DEPARTMENT: Library
STATUS: Full Time 
NO. OF POSITIONS: One
UNION: CUPE, Local 387 
HOURS OF WORK: 35 hours/week*
SALARY: $69,251 – $81,779 annually 

About New Westminster Public Library 

We recognize and respect that New Westminster is on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Halkomelem speaking peoples. We acknowledge that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land. As a City and as a library, we are learning and building relationships with the people whose lands we are on. 

The City of New Westminster is a socially, economically and culturally diverse community of approximately 82,000 residents. As a core civic service, New Westminster Public Library aims to engage, strengthen and connect the community by inspiring exploration, imagination, creativity and lifelong learning. We emphasize the development and delivery of innovative programs and services that reflect our commitment to the principles of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, delivered through the lens of anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice. We are committed to reconciliation with our First Nations and urban indigenous community, constantly learning, evolving and adapting our practice to the changing needs of our community, seeking always to identify and remove barriers to service.  

Who we are looking for: 

The New Westminster Public Library is now accepting applications for a permanent, full-time, Children and Youth Services Librarian. You are a creative individual, sincerely passionate about library service delivery that is socially inclusive and committed to the principles of equity and social justice. You possess an imagination and spirited vision for the development and delivery of services to children, youth, and their families based on a genuine commitment to community development processes as a foundation of your practice. You are able to articulate how the principles of social justice, equity, and diversity can translate into the concrete design of programs and services for children and youth, particularly as they pertain to socially excluded and underserved members of our community. You are committed to ongoing professional development and see this as another foundation of a practice that is strongly rooted in reflective learning and growth. 

The position and qualifications: 

Reporting to the Manager of Programs and Community Development, the successful candidate will supervise a team of 3 full-time and one part-time library staff with a goal of delivering excellent, community-based library services to children, youth and their families throughout New Westminster. You will help to shape an inspiring vision for child and youth services that promote the development of core early literacy competencies, STEM/STEAM programming, along with program development that is inclusive of underserved and vulnerable populations. You will oversee departmental scheduling, tracking of statistics and impacts, while serving on a number of working groups and committees both in the library and in the community. You will also take principal responsibility for coordinating annual and special events such as the Reading Link Challenge and the Summer Reading Club. 

i. Required Qualifications: 

∙ MLS or MLIS from an accredited university; 

∙ Passionate about equity, diversity, inclusion, and willingness to learn from other experiences; 

∙ At least three years of directly related professional work experience, including experience in  developing innovative programs and services for children, youth and their families that are welcoming and inclusive of historically marginalized groups; 

∙ Demonstrated expertise in a wide variety of children’s literature, publishing and service trends;

∙ Experience assigning tasks, inspiring, leading, supervising, delegating, and evaluating the work of  library staff;  

∙ Ability to work externally with a variety of individuals, organizations and community groups;

∙ Experience in providing customer-focussed instruction in the use of library software and devices to a  diverse audience of users; 

∙ Comfort with being personally identified and appearing in a variety of marketing and social media campaigns, online programming, meetings and events; 

∙ Proven history of excellent customer service, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills;

∙ Able to demonstrate superior communication (verbal and written), problem-solving, and decision making skills;  

∙ Ability to utilize excellent customer services skills; an authentic passion for providing high quality service; 

∙ Eager to contribute to the collegial atmosphere of the library, and to work well in a team environment that adheres to and emphasizes the principles of a respectful workplace; 

ii. Desired Qualifications: 

∙ Advanced knowledge and understanding of community needs and barriers faced by diverse populations including advanced knowledge of antiracism, inclusion, human rights, accessibility, power, privilege, and equity principles. 

∙ Demonstrated experience, ability and skills in helping to assess the need for and contribute to the development of services, programs, policies and procedures that support anti-racist and decolonizing methods and practice in a library context; 

∙ A preferred combination of lived experience and connection with historically marginalized communities; 

∙ Fluency in languages other than English; 

Salary & Benefits 

The current pay grade for this position is pay grade 24. See above for specific salary information. 

Through the City of New Westminster, the New Westminster public library offers a competitive benefits package that includes extended health, dental, and vision care. Vacation for full-time librarians is 22 days per year, pro rated according to the employees start date within the first calendar year. In order to support the evolving professional development needs of its staff, the library regularly supports attendance at local and regional conferences, workshops, and seminars on a rotating basis, as finances allow, supplemented through bursary support from the Library Board of Trustees. 

Equity Statement: 

To support a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized individuals, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ2S+), persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to diversity of our workforce are encouraged to express their interest. 

Application Instructions and Process: 

1. Apply by sending your cover letter and resume in one document quoting the competition number #22-L1, by 4:00pm on April 7, 2022 to resumes@nwpl.ca. 

In your cover letter please provide/indicate: 

∙ How your qualifications meet the requirements of this posting; 

∙ Any gaps in your qualifications or experience, and how you would address these; 

∙ The names, current email and telephone contact information for three professional references, preferably your most recent three supervisors.  

2. All applications will be reviewed. A shortlist of applicants will be identified and each individual on that shortlist will be contacted for a preliminary telephone screening. The call will include a review of the posting, the requirements of the position, confirmation of the application process and references provided.  

3. Following initial phone conversations, a further review and shortlist of candidates will be identified and then contacted for interviews, held according to all Public Health Orders in place at that time. Details about the interview panel and interview format will be forthcoming to those invited to attend.  

4. Following the first interview, a second follow-up interview may be convened and reference checks will be conducted. 

5. A review of all interviewed candidates, their application, reference checks and interview results will take place followed by the selection of a final candidate to move forward. 

6. An offer of employment will be prepared for the successful candidate, including details of employment and a review of benefits and compensation. 

7. Following official acceptance of the offer of employment, all other interview candidates will be contacted and informed of the decision of the Hiring Committee. 

8. While the deadline for submissions to this posting is April 7, 2022, the position will remain open until filled.  

NOTE: Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodation(s) for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence ckoth@nwpl.ca 

*Hours of work are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm. Varying shifts will include evenings and weekends. 

We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

This position is only open to those legally entitled to work in Canada.