SENIOR LIBRARIAN at City of Huntington Beach, CA

About the Department

Note: This recruitment will remain open until the positions are filled. The first review of applications will occur for those received before 5:00 PM on September 19, 2025, and applications will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the positions are filled. This recruitment may close at any time after that date once a sufficiently strong candidate pool has been established.

Here in Huntington Beach, we believe passionately that the key to becoming the best beach City in the world starts and ends with finding the right people to join our team.  At this time, we have two outstanding career opportunities available, as we're looking for the "right people" to serve as Senior Librarian in the Community and Library Services Department. 

We’re looking for someone who’s ready to lead, inspire others, and help shape the future of library services. If you’re collaborative, community-focused, and driven to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

The current vacancies are in Youth Services and Public Services. This recruitment will be used to create an eligibility list for any future Senior Librarian vacancies. 

For Youth Services:
The ideal candidate is a strong leader, communicator, and collaborator with a deep understanding of early literacy, children’s and teen literature, and youth development from birth through age 17. This individual will lead a dedicated team in designing, implementing, and evaluating dynamic programs for children, tweens, and teens. They will also build and maintain partnerships with schools and community organizations, oversee youth collections, manage scheduling, and contribute to a strategic vision for youth and family services. A commitment to staff development and innovation in service delivery is essential to success in this role.

For Public Services:
The ideal candidate is a strong leader, communicator, and collaborator with experience overseeing reference and borrower services, developing outreach initiatives and community partnerships, and supervising public service staff. This individual will lead efforts to plan and evaluate adult programs, oversee circulation, manage scheduling, and ensure responsive, inclusive service to the community. They will stay current with trends in public library services and contribute to a strategic vision for equitable access, engagement, and innovation across the library system.

Future Senior Librarian vacancies may include:

Technical Services: 
Senior Librarians in this role should have experience overseeing integrated library system software, digital services, and technical operations. Responsibilities include managing digital and physical collection development, supporting access to digital resources, overseeing library technology, supervising staff, and managing the library’s Makerspace. Strong candidates will bring a spirit of innovation to enhance user experience and library efficiency.

The mission statement of the Community & Library Services Department is to "provide outstanding programs, services and facilities that enhance and enrich the lives of our residents and visitors" and to "welcome, empower, and enrich our community by providing innovative and traditional library services that inspire and encourage transformation and growth." Library and Cultural Services is responsible for the operation of Huntington Central Library located in Huntington Central Park and four branches (Main Street, Oak View, Banning, and Helen Murphy), as well as the Huntington Beach Art Center. This Division serves as the liaison to various library affiliated community groups, such as the Friends of the Library and the Friends of the Children's Library, as well as the Art Center Foundation.
The Senior Librarian performs specialized professional library work pertaining to a specific division of the library. The position is distinguished from the Librarian classification by the level of responsibility assumed, the supervisory responsibilities, and the complexity of the duties assigned. The position is distinguished from the Principal Librarian classification in that the Principal Librarian exercises managerial authority over all library personnel and functions while the Senior Librarian is responsible for the work activities of a specific division/area.

Position Duties

• Plans, organizes and supervises a division/area of the library; prepares work schedules of personnel and volunteers; supervises staff, evaluates performance, and recommends personnel actions
• Acquires and makes available for public use informational materials in all formats (e.g. print, electronic and digital);
• Coordinates and oversees the classification and cataloging of library materials, working with vendors  and staff to utilize computerized systems and technology tools
• Implements and maintains automated information systems, such as the Library’s integrated system and patron database, as well as other electronic resources and databases, both on site and remotely available
• Interacts with the vendors and suppliers to assess and analyze workflow in support of direct customer service
• Participates with other managers in strategic planning and other organizational development efforts in the library and the City
• Serves as liaison to other service areas and departments on issues involving shared services, technology and web-based services
• Coordinates the library’s web and social media presence; works with other library entities to maintain a positive and effective presence in the virtual community
• Orders books, e resources and other materials in accordance with informational needs of the community and requests of readers;  maintains library collections
• Maintains statistical data and other records; prepares statistical and written reports including budget information
• Monitors and controls budget expenditures for assigned division; selects and recommends purchase of equipment, services, materials, and supplies
• Develops and prepares grant applications for library programs, services, and materials
• Assists in departmental public relations activities; coordinates with library support groups and volunteers in fundraising activities; coordinates tours, video programming on projects and other activities with schools and community groups
• Attends professional training to stay abreast of industry best practices
• Reports to work as scheduled and works a variety of schedules including evenings, weekends and holidays as required
• Maintains a regular and consistent attendance record
• Travels to offsite locations within and outside the City
• Performs other related duties as required

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Education:  An ALA-accredited master’s degree in library and information science.  

Experience:  Three (3) years' full-time professional library experience, including one (1) year of lead or supervisory experience.

Licenses/Certifications:  Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and an acceptable driving record are required at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Employees regularly assigned/required to drive a city or personal vehicle in the course and scope of work shall be required to participate in the DMV Employer Pull Notice program.

Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all Huntington Beach city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

Other Qualifications

• An online application must be fully completed
• Applicants who BEST meet the City's needs will be invited to participate in an oral examination (weighted 100%), which will be scheduled once a sufficiently strong candidate pool has been established.
• Selection Interview
• Background Investigation
• Appointment  

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