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Lead Librarian

City of Carlsbad
$79,310.40 - $96,491.20 Annually
medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, flexible benefit account, vacation time, paid holidays, retirement plan
United States, California, Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue (Show on map)
May 02, 2026

The Position

Carlsbad - The Community

The City of Carlsbad is ideally situated in north San Diego County where a great climate, beautiful beaches and lagoons, and abundant natural open space combine with world-class resorts, family attractions, well planned neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a charming village atmosphere to create the ideal California experience. Covering nearly 40 square miles, the City of Carlsbad is currently home to about 115,000 residents. The city sets the standard for high-quality local government services and is home to corporate headquarters in technology, life sciences and action sports, supported by a thriving tourism market and nearly 40 percent preserved open space. Thanks to an award-winning growth management plan, the city's infrastructure and services keep pace with development and promote an excellent quality of life.

You belong in Carlsbad

The City of Carlsbad embraces and recognizes the vital relationship of an inclusive, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. An equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

The Library
The Library & Cultural Arts Department provides educational, informational, and cultural services for all community residents, and contributes to a high quality of life by supporting lifelong learning, the pursuit of knowledge, and an environment conducive to community gathering. The Library & Cultural Arts Department operates three public facilities that include the Carlsbad City Library, the Georgina Cole Library, and the Library Learning Center, along with presenting public art throughout the community. The Carlsbad City Library is also home to the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, George and Patricia Gowland Meeting Room, and the Cannon Art Gallery, which supports a variety of visual and performing arts programs, arts education, and cultural arts services.

The Position
The Library is currently seeking an experienced and team-oriented supervisor to serve as Lead Librarian of Public Services at the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane, under the direction of the Senior Librarian. This position manages Public Services staff who assist patrons with library services, provide technology assistance, present programs and instruction, and coordinate outreach and other programming efforts. Staff may also select and deselect library materials.

The ideal candidate will have proven abilities and experience supervising and developing professional and paraprofessional staff as well as conceptualizing, developing and providing a variety of library services, programs and outreach to adults, teens and/or children. The Library is looking for an enthusiastic professional with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to guide and grow staff. The individual should exhibit flexibility, and be familiar with delivering and managing library programs and services for adults, teens and children. They will also be able to receive and internalize feedback from multiple sources.


Key Responsibilities

The following are examples of the types of job duties that may be found in Library Professional roles:

Patron Services

  • Provide excellent customer service through active listening, empathy and respect.

  • Respond to information requests that are in person, over the phone, via chat, or other virtual media to answer questions, locate information and train the public in using the library's resources.

  • Recommend and locate library materials appropriate to library users' needs.

  • Provide instruction in the use of various print, electronic and online resources.

  • Develop and deliver technology related instruction.

  • Train, schedule and develop staff around patron services.

Advocacy

  • Plan and perform outreach services to community organizations and educational institutions to increase awareness of library resources and services and learn about community needs.

  • Represent the service area or the library at meetings of library, city, community and professional associations.

Supervisory


  • Recruit, select, schedule and train full time professional librarians, para-professional or clerical staff and/or volunteers. Approve timecards.

  • Supervise the work of and actively coach staff engaged in providing various library services.

  • Provide input into development and disciplinary matters.

  • Manage the budget for a program, functional or specialized area or division.

  • Lead and participate on committees and teams.

  • Identify and resolve difficult interactions involving members of the public by interpreting, explaining, and enforcing Library rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; may contact law enforcement or other emergency services during critical events or safety issues.

  • Act as the person in charge of a library facility primarily on evenings and weekends.

Administrative

  • Plan, manage and administer professional library services.

  • Analyze community needs, develop project proposals for modifying or extending library services and present to management; implement and manage special projects.

  • Prepare grant requests and implement grants related to program and collection development. Monitor grant expenditures and prepares reports.

  • Manage programming; schedule, attend and/or present training and education seminars, workshops and classes for Library and city-related skills.

  • Keep current on library trends by reading and/or reviewing data, statistical information, and professional materials, and by participating in professional associations and conferences to identify emerging community issues.

  • Participate in the development of online resources and their delivery.

  • Prepare reports based on the collection and analysis of relevant data for library activity.


Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are located in the attached KSA matrix.

Experience & Education

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

  • A Masters of Library Science or a Masters of Library and Information Systems from an American Library Association Accredited library school.
  • Two years of professional library work experience is required to qualify for the Lead Librarian level, including a minimum of one year of prior library supervisory experience.
May require specialized training in assigned division.

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