What are the responsibilities and job description for the Supervising Librarian position at City of Berkeley, CA?
BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR BERKELEY
Berkeley, California is a small city with a big reputation. At just ten square miles of land and seven square miles of water, Berkeley is famous around the globe as a center for academic achievement, scientific exploration, free speech, and the arts, and home to over 50 parks, a top-ranked university, and the largest public marina in the San Francisco Bay.
As an employer, the City of Berkeley offers all the benefits of a career in the public sector while fostering diversity, creativity, and innovation. Join a team of high-caliber, experienced staff with a shared mission of serving the Berkeley community and promoting an accessible, safe, healthy, environmentally-sound and culturally-rich city.
See why staff stay at the City of Berkeley: berkeley.careers
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Continuous Recruitment: Applications will be reviewed continuously to fill vacancies throughout the year. Our next administrative review will take place on Monday, June 1, 2026.
The City of Berkeley invites you to apply for the position of Supervising Librarian at the Berkeley Public Library! In this role, you will be responsible for the administration and maintenance of the physical facility; supervision, scheduling, performance management, and professional development of professional, technical, and support staff; and the generation and execution of creative, community-focused programmatic efforts. You will also provide direct public service to the library's users, delivering reference and reader advisory services to the community, as well as helping maintain a welcoming library environment for all users. You will represent Berkeley Public Library in meetings with the public, citizen groups, and other agencies. Join the Berkeley Public Library team and help us fulfill our mission to empower, inspire, and eliminate barriers with resources and experience!
The Library has two current Supervising Librarian openings, one in our Art and Music division and one in our Reference division. Both positions are located at our Central Library Branch.
See the full job description here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/berkeley/classspecs/105772
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is equivalent to graduation from college or university with a Master's degree in Library Sciences and three (3) years of experience as a professional librarian. Progressively responsible related experience may be substituted for the college coursework on a year-for-year basis.
Other requirements include the ability to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Berkeley to meet the program's needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities. When driving on City business, maintenance of a valid California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record is required. Must be able to work evenings and weekends.
In addition to qualifications above, the ideal candidate will have lead or supervisory experience.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To be part of the next administrative review for this position, applications must be received by Monday, June 1, 2026, at 5:00 pm PT and must include a completed application and resume. Please note that resumes are not a substitute for a completed application.
Applications are available in alternative formats (audio format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc. upon request to ada@berkeleyca.gov. Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.
EXAM PROCESS
The exam process will include, but may not be limited to:
- Application review for minimum qualifications and required documents (qualifying experience will be calculated based on the administrative review date)
- Competitive review and assessment of the applicant's education, training, and experience (Training & Experience)
- Review of Supplemental Questionnaire
Reasonable Accommodations: The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must submit a request in writing to hr@berkeleyca.gov at the time of application.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS
Candidates under final consideration for employment with the City will undergo an employment background check that may include, but is not limited to: confirmation of employment history, educational credentials and degrees, certificates, registrations, and licenses including driver's license; credit check; criminal history check; and Live Scan fingerprinting.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) EMPLOYER
The City of Berkeley is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All employment actions shall be administered regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, political affiliation, veterans’ status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
DISASTER SERVICE WORKER
All City employees are required to provide services as Disaster Service Workers in the event of an emergency/disaster.