Head of Youth Services - Montclair Public Library

Job Description:

Head of Youth Services

Youth Services Department 

Montclair Public Library

Full-Time Reports to: Library Director

The Head of Youth Services leads one of Montclair Public Library’s most visible and community-facing departments, overseeing programs, collections, and services for children, teens, and families from birth through high school. This is a role for a librarian with genuine vision, strong management instincts, and the creative energy to keep a busy department moving forward. This position reports to the Library Director and supervises a team of FT and PT librarians & library assistants.

About You

• You believe the library is a magical place for children and you take that seriously. Every program, every interaction, and every corner of the department is an opportunity to create an experience kids remember.

• You are energized by children, teens, and the families and communities they belong to, and that energy shows up in the work.

• You come to work with ideas. You read the field, watch what communities respond to, and bring proposals to the table without being asked.

• You are a skilled project manager. You can take a large-scale initiative from concept to execution, coordinate multiple stakeholders and moving parts, and anticipate what your team needs at each stage to stay on track.

• You are comfortable with data. You use attendance figures, circulation statistics, and program metrics to make decisions, not just to report numbers.

• You manage people with range: you know when to give a strong performer room to run and when to address a problem directly before it grows.

• You communicate clearly and proactively with your director, your staff, and your community partners.

• You are a collaborative colleague who works well across departments and understands that the library functions as one system.

The Role

As Head of Youth Services, you will set the direction and pace of a department that serves Montclair’s youngest residents and their families. You will develop programming across all age groups from babies and toddlers through middle and high school, build and sustain school and community partnerships, lead a team of dedicated staff, and ensure that Youth Services remains a dynamic and welcoming destination in the library. This is a department head position on the library’s management team. You will contribute to library-wide planning, participate in manager meetings, and represent Youth Services in decisions that affect the whole institution.

Key Responsibilities

Programming & Community Engagement

• Design and deliver a year-round calendar of programs for children and teens across all age groups, from early childhood through young adult.

• Give equal programmatic attention to teen and tween audiences, developing offerings that reflect their interests, developmental needs, and place in the community.

• Lead the Summer Reading Program from planning through execution, coordinating performers, staff, volunteers, and logistics.

• Build and maintain active partnerships with Montclair schools, childcare providers, community organizations, and cultural institutions.

• Develop outreach initiatives that bring the library’s services to underserved families and communities beyond the building.

• Pursue grants and community support to fund programming, partnerships, and special initiatives.

• Evaluate programs using attendance data and patron feedback, and adjust the calendar accordingly. Strategic Planning & Project Management

• Plan and execute large-scale initiatives and signature events from concept through completion, including budgeting, logistics, partner coordination, staff assignments, and day-of execution.

• Develop structured project timelines with clear milestones and assign responsibilities across the team well in advance.

• Conduct regular check-ins with all stakeholders throughout a project to surface problems early, adjust course, and keep everyone aligned.

• Be present and accountable at major programs and events, ensuring staff have what they need before, during, and after.

• Apply lessons from each initiative to improve planning processes and outcomes over time. Staff Supervision & Team Leadership

• Supervise, schedule, mentor, and evaluate a team of FT and PT librarians & library assistants.

• Conduct regular one-on-ones with all full-time staff and consistent check-ins with active part-time staff.

• Recognize and cultivate individual strengths, giving creative and high-performing staff the autonomy to grow while providing structure to those who need it.

• Address performance issues directly and promptly, with clear documentation and appropriate followthrough.

• Lead department meetings and keep staff informed, aligned, and engaged.

• Foster a department culture that is collaborative, professionally accountable, and oriented toward community impact. Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Work closely with other department heads and library-wide staff on shared initiatives, programs, and institutional priorities.

• Coordinate with Adult Services, Adult School, the Bellevue Branch, Borrower Services, and other departments on scheduling, coverage, and patron needs.

• Contribute to library-wide planning conversations as a full member of the management team.

• Share information, resources, and ideas across departmental lines and support colleagues in doing the same. Collections

• Oversee collection development and maintenance for children and teen materials across all formats.

