Employment Opportunities

At the Highwood Public Library, our staff paves the way for engaging programming, innovative services, and transformative collections. We are a small but mighty library serving a diverse and dynamic community!

We welcome candidates who are committed to excellent customer service, creative collaboration, and dynamic problem-solving.

Keep reading to learn more!

About our Library

____________________________________________________________________

POSITION TITLE: Community Response Contractor

Join the 2021 IMLS-award winning Highwood Library & Community Center, a small but mighty library serving a diverse community. The Highwood Library & Community Center is an innovative anchor that enriches, empowers, educates, and embraces the community it serves. Our vision is to uplift, inform, and grow the community through the library’s collections, programming, and engagement strategies.

Position Status: Contractual position
Hours: 18 hours per week
Pay: $19.00 – $21.00 per hour
Location: This is an on-site position, working out of the Highwood Library at 102 Highwood Avenue, Highwood, IL 60040.
Reports to: Lead Case Manager

Position Description:

The Highwood Library & Community Center is seeking a caring and organized, detail-oriented Community Response Contractor to assist families in accessing necessary resources such as food, toiletries, technology and specialized programming to address their pressing needs. This position will serve as a point of connection between families, volunteers and the library.

Duties and responsibilities include:

● Support ongoing community response initiatives, including but not limited to assembly of take home kits, hybrid programming and library material delivery.
● Recruit, onboard, coordinate and communicate with volunteers.
● Schedule and confirm deliveries of library materials with families.
● Serve as a liaison between internal staff and external partners.
● Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

● Bilingual (English & Spanish) required.
● Experience in community-based work, case management, nonprofit services.
● Clear, warm and professional communication skills.
● Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
● Ability to work independently while communicating effectively with the team.
● Ability to remain flexible and respond to urgent needs.
● Organized with good time management skills.
● Experience and comfort talking with families of diverse backgrounds.
● Knowledge of basic computer skills (email, google workspace, scheduling tools, online ordering.)

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Viridiana Gonzalez vgonzalez@highwoodlibrary.org

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

POSITION TITLE: Youth Services Assistant (Children)
Join the 2021 IMLS-award winning Highwood Library & Community Center, a small but mighty library serving a diverse community. The Highwood Library & Community Center is an innovative anchor that enriches, empowers, educates, and embraces the community it serves. Our vision is to uplift, inform and grow the community through the library’s collections, programming and engagement strategies. The Highwood Library & Community Center is seeking a part-time candidate for an open position as a Circulation Assistant. This exciting opportunity will work at the Children’s reference desk, helping patrons navigate the collection and technology, shelving materials, and making our patrons feel welcome at the library. This position will offer a high level of customer service to patrons and assistance with library resources.
Part time, non-exempt position
Hours: 18 hours/week, including some evenings and Saturdays
Range: $17.00 – $18.50/hour
Benefits: Up to 40 hours per year of paid leave (which includes 3 personal days)

This position reports to the Children Services Manager.

Responsibilities include:
• Provide prompt, courteous, and direct assistance to all patrons with basic information regarding use of library materials, equipment, and services
• Answer basic reference and readers’ advisory questions and assist patrons with book check-in and check-out
• Instruct and assist patrons in the use of electronic resources
• Contribute to the general order and care of facilities and Library materials. Collaborate with department staff to plan and manage programs and activities
• Participate in collection evaluation and maintenance
• Process materials.
• Collaborate in supporting library wide programs/events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Personal qualities and qualifications include:
• Bilingual: Spanish & English.
• Availability on Saturdays and evenings required.
• Strong ability to welcome all library users with a friendly and courteous approach.
• Must be able to work independently and complete tasks on time.
• Must have strong collaboration and problem-solving skills.
• Must be dependable, detail-oriented, and reliable.
• Must be able to work well as a member of a team.
• 18 years of age or older with High School Diploma/GED, Some college or a degree preferred.
• Ability to communicate with manager and team about day-to-day tasks and ask for clarification as needed.
• Typical office skills such as conducting Internet searches, working with computer systems, answering phones.
• Flexibility in dealing with patrons and staff.
• A willingness to help out in special situations and cooperate as a team member to achieve efficient library operations.

Experience:
• Must have experience working with children.
• Previous Customer Service experience preferred.
• Experience working in libraries preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Constant standing and walking. Lifting up to 30 pounds, bending, reaching, stooping, climbing, pushing and pulling in excess of 75 lbs., reaching, handling, and fine manipulation skills. Ability to communicate by telephone. Ability to handle and shelve books. Ability to use a keyboard. Vision: near and far. Speaking and hearing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The library work environment is usually busy and demanding. Children’s programs are often noisy and crowded.

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to Diana Wence, Children’s Services Manager, at dwence@highwoodlibrary.org.