Teen & Learning Librarian - Plainsboro Free Public Library

Job Description:

PLAINSBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Teen & Learning Librarian

Full-Time · Youth Services Department · MLS Required

Plainsboro Public Library is seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking librarian to serve our teen community and lead learning experiences that extend well beyond traditional teen services. This is not a role for someone who wants to stay in a lane — it’s a role for a librarian who sees teens as a bridge: between childhood and adulthood, between generations, between curiosity and capability.

The Teen & Learning Librarian owns the teen collection, leads teen programming, and brings a broader literacy and STEAM lens to their work — designing and delivering programs that serve teens alongside other age groups and connecting the library’s work to its Strategic Plan 2026–2028. This is a newly reimagined position, created to reflect where Plainsboro’s community is headed and what it needs from its library.

Plainsboro is one of New Jersey’s most diverse communities — dynamic, multilingual, and deeply invested in education. Our teens reflect that richness. The right candidate will meet them with creativity, respect, and a genuine passion for what this age group can do.

Teen Collection Development & Management

• Select, acquire, evaluate, and weed materials for the teen collection across all formats — YA fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels, audiovisual materials, and digital resources — in alignment with the Library’s collection development policy
• Monitor YA publishing trends, review sources, and community reading interests to build a current, relevant, and culturally reflective collection that honors Plainsboro’s diverse population
• Develop themed displays and curated reading lists aligned with teen interests, literacy themes, cultural celebrations, and strategic plan priorities
• Analyze circulation data and collection gaps to inform ordering priorities; coordinate with Technical Services on processing needs

Teen Programming & Services

• Plan, develop, market, and facilitate a dynamic year-round program schedule for teens, including after-school, evening, and weekend offerings
• Coordinate and supervise the teen volunteer program, including recruitment, training, scheduling, and recognition; serve as primary liaison to the Intergenerational Task Force for teen volunteer involvement
• Lead the Cyber Seniors program, connecting teen volunteers with older adults for technology assistance, in partnership with Youth Services and Programming
• Provide warm, knowledgeable readers’ advisory, reference assistance, and a consistent, welcoming presence for teen patrons in the library
• Support Summer Reading programming, school year events, and all-ages initiatives in collaboration with Youth Services colleagues

Literacy & STEAM Programming

• Design and facilitate the Digital Citizenship for Tweens series and other digital and information literacy programs for teens and mixed-age audiences, in coordination with the Technology Leadership Task Force
• Develop and deliver AI literacy, financial literacy for young adults, and other evolving literacy programming that meets teens where they are while serving the Library’s broader literacy leadership mission
• Co-facilitate STEAM programs in the Science Center and makerspace alongside the Emerging Technologies Coordinator, engaging teens as primary participants while welcoming all ages
• Contribute programming content and facilitation support to the Technology Leadership Task Force and the AI Safety Awareness Project (AISAP) partnership
• Create take-home learning resources, program handouts, and instructional materials that extend learning beyond library visits

School & Community Partnerships

• Build and maintain relationships with West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, including school librarians, teachers, and administrators, to align library services with student needs
• Coordinate Back to School outreach, school library card drives, and the Middle School Boot Camp event in collaboration with Circulation and Youth Services
• Identify and develop partnerships with community organizations, cultural groups, and businesses that extend teen and literacy programming reach
• Support grant research and applications related to STEAM, teen services, and literacy programming, in coordination with Administration

Strategic Plan Contributions

• Serve as an active member of the Technology Leadership Task Force, Intergenerational Task Force, and Literacy Task Force
• Contribute to cross-departmental coordination with Programming, Circulation, Information Services, Technical Services, and Emerging Technologies
• Document program outcomes and contribute data for grant applications, the Library’s annual impact reporting, and Year One Progress Report
• Contribute program stories and content to the Library’s marketing rollout phases in coordination with the Strategic Plan Marketing Task Force

Required

• Master of Library Science (MLS) from an ALA-accredited program
• Current New Jersey Professional Librarian Certificate (or eligibility to obtain)
• Demonstrated experience in youth or teen services in a public library setting
• Deep knowledge of YA literature, publishing trends, and collection development across formats
• Experience planning and facilitating programs for teen audiences, with the range and creativity to engage other age groups as well
• Genuine enthusiasm for working with teenagers and a commitment to meeting them where they are
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect authentically with teens, families, school partners, and community organizations
• Availability to work a schedule that includes evenings and Sundays on a rotating basis

Preferred

• Familiarity with digital literacy, AI literacy, or information literacy frameworks and comfort teaching these topics to diverse audiences
• Experience with makerspace tools, STEAM programming, or hands-on learning environments
• Experience coordinating teen volunteer programs or intergenerational programs
• Knowledge of grant writing or experience contributing program data to funding applications
• Experience working with multilingual or multicultural communities; multilingual ability is a plus given Plainsboro’s diverse population
• Familiarity with integrated library systems (ILS), collection analysis tools, and digital collection platforms

We are a library in motion. Our Strategic Plan 2026–2028 is actively shaping how we hire, program, invest in our spaces, and measure success — and the Teen & Learning Librarian is central to that work. This is a position with real scope, real community impact, and real colleagues who are invested in getting it right.

• Salary range: $65,000–$70,000 based on experience and qualifications
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Supportive, collaborative team environment with genuine investment in professional development
• A community that shows up for its library — and a library that shows up for its community

Plainsboro Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a team that reflects the rich diversity of the community we serve. We actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Multilingual candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

Please submit the following materials as a single email to:

• A detailed cover letter describing your experience with teen services, your approach to collection development, and what draws you to this particular role at this particular library
• Current resume
• Three professional references

We look forward to hearing from you. Questions about the position may be directed to the Library Director at the email address above.

Application link or email address: jobs@plainsborolibrary.org

Salary range or hourly wage: $65,000-$70,000

MLS required: Yes, an MLS is required.

Job focus: Public/Adult Service, Youth Services

Work schedule: Full-Time