St. Louis Public Library

Do you enjoy building relationships and inspiring young people and their families? Are you interested in storytelling, craft-making, and creating engaging programs for young people? The Youth Specialist I position may be the job for you!

The Youth Specialist I is someone who is organized, detail-oriented, and thrives working independently as well as collaboratively. The role requires someone who can manage numerous projects at once and act as an ambassador for the library during programs and outreach activities. This position is responsible for developing and implementing creative and engaging youth programs that respond to community needs, representing the Library through outreach, and ensuring all young people have a positive experience at the Library.

Carpenter’s ideal candidate is creative, enthusiastic, youth-centered, customer-service oriented, and enjoys helping and serving other people. If you are looking for a job that has a direct and positive impact on people’s lives, the St. Louis Public Library may be the right place for you. We invest in our employees and make a committed effort to mentor and grow staff to move forward within the system and build meaningful careers in public service.

In this role you will:

• Ensure that youth and caregivers who visit the Library feel welcomed, have a positive experience, and find resources that meet their needs.
• Develop and implement engaging programs for all ages of youth, including storytimes, STEM programs, and more.
• Implement and shape key Library initiatives that impact youth, including 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and our Summer Challenge reading program.
• Provide circulation assistance, including checkouts and card applications, and assist customers utilizing Library technology.

• Establish and maintain working relations with schools and other community organizations to promote library services to students, teachers, and caregivers.

You will need to be:

• Friendly, outgoing, and able to work with youth of all ages.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to work with competing tasks and priorities.
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
• Able to plan and implement engaging programs.

• Committed to serving St. Louis Public Library’s diverse customer base and developing your own cultural awareness.

You will need to have:

• One to two years of experience working with youth in a professional setting, or a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Education, or related field.
• Strong communication, writing, and speaking skills

• Strong technical skills and an understanding of how technology can be incorporated into learning opportunities.

You will earn:

• Competitive salary range starting at $35,385
• Medical, dental, and life insurance
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick days
• Pension plan through the Employees Retirement System of the City of St. Louis

• Professional Development Opportunities

Schedule:

Sunday 12:45-5:15; Monday and Tuesday 10:15-8:15; Wednesday and Thursday 8:30-6:15. Hours are subject to change.

About SLPL:

St. Louis Public Library is a true urban library, representing the historic center of the St. Louis region: the City of St. Louis. With its roots in the mid-1800s, St. Louis Public Library has a long history of innovation and service, a large and historic collection including rare books and extensive special collections, and a diverse and dedicated staff. Our technology is a major resource throughout the City and beyond, and the Library makes an enormous investment in technology annually to keep them state of the art. We operate 17 locations in a relatively small city of 61 square miles. These range from our magnificent Central Library – one of the world’s great public libraries – to regional and neighborhood libraries that vary in size and design but are centerpieces in their communities. St. Louis was an early, passionate supporter of library services to children, and that remains a core value and mission. Outreach into our varied communities, marketing the Library’s remarkable strengths, and working with civic and cultural partners to benefit St. Louisans are all closely held values and goals at the Library.

About the neighborhood:

Carpenter serves a very diverse population, including the neighborhoods of Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Benton Park, Benton Park West, and Dutchtown. It recently celebrated its 95th anniversary in its current location (although the building has been expanded and renovated since it opened in 1927). Our collections reflect the diversity of our community, as do our programs and services.

To apply:

If you are interested in this opportunity, please visit slpl.org and click on the Careers link, and submit both your cover letter and your resume with your application. Thank you!