

·         Interprets and evaluates goals, objectives, policies and programs; and articulates policies and procedures in written statements and manuals.

·         Presents and interprets the budget proposal to the library trustees and City Council; and administers the budget for the period established.

·         Monitors departmental expenditures for personnel and library materials.

·         Coordinates with staff on the selection and final disposition of library books and materials.

·         Reviews literature, surveys personnel, and confers with library supervisors to determine departmental needs, assess current program, propose and implement changes for improved operations.

·         Recruits, interviews, selects and coordinates the training of subordinate staff.

·         Provides training and supervision of subordinate staff; reviews staff performance; and maintains personnel records for all staff.

·         Applies problem-solving abilities to appropriate circumstances; routinely addresses complaints and resolves problems; maintains public discipline and decorum.

·         Plans, schedules, promotes and executes, as appropriate, special events.

·         Works with lay advisory groups (i.e. Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum, Berkshire Family History Association, Young Adult Advisory Council, etc.) as may be appropriate.

·         Work with other City departments, especially Building Maintenance Department, to assure the library receives appropriate attention.

·         Represents the library to its clients, the City, and the community.

·         Performs other duties as responsibilities necessitate.
 

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty successfully without supervision.  The requirements noted below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

·         A masters degree in library science from an A.L.A. accredited library school.

·         Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional library experience, including management and supervisory experience, which demonstrates considerable knowledge in the principles and practices of general administration and supervision, and extensive knowledge of the methods, policies, practices, principles, and procedures of professional library work.

·         Demonstrated and comprehensive understanding of computer applications for libraries.

·         Demonstrated patience and skill in dealing with general public.
 

LANGUAGE AND/OR COGNITIVE SKILLS:

·         Ability to read, write and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. 

·         Superior ability to write reports and correspondence. 

·         Superior ability to speak before groups of customers or employees of the organization. 

·         Ability to communicate fluently in English.

·         Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
 

REASONING ABILITY:

·         Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in writing, oral or diagram form.

·         Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: A current driver’s license for occasional driving to training programs, meetings, or other library-related events.
 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

·         Routinely required to talk or hear, including oral communication via normal telephone connections. 

·         Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. 

·         Ability to operate a keyboard.

·         Routinely lift items weighing up to twenty pounds from the floor to positions overhead.

·         Occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or smell.

·         Special vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.