Director of Youth Services - York County Libraries. Where your story begins… York County (PA) Libraries
(YCL) seeks an engaging and experienced advocate for children and young
adults as its next Director of Youth Services. Working with strategic
partners throughout York County, the Director of Youth Services will
seek to lead and participate in community initiatives achieving the
Library’s goals supporting teens, children, and families. Located in
south-central Pennsylvania, York County is situated on the northern
Maryland border, covers roughly 900 square miles, and serves a
population of 437,846 residents with 13 full-service public libraries
and two satellite locations. YCL is a federated library system comprised
of eight branch and five member libraries with a combined operating
budget of $9M. YCL directly employs 109 staff at ten of its thirteen
libraries and another 35 employees at its contract sites. More than 45%
of York County residents hold library cards and annually borrow 1.5
million items. The YCL Youth Services team provides early literacy
programs, free play areas, digital and online resources, and year-round
activities for youth throughout the county, including 1000 Books Before
Kindergarten, GOAL Grade One at the Library—an annual reading campaign
for first graders, Sensory Story Times, the SummerQuest summer reading
program, Library Tales for Tails therapy dog reading sessions and the
award-winning program, Beyond Our Walls: Read Me a Story, which provides
incarcerated individuals the option to record themselves reading a
story to be shared with their children. YES: Youth Empowerment Summit,
YCL’s annual countywide initiative focused on high school teens,
highlights career planning and leadership building. Part of the Story
inspires and captures compelling issues of our teen population through
programs, workshops and facilitated group sessions. YCL is currently
renovating and expanding three of its library facilities, creating
dedicated spaces for teens and expanding children’s areas at all three
locations. Quality delivery of youth services is a hallmark of the YCL
mission.
Our Community. There is no better place to live than historic York County—nestled
in the Susquehanna River Valley of South-Central Pennsylvania—York
offers big-city amenities with small-town charm. While continuing to
embrace its agricultural roots, the county also has evolved into a
manufacturing and business hub. Major companies with roots in York
County include Harley-Davidson, York Barbell, Voith Hydro, York
International, Utz Quality Foods, Snyder’s of Hanover, and BAE Systems.
A bustling local economy has made York one of the fastest growing
counties in Pennsylvania. York also has great schools, a low cost of
living, quality health care and boundless entertainment opportunities.
Since 2009, York has seen the emergence of cultural events and
movements, art exhibits and shops, multiple music and performance
venues, industrial street art, family events, children’s activities,
“foodie” delights from festivals to underground restaurants, and more.
York has become a place where you can have it all: a challenging and
rewarding career, deep friendships, engaging social life, valuable
education, family-friendly activities, and a great place to call home.
York is only a short drive away from Philadelphia, Harrisburg,
Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. For more information about
YCL and the area, see YCL Links.
Responsibilities.
The Director of Youth Services (DYS) must have vision for planning
innovative, diverse, and collaborative programs and services for YCL.
Demonstrating strategic agility, superior listening skills, ability to
manage with ambiguity, flexibility to see opportunity in diverse
situations, and political savvy to build strong relationships, the DYS
works closely and collaboratively with key stakeholders and partners
throughout the County serving as an advocate for children and young
adults. The Director also participates in the hiring, training, and
supervising of all YCL youth services staff and is a key member of the
Library’s leadership team. A focus on customer service is essential to
the success of this position.
Qualifications. Minimum
requirements for the position include an MLS degree from an
ALA-accredited program, a minimum of 5 years of progressively
responsible experience in a library setting and three years of
supervisory experience in a public library. Essential attributes and
skills include: a comprehensive knowledge of current trends and
practices in youth services; a demonstrated ability to plan, implement,
and measure performance goals; and experience in both urban and rural
library settings. Child Abuse clearance, Pennsylvania Criminal History
check, FBI Criminal Record Check and Mandated Reporter Training are
required.
For the complete description, visit York Director of Youth Services Position Description.
Compensation.
The starting salary range for the position is $75,000 - $85,000 (with
placement dependent upon experience and qualifications) and an
attractive benefits package.
For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates. Apply via email with a meaningful cover letter and your resume as Word or pdf attachments to Karen Miller, karenmiller@bradburymiller.com. This position closes April 18, 2021.
