Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Principal Librarian

Recruitment #14-4180-01

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Applications will only be accepted on-line.

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

DESCRIPTION

The Alameda County Library is looking for experienced library management professionals to fill two Principal Librarian vacancies:

Branch Libraries and Extension Services Vacancy:

This vacancy will supervise the operations of six Alameda County Library's branches including Albany, Dublin, Newark, Union City, Castro Valley and San Lorenzo/Ashland/Cherryland. In addition this position will oversee the Extension Services which includes the Bookmobile and mobile services, and the Juvenile Justice Center libraries. This Principal Librarian will be the key liaison with the respective cities and County departments for the libraries in the unincorporated areas.

The Learning Group Vacancy:

This vacancy supervises the operations of technical services, training & staff development, programming and literacy. In addition, this position will provide leadership to key work groups and strategic plans to enhance the system-wide services throughout the Agency.

 

ABOUT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY LIBRARY

The Alameda County Library provides library services from ten branch libraries in the cities of Albany, Dublin, Fremont, Newark and Union City and the unincorporated communities of Castro Valley and San Lorenzo. Outreach services are provided through the Bookmobile, the Literacy Program, PULSE, and the County Jails.

The County Library was established in 1910 and is governed by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. The Alameda County Library Advisory Commission advises the County Librarian and the Board of Supervisors on library services.

The County Library is funded primarily by local property taxes, with additional revenue from State grants and contracts with cities for additional open hours and services. The Board of Supervisors allocates a portion of a utility users and business license tax which is collected only in the unincorporated areas of the County to the Library for service to the unincorporated areas. The Alameda County Library Foundation and active Friends of the Library or Library League groups in each community support library programs and services.

To learn more about the Alameda County Library, please visit their website at: http://www.aclibrary.org/ 

 

THE POSITION

Under the general direction of the Deputy County Librarian, the Principal Librarian is responsible for library administrative and programmatic functions.

The incumbents of this class direct the implementation of Library administrative and programmatic initiatives as determined by the Deputy County Librarian. Incumbents in the class of Principal Librarian are distinguished from incumbents in the class of Librarian IV or Supervising Librarian II by having system-wide responsibilities for public and administrative service/operation and/or Library Administrative functions that include, supervisory responsibility for the complex operations, such as, of the Fremont Libraries, Training and Development, Extension, Communities and Collections and/or the branch libraries.

 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will encompass the following attributes, and have demonstrated a successful track record in:

  • Vast leadership experience providing oversight and direction to library management and staff.
  • Comprehensive knowledge in planning, implementing and managing innovative library programs. 
  • Understanding and enforcing guidelines, standards and objectives of library management.
  • Building cohesive partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders to achieve library goals and initiatives.
  • Maintaining a positive work ethic while experiencing constant changes in work responsibilities, environment, processes and culture.
  • Motivating direct reports and colleagues to maintain a positive outlook, in spite of organizational challenges, in order to sustain morale.
  • Handling administrative responsibilities including analyzing data, creating reports and varying personnel matters.
  • Effective time management by balancing competing priorities and ensuring work is completed efficiently.

To view the full job description for this position, please click here.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must meet one of the qualifying patterns to continue in the examination process:

Either Pattern #1

The equivalent of four years’ full-time experience as a Supervising Librarian II, in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

and

Possession of a Master's degree in Library Science or Public Administration awarded by an accredited college or university.

Or Pattern #2

The equivalent of four years’ full-time, responsible professional experience as a Librarian and/or program experience, including the equivalent of two years’ full-time supervisory responsibilities.

and

Possession of a Master's degree in Library Science or Public Administration awarded by an accredited college or university,

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of librarianship, marketing to diverse populations, cataloging, library automation and current technology.
• Public library programs and their relationship to community needs.
• Principles of supervision and management.
• Books, periodicals, and audiovisual formats in general use.
• Printed and automated reference resources.
• Library business methods, procedures, and practices.
• Budgeting principles and practices.
• Current library trends and practices.

Ability to:

• Implement system-wide policies, procedures and services.
• Plan and organize operations of a large, complex organization.
• Problem solve and analyze.
• Make decisions, exercise judgment.
• Provide management control.
• Demonstrate leadership.
• Exercise interpersonal sensitivity.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
• Use personal computer hardware and software.
• Make presentations on marketing of library services and resources to the public.
• Prepare written reports.
• Give general direction to managers, coaching and mentoring all staff to develop their skills and potential.
• Understand and interpret developments within a community and the County as a whole in relationship to the Library system.
• Analyze, recommend, create and carry out revenue enhancement initiatives to increase library funding.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps:

  • A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements.
  • Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move onto the next step in the examination process which is a review of the supplemental questionnaires to determine those best qualified.
  • Those candidates that pass the screening for best qualified will move onto the next step in the examination process which is an oral interview that will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Selection Plan

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

 

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

Best Qualified Screening:

Interview Exam:

 

*Type of Exam: New Open Assembled Exam

**Updated as of 12/16/14

Monday, January 5, 2015

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Week of January 26, 2015

**Week of February 9, 2015

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statues.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
  • Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
  • Vision
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
  • County Allowance
  • Health Flexible Spending Account
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
  • Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Short-term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 11 paid holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Group Auto/Home
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Michi Yoshii,  Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

(510) 272-6463 • michi.yoshii@acgov.org

 

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer