ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
OPENINGS – POST STAFF and PUBLIC
REGULAR STAFF – LIBRARY ASSOCIATE – BRANCHES
Regular Staff – Fulltime – Multiple Openings
Library Associate - Grade 12GA Fulltime 37.5 hours/weekly
Salary Range: $33, 962 - $52,774
Hiring Range: $33,962 - $43,368 (Based on Experience)
Qualifications:
 Minimum Requirements: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with
Bachelor's degree awarded. Some experience in satisfying the interests and needs of individuals of
diverse backgrounds as in teaching, social service, or merchandising or equivalent experience and
training that has provided the knowledge, abilities and skills in the attached job description.
 Preferred Requirements: Preference will be given to candidates that have experience in early
childhood development or working with children as a teacher, child care provider or similar.
 Special Requirements: Attainment of eligibility under Bylaw 1305.04.03 of the Maryland State
Board of Education as Library Associate and complete Library Associate Training Institute within
24 months following appointment; and ability to maintain eligibility by completing 90 contact hours
of training every 5 years.
Responsibilities: Provides information and readers' advisory service to the public of diverse age, ethnic
and cultural backgrounds in person, on the phone, and through live chat and email reference services,
using resources in print and online formats, including databases and the internet. Provides user
instruction and assistance in technology. Plans and conducts library programs and outreach activities for
all age groups from babies to adults. Assists with branch collection maintenance, using system policies
and procedures for shared collections. Supervises volunteer, page or part-time hourly staff as assigned.
Contributes expertise to branch and system through committee membership/special assignments.
Maintains information service skills and knowledge to meet system and state requirements.
The Library reserves the right to not fill a position if there is not a qualified candidate.
TO APPLY: Send cover letter, resume and completed AACPL Employment Application Form to
Terry Bowen, Chief of Human Resources, at humanresources@aacpl.net. All required application
materials must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. October 18, 2013.
For more information about AACPL and to download the AACPL employment application form
(LibraryInformation/Job&Volunteer Opportunities) visit our website at http://www.aacpl.net .
TIMETABLE for filling vacancies: Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted no later than
November 4, 2013. Interviews will be held during the week of November 11, 2013. Start date will be
the pay period beginning December 30, 2013.
Anne Arundel County Public Library is committed to diversity in the workplace. Anne Arundel County Public
Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Library’s policy is to treat all applicants equally without regard
to race, color, religion, age, gender, marital status, national or ancestral origin, sexual orientation, and/or
disability in accordance with applicable laws. If you need assistance with any aspect of the application process,
please contact the Human Resources Office (410-222-7107) or (www.mdrelay.org).
10/2/13
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Library Associate
Grade: 12 GA
FLSA Status: Exempt
Department: Library Branches
Reporting Relationships: Reports to Branch Manager, Area Librarian II, or Librarian I. Contacts
normally include public, branch staff, administrative and support staff at Headquarters, local
officials, community leaders, private and public school personnel, and outside vendors.
Supervisory Responsibility: Supervises Pages, Part-time Hourly staff, or Volunteers as assigned by
supervisor. Oversees branch contractual security guard as assigned.
Overall Purpose of Job: This is varied, responsible para-professional work providing library
services, including reference, readers' advisory, programming and outreach, and library instruction
to the public of all ages. Work requires maintaining considerable expertise in the use of
information technology, including, but not limited to: databases, email, blogs, and the internet.
Work also may include assisting patrons at the circulation desk. May work on system-wide or areawide projects through membership on committees and task forces. Although the Branch Manager is
ultimately responsible for all occurrences in the branch, Library Associates are regularly scheduled
to be in charge of building operations when the Branch Manager is absent. Work is performed under
the supervision of a Branch Manager or Librarian using established guidelines.
Essential Functions: (Examples are illustrative of this class of work; they are not intended to
include all of the essential functions of all positions in this class. Lists of tasks under each essential
function are not exhaustive.)
1. Provides information and readers' advisory service to the public of all ages and diverse
ethnic and cultural backgrounds in person, on the phone, and through live chat and email
reference services, using resources in print and online formats, including databases and the
internet.
 Responds to and negotiates inquiries presented in person and by phone as well as via
e-mail, online chat, texting, and other networking media
 Roves at regular intervals in order to assist patrons who have not approached the
information desk
 Conducts reference interview and develops information search strategy following
System guidelines
 Assists patrons of all ages in finding materials to satisfy their interests and needs
 Markets library programs, resources, and services; explains and implements policies
and procedures; uses cross-marketing and word-of-mouth marketing techniques
 Provides instruction on and assists in the use of the library's automated catalog as well
as library resources in all book and non-book formats
 Uses interlibrary loan and other external sources in answering inquiries
2. Plans and conducts library programs and outreach activities for all age groups from babies to
adults.
 Prepares and presents pre-school storytimes following System guidelines
 Prepares and presents infant storytimes following System guidelines
 Conducts instructive tours of library for pre-school, elementary, and other school visits
and other groups
 Plans, conducts, and coordinates and may be in charge of branch activities related to
summer reading club
 Plans and presents family programming activities
 Plans and presents programming activities for tweens, teens, and adults
 Evaluates programs
 May propose, prepare, and conduct other special programs in support of library goals and
objectives
 May visit schools to promote library services such as Summer Reading Club and Homework
Center
 May visit nursery schools/daycare centers to promote library
 May make presentations to community, business, and other groups about library services
and resources
 May provide outreach to groups or agencies in the community as designated
3. Assists with branch collection maintenance, using system policies and procedures for shared
collections.
 Weeds designated areas of collection following established schedule and criteria
 Monitors use of collection in designated areas
 Recommends replacement and requests new materials for collection
 Plans displays and markets branch collection
 Accepts donations and evaluates them for possible addition to the collection following
system policies
 May prepare annual branch order for Manager's approval
 Maintains periodical and magazine collections to include reporting subscription problems,
rearranging as needed, and recommending changes to the collection
4. Supervises page or part-time hourly staff as assigned.
 Recruits and hires pages
 Communicates with and meets with staff supervised and keeps them updated on branch
and system changes related to their tasks
 Schedules staff and assigns and monitors work
 Provides for staff training
 Monitors performance, provides feedback and prepares or provides input for annual
evaluations
 Provides supervisory counseling
 Recognizes staff contributions
 Oversees branch contractual security guard as assigned
 May recruit, select, train, schedule, mentor, and supervise volunteens for summer
reading club
5. Supervises branch volunteer program as assigned.
 Assesses need for volunteers and writes job descriptions
 Recruits qualified volunteer applicants
 Selects qualified volunteers
 Monitors volunteer performance
 Recognizes volunteer contributions
6. Contributes expertise to branch and system through committee membership/special
assignments.
 Prepares for and attends meetings
 Coordinates with staff at Headquarters, other branches, and with persons outside the
library system
 Completes assignments and presents results
 Prepares reports
7. Maintains information service skills and knowledge.
 Attends training and reviews professional literature
 Learns new technology as necessary to retain proficiency in providing information service
8. Other significant responsibilities.
 Routinely registers patrons and performs all circulation activities to provide service to
the public
 Troubleshoots branch equipment and performs simple upkeep or repair; may serve as
branch technology coordinator and liaison to ISS department
 Uses word processor, databases, and spreadsheets to maintain records, prepare reports,
etc.
 Participates in developing and maintaining Community Analysis of branch service area, as
well as assisting wtih survey of library customers
 Acts as "in charge" personnel as designated - assists with resolving patron transactions
which involve exceptions to normal procedures or other difficulties
 May prepare master schedule in smaller community branches, information desk schedule
in larger branches, and contacts part-time hourly staff to work
 May serve as branch timekeeper and enter timesheet data
 Submits information for Library Happenings as assigned
 Completes training as required to fulfill state requirements for Library Associates
 Enhances branch appearance by planning and preparing bulletin boards and other
displays
 Prepares for and serves as instructor for library instruction to groups such as Click Here
classes
 Follows guidelines for cross-marketing and word-of-mouth marketing of library services to
patrons
9. Performs other related duties as assigned.
NOTE: Certain conditions, e.g., economic constraints, staffing patterns, changes in system/branch
goals and objectives, etc., may necessitate changes to the duties described in this job description.
Accountabilities: Include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Maintains good public relations with library customers
2. Maintains good working relations with branch and system staff
3. Represents library to other library systems, County agencies, community organizations and
other groups
4. Participates in training to update professional and technical skills and to meet state
requirements for Library Associate eligibility
5. Maintains awareness of current events on local, state, national, and international levels
6. Performs work in keeping with professional standards, and the policies and procedures of the
library system
Working Conditions:
1. Physical Demands: Job involves a considerable amount of movement and activity to assist
patrons, accompany them to resources and retrieve material from shelves. Work routinely
involves lifting or handling material weighing up to 30 lbs., pushing booktrucks weighing
100+ lbs. Much use of computer monitor, mouse and keyboard.
2. Emotional Demands: Some stress related to high degree of public contact, including
occasional incidences of complaints or disruptive behavior, and normal challenges of
supervisory responsibilities. Some stress related to sustained periods of high-volume activity.
3. Social Environment: Always people to talk to and work with. NOTE: On rare occasions, in
small community branches in the morning, only one staff member may be in the branch for a
few hours.
4. Physical Environment: Typical office/library environment. Some fluctuations in building
temperature related to HVAC problems can cause some periods of uncomfortable heat or
cold. Some periods of elevated noise levels during programs and peak times.
5. Mental Demands: This is responsible and varied work requiring the exercise of initiative,
judgment, and discretion. Although instruction and other guidance are provided at the
outset of employment and in connection with new programs, procedures, and technology,
employees are expected to proceed with considerable independence. Advice and assistance
are normally available.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with Bachelor's degree awarded.
Some experience in satisfying the interests and needs of individuals of diverse backgrounds as in
teaching, social service, or merchandising or equivalent experience and training that has provided
the knowledge, abilities and skills listed below.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Knowledge of or ability to learn standard public library resources (including those in
electronic formats), services, techniques, principles and practices; considerable knowldege
of and ability to use computers in the performance of information work and support
activities
2. Ability to learn standard reference and readers' advisory interview protocols
3. Ability to communicate effectively and deal tactfully and courteously with a diverse public
4. Ability to organize, plan, and execute work and to set and reach goals with minimal direct
supervision and in an environment where there are frequent interruptions
5. General interest in reading and literature, and an awareness of trends in popular culture as
well as current news events as they relate to customer interests and needs
6. Knowledge and skills necessary to supervise and direct the work of pages, volunteers, and
part-time hourly staff
7. Knowledge and skills necessary to provide instruction to the public in the use of library
resources
8. Knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively as part of a team toward the
achievement of common goals and objectives
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
Attainment of eligibility under Bylaw 1305.04.03 of the Maryland State Board of Education as
Library Associate and complete Library Associate Training Institute within 24 months following
appointment; and ability to maintain eligibility by completing 90 contact hours of training every 5
years.
Anne Arundel County Public Library is committed to diversity in the workplace. Anne Arundel
County Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Library’s policy is to treat all
applicants equally without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, marital status, national or
ancestral origin, sexual orientation, and/or disability in accordance with applicable laws