Elementary Librarian

Employment Type: Full Time, 10 months, benefits-eligible

Start Date: August 2026

Paideia is a pre-K-12 independent school of over 1,000 students in the Emory University area of Atlanta. Paideia was started in 1971 by a small group of parents and educators who wanted a school that educated children with respect for their individuality. The school was founded on the idea that children have unique interests and abilities, and that they grow and develop at their own pace. The ancient Greek word Paideia conveys the concept of a child’s total education: intellectual, artistic, and social. After many years and considerable growth in size and programs, Paideia remains true to the ideas that inspired it and brought it into existence. Today, Paideia is the leading progressive school in the southeast.  

For more information about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, our focus on both social and emotional learning with rigorous academic offerings and opportunities for extra curricular learning, please visit our website at www.paideiaschool.org

The Elementary program includes thirteen full-day, self-contained classrooms.  There are two teachers in each class of twenty-four to twenty-eight children.  Teachers work together as lead teacher and an assistant or as two co-lead teachers.  Children remain with their own teacher throughout the day except for classes with specialists, including science, art, music, physical education, and library.  

Job Summary:

The Elementary Library program is a community-wide resource used by parents, teachers, and students. Our library program fosters lifelong learning and emphasizes the importance of reading, both for pleasure and for information. With regularly scheduled classes that focus on literature, reading comprehension, research, and critical thinking, the library serves as a hub of culture and learning and is vital to student achievement. 

Pleasure reading is a core component of the library program. It builds general knowledge and vocabulary, but more profoundly, it offers the extraordinary opportunity to inhabit the interior lives of others, enlarging our understanding of the human experience and nurturing the growth of compassion and an ethical self. The library’s primary focus is on developing a culture of reading and encouraging reading for pleasure. This is supported by administrators and teachers. This is a distinctive feature of the elementary library program, not always emphasized as technology expands. Learning about technology is done in other areas of the school. Sharing books with children and letting them choose what they want to read is paramount.

Research is also central to the library program. As the amount of information available continues to grow, a strong school library program is essential to help its users acquire the skills they will need to use information competently and contribute to the well-being of the community. 

Roles and Responsibilities Will Include but Are Not Limited to:

• Working collaboratively with elementary teachers to support curriculum initiatives, 
• Serving as a resource to organize, synthesize, and communicate information, 
• Assisting teachers in developing central subjects or new curricular units,
• Meeting with 22 groups of K-6  students each week in library lessons which provide opportunities for students to browse, check out, and read books, 
• Organizing  authors and guest speakers to work with elementary-aged children.
• Overseeing the library budget, collection development, evaluating databases, and weeding out outdated materials. 

Minimum Requirements:

We are looking for someone who has a passion and love for learning and reading, an ability to acquire and share a knowledge of best practices in reading instruction, works collaboratively with others and has a love for children and fostering reading throughout the elementary school.

The ideal candidate possesses excellent communication skills, a proven ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people and to create a positive, nurturing environment for students. Applicants must have a BA in Library Science and an MA is preferred. Candidates should have 5 years of library and classroom experience. Compensation is based on experience.

Application Notes:

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references via our online application.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience. A benefits package is offered for benefits-eligible positions. The Paideia School is an equal opportunity employer.