Selection Services Librarian

Invitation to Compete #28-26: Selection Services Librarian 

Technical and Collection Services

Central Library, 1000 4^th Ave. , Seattle, WA 98104

Regular, FLSA non-exempt, full-time, benefitted position (80 hours per pay period)

Salary range: $51.61 - $62.78 hourly

The work for this position will be completed over a five-day (Monday – Friday) schedule with scheduled hours between 7 am to 6 pm; Hybrid opportunity: in-office minimum of three (3) days a week. Option to work remotely two (2) days per week after a period of approximately six months.  

This schedule is subject to change based on the Library’s current operational need. This position is a member of the bargaining unit represented by AFSCME. A pay period is two weeks in length that starts on Wednesday and ends on Tuesday.

This position is open to the public and employees of The Seattle Public Library.  Candidates are asked to submit an application, cover letter and resume in NEOGOV by 5:00 p.m. on May 26, 2026. Please read the How to Apply section of this bulletin for more information.

OVERVIEW:

As part of The Seattle Public Library, our mission is to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. We view Seattle as a city where imagination and opportunity continue to thrive. Since 1891, we have grown from a single reading room in Pioneer Square to a world-class library system with 27 locations. 

The Library works every day to foster and support a healthy city and a healthy democracy. We do this work guided by the principles of intellectual freedom, literacy and the love of learning, racial equity, privacy and confidentiality, respect for the community, strong partnerships and innovation. We are an active and committed partner in the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative. 

Library employees are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge, quality of service and caring. As a workplace, we value respectful and transparent communication, partnership and engagement. We are enriched individually and organizationally because of our diversity and growth mindset. We take time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of others. If you share these values and meet the qualifications, the Library encourages you to apply for the Selection Librarian position. 

Technical and Collection Services (TCS) is a quality-controlled production environment located at the Central Library. TCS is responsible for the selection, acquisition, cataloging, and processing of Library resources (physical and digital) for circulation. In 2025, the Seattle Public Library added 200,000 new books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and other physical and digital resources to a collection of approximately 1.8M items. The Library’s 2026 materials budget is approximately $10M including Operating, Levy, and Foundation funds. 

This position reports to the Technical and Collection Services Manager and works as part of the Selection team in TCS, which includes four other selection librarians.  

The Selection Librarian is responsible for the selection and coordination of library materials (including print, media, and digital materials) for adults, teens, and children. The successful candidate will start out selecting for our adult and teen comics and graphic novel collections, and will have assigned responsibilities in other areas based on knowledge and experience.  

• Select and/or coordinate the selection of new resources for all Library locations, including digital resources 

• Work with Library staff systemwide to determine needs, answer questions, and respond to concerns. 
• Depending on selection responsibilities, attend regularly scheduled meetings of Adult, Teen, or Children's Services librarians 
• Prepare special selection lists as assigned 
• Work with authors, vendors, and publishers 
• Process patron-generated title suggestions 
• Monitor budget allocations in assigned areas 
• Assist with collection maintenance for materials throughout the Library system as needed 
• Answer patron questions about the collection in LibAnswers, and assist the Technical and Collection Services Manager with responding to patron comments, concerns, and inquiries about Library materials 
• Assist with maintaining the Collections staff intranet site resources for staff outside of TCS 

Education: Master of Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited library school required.  

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of professional experience providing public service and managing collections in a public library environment.  

Collection management skills: Knowledge of methods of managing and developing collections, including needs assessment, analytical methods, collection budgeting and expenditure control, and purchasing methods. Experience using OCLC and vendor sites to manage library collections. 

Communication skills: Excellent communication skills including the ability to develop training and information materials and make formal and informal presentations to staff. The ability to persuade, motivate, and develop collaborative working relationships is essential. 

Judgment and initiative: Ability to work independently and effectively with minimal supervision, understand and interpret a variety of complex oral and written instructions, exercise initiative and creativity in resolving problems, recognize and set priorities, and coordinate multiple on-going projects.  

Office technology skills: Experience using integrated library systems (ILS), Microsoft Office365 products, Teams, and SharePoint online. 

Project management skills: Demonstrated skill at coordinating projects across departments and divisions.  Experience building consensus with stakeholders in all levels of the organization, and ability to craft and communicate messages for system-wide changes and projects. 

Intellectual Freedom: A thorough understanding of the principles of intellectual freedom as they apply to the selection of library materials, and a commitment to these principles and the Library's mission and goals are required. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Reading and writing fluency in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Amharic, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, or Somali? 

• 2 years of professional experience developing and maintaining a public library collection 

How to Apply

Candidates who meet the qualifications are asked to submit the following items in NEOGOV by 5:00pm on May 26, 2026. Your application will not be considered if these items are missing or incomplete.

Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The employment history detailed in your application materials MUST validate/support your responses to the supplemental questions. If your responses cannot be validated, you will not proceed to the next steps of the review/selection process. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more interviews.
  
Benefits and Salary Information
  
The full salary range for this position is $51.61 - $62.78 per hour.
  
The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.
  
More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and covered family-members/most employees-plans

Information about retirement plans can be found at: https://www.seattle.gov/retirement
  
Additional Information
If you have questions regarding this bulletin or employment at The Seattle Public Library, please send an email to job.applications@spl.org. The Library promotes diversity and inclusion in employment. If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please contact us.

Please keep in mind that job offers are contingent on a review of criminal history as well as verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process.