Monday, November 15, 2010

A Few More Job Openings

A few more positions came through recently so here they are:

Posted 11/10/10
Library Children's Services Technician.
Closes: 12/10/10
Scappoose, OR

The Scappoose Public Library District is accepting resumes for a Part-Time Library Children's Services Technician. The position is 32 hours per week, including day, evening and weekend hours.

Primary duties include developing, implementing, and presenting library programs for children, teens, and families. Outreach to schools and other community organizations is an important part of this position. This position is also responsible for creating flyers and displays. Additional duties include working at the circulation desk, shelving, providing reader's advisory and reference assistance, and computer instruction. Excellent customer service skills and the ability to work as part of a team are essential.

The successful applicant must demonstrate the ability to develop and present a pre-school age story time program. If selected for an interview, applicants will be required to make a presentation at the time of the interview.

In addition he or she must demonstrate the ability to alphabetize and understand the Dewey Classification system. Previous experience working with children in libraries required and experience working with a summer reading program in a public library is highly desirable. Computer skills are required and experience with a library computerized circulation system desirable. High School Diploma or equivalent required. Physical requirements include the ability to bend and to lift piles of books weighing up to forty pounds.

$11.25/hr. with pro-rated benefits.

Successful candidate must pass background check. Open until filled. EOE Submit cover letter and resume to: Dan White, PO Box 400, Scappoose, OR 97056 or email dwhite@scappooselibrary.org Phone: 503-543-7123.

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Posted 11/8/10
Youth Services Manager
Closes: 11/29/10
Eugene, Oregon

Eugene Public Library is seeking a dynamic, service-oriented librarian to lead the Youth Services Section.

The Youth Services Librarian Manager plans, organizes, and supervises operations in the Youth Services Section of the Eugene Public Library, providing library service to Eugene residents from birth through the teen years. This position reports to the Library Services Director.
This position manages the day-to-day operations of the Youth Services Section within the Eugene Public Library. The Youth Services Librarian Manager exercises direct supervision over Youth Services staff, including 10.5 FTE librarians and support staff.

Minimum Requirements: Four years of increasingly responsible professional library experience, including one year of supervisory experience,ALA-accredited MLS and requires a valid Oregon driver's license or ability to obtain by date of hire.

Additional Qualifications: Youth Services experience, public library experience, and experience managing in a union environment preferred. Ability to speak Spanish preferred.

To apply online, access the City of Eugene Job Opportunity page at www.eugene-or.gov/jobs>. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 29, 2010.
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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Reading for Healthy Families

I just had a 2 day training from Steven Engelfried for Reading for Healthy Families (RFHF). This is an initiative that partners public libraries with Healthy Start-- a group that helps first time parents to get the tools they need to raise their children to be successful. The training was INTENSE, but really helpful and educating and entertaining-- I'm just not used to sitting for so long.
We started by learning what RFHF was, and how it works-- Joanne Contini used Russian nesting dolls to explain that the ECRR that the ALA developed, an is being used throughout the country is being passed down to trainers, to the more local trainers (like Steven) to the Librarians and Healthy Start workers (us), so we could teach the parents, so the parents can work with their children.

We learned about Healthy Start from the workers themselves in small groups- this was very helpful to me, because, while I know the idea behind healthy start from their website and hearing other librarians talk about it, I didn't know how they put their theories into practice. What a strenuous job they have!And what important work!

Then we jumped right into the training on the early literacy skills. We received binders full of information to share with families, to learn ourselves, and bags upon bags of books to give away, books to entice people to come to the library, and books and toys for us to use when we pass the information on to families.

Steven is a wonderful educator-- he presented the information as we would present it to the parents we'll work with, giving us tips and hints he has found helpful, and making sure we understood what we are being asked to teach. My favorite teaching tip he gave us-- which he repeated a few times, is to present the information to parents, and then ask them to "fast forward" to the time when their child is in first or second grade and presented with a text they haven't seen and asked to read it. After learning print awareness he discussed that children who have developed print awareness will be excited to learn what the text contains and will be willing to work through the tough process to decoding to have the book make sense. After we learned about vocabulary he asked us to fast forward to when the child encounters a rare word and after decoding us (using phonological awareness and letter knowledge) realizes they have heard the word before, even if they don't use it themselves.

I am very grateful that I am able to be trained in these early literacy skills, and I feel such a great responsibility to go out and "preach" this early literacy gospel to 15 families. Now I just have to figure out how to find them!

Unfortunately I forgot my camera at the training, so have no photos of the Salem Public Library (or their AWESOME discovery room-- seriously-- go check it out, it's like OMSI in the LIBRARY!)
Here's all my bags unpacked: