Assistant Manager- Adult Services

Under general supervision, is responsible for assisting in the administration of a branch or main library department of the Detroit Public Library (DPL); assists with the supervision of the day-to-day operations, staffing, planning, and implementation of assigned adult services program area; ensures quality customer service; maintains and organizes a relevant collection of library materials; provides relevant programs for the community; and participates in and supports organizational goals, policies, and guidelines.

Works under the general supervision of assigned Library – coordinator or manager; and does exercise supervisory responsibility.

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

In adult services area of assignment:

• Supervises, coordinates, schedules, assigns, and inspects the daily work activities of assigned staff; coaches, trains and motivates staff; and coordinates and/or provides staff training.
• Assists with managing and prepares the daily workflow and prioritization of projects and staff; measures the performance of the unit and staff and recommends or suggests appropriate corrective action when necessary; provides advice and counsel to staff; develops developmental work plans for staff; recommends corrective actions and discipline procedures as appropriate or necessary.

• Drafts and completes weekly sign-in sheets for staff members; completes bi-weekly time sheets for payroll office; creates work schedules due to illness or other emergency or unforeseen change in employee’s personal schedule.

• Provides reference services in assigned adult services program area; analyzes customer requests to determine needed information; assists in furnishing or locating the information; searches reference materials including printed, on-line and Internet sources, to provide the necessary information; and instructs customers in basic computer skills, such as searching the library’s computerized databases, so they can continue their research on their own.

• Locates unusual or unique information in response to specific requests; explains library resources and services outside the scope of assigned area or department; troubleshoots malfunctioning equipment such as computers, copiers, printers, and other peripheral equipment and finds alternate methods, if necessary, to satisfy customer’s needs; translates or interprets library literature, conversations, and communications between library staff and customers, enabling verbal and written communication between non-English-speaking customers and the library organization; proofreads translated materials; provides solutions in translated language to customer service issues; assists with translating marketing programming; and assists in producing media materials in-house written for non-English speaking customers.

• Provides collection development and maintenance functions; reviews and evaluates print materials using book reviews, catalogs, and customer recommendations to select and order items to be added to the collection; reviews and evaluates potential electronic resources; evaluates existing books, periodicals, and other materials to determine outdated or unused items for discard; organizes collections of books, periodicals, and other reference materials for convenient access.

• Confers with community members and organizations to plan, develop and implement informational programs in assigned area; oversees partnerships with community organizations; makes collection decisions and determines additional library services to offer; and plans and implements monthly displays focusing on a specific aspect of the department’s/program’s holdings.

• Maintains and collects a variety of data to produce reports used for future reference, comparisons between branches and main library, and for program evaluation; maintains various statistics such as daily reference statistics, disposal/acquisition statistics, circulation statistics, program attendance statistics, meeting and activity statistics, and federal depository statistics.

• Assists in assuring that work areas and/or building and grounds are properly and safely maintained; performs opening and closing routines; fills out work order requests for building and grounds maintenance and repairs; conducts annual survey of physical assets; checks doors at closing, ensuring that library is ready for next day; supervises tidying of library by customer service assistants; assures working status of computers, copiers, printers, fax and other peripheral equipment; and ensures building alarm system is properly set at close.

• Serves as Patent and Trademark Depository Library Representative and serves as contact person between the library and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; implements rules and duties required for membership into the program; maintains and keeps collection of patent and trademark materials; and performs outreach to other libraries and inventors groups.

• Manages and oversees the TIP program which is a free community information and referral service that helps people find answers to the problems of everyday living; trains, schedules, and supports TIP librarians; develops protocols for call-handling; prepares schedules; observes and assists librarians with calls; provides service to customers who call TIP’s direct number or select the option to “talk with a librarian”; conducts detailed interviews to determine callers’ information needs; identifies and provides appropriate information and/or referrals to community services; develops and organizes materials for use at the TIP Desk; develops and maintains “quick reference guides” and operations manual; identifies and maintains an extensive collection of Internet bookmarks; provides oversight to TIP’s book collection and periodical subscriptions; reviews, selects, and purchases reference books; reviews collection for relevance and currency; and removes/weeds items accordingly.

• Supports supervisor and assumes responsibilities in their absence related to building security and other library customer issues; supervises daily departmental operations, including scheduling and output; arbitrates customer disputes regarding service or fines, library materials not returned or any other library related interactions; plans and conducts special projects as directed; performs opening and closing routines; checks doors at closing, ensuring that library is ready for next day; supervises tidying of library by customer service assistants; and ensures building alarm system is properly set at close.

• Administers, monitors, and maintains assigned budgets including book, audio, video, periodicals, and programming budgets; and prepares and processes requisitions or purchases for items utilized in programs.

• Performs miscellaneous duties such as typing; computer troubleshooting; creating displays to encourage traffic flow and visibility of materials; keeps abreast of community milieu and the changing literacy needs reflected in the service area and develops and customizes programming as appropriate; laminates shelf-reading, records audio selections of public domain materials; oversees supply inventory; processes gifts; maintains bulletin boards; may open and distribute departmental mail; and substitutes as reference librarian at other library locations as needed.

• Provides support to the assigned Library – coordinator or manager on matters as directed; participates on a variety of committees as assigned; prepares and presents reports and other necessary correspondence; attends and participates in professional group meetings; maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment; ensures processes, policies and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensures accountability and compliance with all current and applicable state and federal laws, Library policies and procedures, rules and regulations.
• Ensures an environment of customer-responsive services, providing customer-responsive service and handling customer service issues.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Education and Experience:

Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited institution and four years of professional library experience in area of assignment, including one year of supervisory/lead responsibility over staff and/or programs. 

Required Licenses:

· Must possess a valid State of Michigan Driver’s License

Certifications Preferred: Level 1 Librarian Certification by the State of Michigan.

•  Advanced principles and practices of library science.
•  Principles and techniques of library materials selection and cataloging.
•  Dewey Decimal system, the alphabetical systems of shelving, and computer searching techniques.
•  Books, publishing, the book trade, and book review media.
•  Reference tools and services.
•  Automated library information retrieval systems including Sirsi WorkFlows integrated library system.
•  Reference and circulation processes and procedures.
•  Understanding of different classification schemes for library materials.
•  Significant authors, associations and publishers of books and reference sources in the assigned field.
•  Project/program planning and management principles and practices.
•  Public and community relations principles and practices.
•  Other pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
•  Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
•  Public library operations, services, and policies.
•  Customer service standards and procedures.
•  Supervisory principles, practices, and methods.

•  Interacting with people of different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
•  Analyzing, evaluating, and appropriately selecting popular level library materials.
•  Researching and finding answers to complex reference questions.
•  Managing and administering the coordination of the development and maintenance of library collections.
•  Selecting materials and collections of contemporary significance and of permanent value.
•  Command of all reference tools used.
•  Library research techniques, including the use of technology.
•  Database records management.
•  Problem solving and decision-making.
•  Program design and development.
•  Presenting ideas and concepts orally and in writing.
•  Working cooperatively with internal and external customers in a professional, friendly and cooperative manner.
•  Responding to inquiries in effective oral and written communications.
•  Utilizing personal computer software programs affecting assigned work and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets and reports.•
•  Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with Library and department staff, board members, outside agencies, and the general public.
•  Supervising, leading, and delegating tasks and authority.

• Work is performed in a standard library environment.
•  Subject to sitting, standing, walking, stair climbing, reaching, and lifting of objects up to 25 pounds.
•  Must be able to push/pull library carts and lift/carry library materials