Job Description: Library Coordinator / Literature Guide (part time or full time)

 Background: Libertas is a public charter school serving 700 students from early childhood through middle school in the historic but marginalized Frayser neighborhood. Our mission is to be a school for human flourishing: cultivating minds, hands, and hearts for lives of wonder, work, and love. We offer rigorous and personalized learning through the method of Dr. Maria Montessori and liberal arts education. And we are an attachment village of family engagement that fosters virtues of character.

Our libraries are a crucial part of the prepared learning environment: places of beauty and order that allow the child freedom because every option is excellent. Rather than letting the many good things being published today to crowd out the great, we carefully curate a collection of high-quality literature and nonfiction to encourage, enrich and enlighten students about a world beyond ordinary experience. And we provide models of written expression that employ rich vocabulary and striking expression. 

Role information

• Ten-month position following the school calendar. Full time role is (7:30 to 3:30 or 3:45 with one extra hour per week for professional development Tuesday or Wednesday). Part-time hours are negotiable (during the school day). 
• A full time person will either spend the whole day at the elementary campus, or split half days between elementary and middle school, while the part-time position is scheduled at one campus.
• Reports to elementary and/or middle school directors. Other key relationships include Principal, Executive Director, operations staff, and teachers
• Measures of success include student engagement and conduct in library, collection management, and observations
• Compensation: starting salary between 40k to 50k depending on qualifications and experience. Paid sick leave, health insurance and retirement benefits. Part-time $25 to $33 per hour. Investment in professional development.

Key responsibilities

• Help students and teachers find and explore books. Supervise student research and independent reading time.
• Plan and lead interactive readaloud lessons with students to foster fluency and comprehension
• Maintain a dynamic and beautiful library environment by periodically rotating displays
• Manage and maintain library collections, including acquisition of books approved by school leadership, cataloguing, maintain electronic records, labeling and shelving books, check in/out, periodic inventory to identify replacements needed. Light repairs of books. Organize Core Knowledge Language Arts books
• Supervise volunteers assisting in the library
• Participate in training and professional development as requested.
• Be a model of character and striving toward virtue for students
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Traits

• Interest in and commitment to the school’s educational mission. Love of reading.
• Experience in a similar role preferred but not required as long as applicant has some experience with children in an educational setting. Certification not required.
• Demonstrated experience with digital communication and record keeping systems.
• Willing to serve all children, including those with special needs
• Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Flexibility, initiative, and personal responsibility to work in fast-paced environment
• Warm and firm demeanor
• Work collaboratively, giving and receiving feedback with a growth mindset. 

Application process

Interested candidates should apply online at www.libertasmemphis.org/join-our-team where candidates can also learn more about our school. Please submit a resume, three references, and a cover letter (required) explaining why you would be a good fit for this position. Please direct any questions to bob.nardo@LibertasMemphis.org. Libertas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.