• Lead or coordinate regular weeding to keep the collection current, balanced, and browseable.

• Stay current with children’s and YA literature, trends, and community reading interests.

Operations & Administration

• Manage the department budget responsibly, making cost-effective decisions and tracking expenditures.

• Maintain scheduling systems, vacation tracking, and coverage plans to ensure consistent public service.

• Submit accurate statistics, reports, and documentation on time.

• Track and analyze department statistics including program attendance, collection usage, and service data to inform planning and report on impact

• Participate in library-wide management meetings and contribute to institutional planning.

• Serve at public service desks as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Library Director 

Professional Development

• Stay current with trends in youth services, early literacy, and public librarianship.

• Attend conferences, professional networks, and continuing education opportunities.

• Bring back what you learn and share it with your team. How You Work

• You communicate upward proactively. Your director does not learn about problems, conflicts, or missed deadlines after the fact.

• You are present. For major programs and events, you are there. Staff do not need to wonder whether their department head will show up.

• You address staff issues directly and promptly, without waiting to be prompted. You document what you observe and act on it.

• You bring ideas to the table. You do not wait to be asked. You come to planning conversations with proposals.

• You follow through independently. Once a direction is set, you execute it without repeated reminders.

• You manage across a range of personalities and working styles with consistency and fairness.

• You collaborate across departments as a default, not as an exception.

• You bring colleagues along through change with patience and clarity, even when enthusiasm isn't universal.

This Job Is Not for Someone Who

• Sees the children’s floor as a place to manage rather than a place to inspire.

• Prefers to work within a single department and sees cross-departmental coordination as someone else’s concern.

• Is more comfortable maintaining the status quo than generating new ideas and initiatives.

• Avoids engaging with numbers, program data, or statistics when making decisions.

• Needs significant direction and follow-up to complete commitments independently.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of children’s and young adult literature, programming, and developmental needs across all age groups.

• Proven ability to plan and execute programs and large-scale initiatives across a wide range of ages and formats.

• Strong project management skills, including timeline development, stakeholder coordination, and multi-phase execution.

• Proficiency with spreadsheets and data tools (Excel, Google Sheets, or equivalent) and the ability to interpret library statistics and usage trends.

• Strong supervisory skills including coaching, performance management, and conflict resolution.

• Ability to build and sustain partnerships with schools, community organizations, and cultural institutions.

• Comfort working collaboratively across departments and contributing to institution-wide planning.

• Comfort with data, budgets, and library technology systems.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and serving a diverse community.

• Ability to interpret Library policy for staff and the general public

Qualifications Required

• MLS from an ALA-accredited program with New Jersey Professional Librarian certification.

• Minimum of five years of professional library experience in youth services.

• Demonstrated supervisory experience with a team of two or more staff members.

• Track record of developing and delivering programming for both children and teens.

• Demonstrated ability to use data to evaluate programs, manage budgets, and make informed decisions.

• Experience planning and executing large-scale events or multi-phase initiatives.

• Experience with community outreach and school or organizational partnerships.

Preferred

• Experience managing in a unionized library environment.

• Familiarity with Polaris ILS, Collection HQ, Data Analysis software.

• Conversational Spanish or other languages are a plus.

• Experience leading or participating in facility planning, renovation projects, or significant space redesigns.

Details

Schedule Full-time, 35 hours per week. Evening and weekend rotation required.

Compensation $75,000 - $96,000 commensurate with experience

Reports To Library Director

Benefits Health insurance, generous paid time off, pension, professional development support

Application Process

• Submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to jobs@montclairlibrary.org

• Use “Head of Youth Services – [Your Name]” as the subject line

• Applications accepted until June 7, 2026.

Montclair Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Reasonable accommodations are available during the application and interview process per ADA. NJ residency required per State Law.

Application link or email address: Jobs@montclairlibrary.org

Salary range or hourly wage: $75,000 - $96,000 commensurate with experience

MLS required: Yes, an MLS is required.

Job focus: Youth Services

Work schedule: Full-Time