Careers

Collection Development Professional

The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is looking for a Collection Development Professional who is organized, detail oriented, and has a passion for providing physical and digital materials to the community that meet their needs.

The Collection Development Professional develops, updates and maintains the physical and digital collections of the library. Through the work of the Collection Development Professional, library customers have access to materials that meet their informational, educational and recreational needs. The Collection Development Professional serves as an organizational leader within the collections division and promotes customer engagement with library collections.

As the Collection Development Professional some of the things you will do are:

Collection Development

• Serve as the lead collection development professional for specific subjects and/or audiences of the library’s physical and digital collections.
• Apply principles of the Library Materials Selection Policy to identify materials to add to the library’s collection. Orders quantities of materials to meet customer demand. Verify the availability of items and accurately completes selection process.
• Monitor expenditures and encumbrances to ensure that assigned funds are expended at an appropriate rate throughout the fiscal year. Coordinate with manager for budget planning and maintenance.

Collection Maintenance

• Use data from reporting tools provided by vendors and the integrated library system (ILS) to evaluate circulation performance of assigned physical and digital collections.
• Annually weed assigned collections using established criteria for de-selection and maintenance.
• Coordinate with Technical Services staff to efficiently manage workflows for assigned collections.

Customer Touchpoints

• Responds to customer-provided purchase suggestions submitted through request systems.
• Coordinate with manager to respond to expressions of concern submitted by customers. Serve as member of evaluation team for expressions of concern.

Leadership

• In cooperation with manager, develop strategies for collection performance and promotion and creates a work plan that supports those strategies. Serve on committees and special projects as assigned. Lead meetings or teams as requested by manager. Collaborate with other library staff and departments on collection development connected with library-wide initiatives.

Promotion

• Collaborate with Communications and Marketing to promote collections through the library’s marketing channels.
• Participate as needed in library programs and special events. Work in advance of major programs to prepare collections for anticipated customer demand.

Attendance

• Maintain prompt arrival and efficiently and dependably maintains scheduled hours.

Position Requirements/Preferences

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• One year of experience working in a library.

Preferred:

• Master of Library Science from and accredited college or university.
• Three years of experience working directly with library collections and/or ILS systems.

• Multilingual fluency in English and at least one other language is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of collection development principles and practices.
• Knowledge of professional library policies, procedures, materials and practices.
• Knowledge of emerging trends related to library collections.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite software applications, vendor tools used for ordering and collection analysis and ILS systems.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to independently perform detailed work with accuracy.
• Ability to find new ways to increase customer satisfaction and create meaningful connections through physical and digital library collections.
• Ability to communicate inclusively, with cultural sensitivity in verbal, written, and non-verbal communications.
• Ability to work independently or on a team and adapt quickly in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to work scheduled hours, arrive promptly and maintain regular and reliable attendance.

A pre and/or post-employment drug screen, criminal history record check and physical capacity testing are required as a condition of employment.

SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week Monday through Friday.  

PAY & BENEFITS: Starting salary will be in the range of $46,633.60 to $58,281.60 depending on experience and qualifications. Excellent benefits including health & dental insurance with pre-tax premiums, and a retirement plan (Kansas Public Employees Retirement System KPERS). Group life, disability coverage and accidental death benefits are also provided. Other optional benefits available at employee's expense include vision, life and cancer insurance and a deferred compensation plan.

A completed and signed TSCPL job application along with a resume and cover letter is required for consideration. 

Applications must be received by March 17, 2024.

About the Library:

The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Library Journal 2016 Library of the Year, is a 21st-century, landmark library, and features the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery, the Millennium Café, Chandler Booktique (bookstore and gift shop), free meeting rooms, computer training and free gigabit Wi-Fi access.

Located in the heart of Shawnee County, the library has a collection of more than 450,000 books and serves more than 111,000 registered borrowers. About 1,500 people walk through our doors daily. Our bookmobiles make about 20 stops six days a week traveling across the county. We provide services to 55 senior living facilities and 85 homebound individuals. Our Library At Work program delivers library materials to mailrooms at 15 employers throughout the community. Our website serves customers’ needs 24/7. The library offers state-of-the art technology, youth programs that encourage learning and reading, accessibility services addressing the needs of older readers and persons with disabilities, and reference and research tools.

The library is a great meeting venue for community groups and is a cultural hub for art, music and literature. People of all ages discover and experience art at the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery. We connect individuals to culture, art and artists – both modern and classic. The gallery is also recognized for two national art competitions and its annual art exhibit for children. Professional exhibits from the library’s permanent collection (the oldest in the city) as well as traveling exhibits draw nearly 20,000 visitors annually.

The library is helping to transform the lives of its citizens through five community impact goals:

• Every child will be ready for kindergarten;
• Everyone will discover their passion for learning;
• Everyone will continue learning new ways to live their best life
• Topeka and Shawnee County will be an engaged community of readers; and
• The Library will be a learning organization committed to excellence in: Leadership, planning, customer focus, process management and partner focus.

Employment Application Supplemental Employment History