Join the City of Chattanooga Team
Chattanooga, a vibrant and growing community of over 190,000 residents within a metropolitan area of nearly 600,000 is known as the "Scenic City" for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we are a hub of outdoor adventure and innovation. Home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College, our city blends a rich industrial history with a tech-forward future—famously powered by the nation’s first community-wide "Gig" fiber-optic network. The City of Chattanooga was also recently designated as a "National Park City,” the first of its kind in the United States.
As a City, we are powered by a dedicated workforce of approximately 2,600 employees committed to excellence in public service and making Chattanooga the best community in the country. Our team ensures our city thrives through a wide range of municipal services, including:
The City of Chattanooga’s workforce is the heartbeat of our community. We don't just offer jobs; we offer careers with purpose: making Chattanooga the best city in America. We are committed to being the premier employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee by providing:
In Chattanooga, "work-life balance" means you can finish your shift and be at a trailhead or on the water before the sun sets.
Our mission is to work together to build a safe, vibrant, and sustainable city for all Chattanoogans. To do that, it takes a team of skilled and passionate individuals. So, if you’d like to call Chattanooga home – or maybe you already do! – and want to further your career through meaningful work that makes a true impact where you live, we’d love to talk to you.
Salary: $58,910 - $71,170 (GS. 11)
Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 11:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. Saturday, 11:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments, or projects.*
Work Location: Avondale- Chattanooga Public Library, 1305 Dodson Ave, Chattanooga, TN
FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.
Department: Public Library
CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
Incumbents in this classification are responsible for professional level library and information science work, which includes maintaining library collections; facilitating patron access to library collections and services; planning and administering programs; and may include supervisory duties. Work requires limited supervision and the use of independent judgment and discretion.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)
Delivers consistently excellent customer service while supporting the Library mission to be the community's catalyst for lifelong learning through inspiring communication, integrity, and passion. Displays professional acumen by being knowledgeable about library industry practices, services; and patron-facing consumer and prosumer hardware, software, and other technology. Internalizes the mission by taking the initiative to self-educate in professional development and skills. Advances the mission using common sense and critical thinking to achieve goals while amplifying team coherence. Proposes improvements to Chattanooga Public Library operations and services
Communicates and collaborates with internal departments, external consultants, vendors, external agencies, regulatory officials, the general public and/or other interested parties to coordinate work activities, exchange information and resolve problems.
Contributes to the collection and analysis of departmental statistics and metrics, including operational, administrative, productivity, and use data; participates in the preparation of related reports, charts, graphs, procedures and documentation.
May supervise or direct the work of staff, interns, or volunteers, including training, assigning duties, and providing feedback and/or evaluating performance. May be assigned as lead in complex and long-term systems, processes, and tasks such as system-wide document retention management, materials inventory, and collection deaccessioning.
Participates in operation-wide inventory management. Participates in general department cleaning tasks. May be required to become a Passport Agent or Notary Public.
Participates in a variety of meetings, committees and/or other related groups in order to receive and convey information. Travels to various locations to present programs and services.
Listens to feedback and takes constructive action. Gives basic direction and feedback to other Library employees. Prioritizes patron needs and tasks with attention to detail. Communicates effectively at all levels. Considers the impact of actions on an individual, team, and the organization. Actively participates in Library training programs and development activities.
Must meet regular attendance requirements.
Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.
Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.
May be assigned or reassigned to any location within the department.
Performs other duties as assigned.
DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):
When working in Local History
Arranges and describes manuscript collections, archival records, visual materials, and objects, including large mixed-format and born-digital collections, using appropriate-level processing strategies to ensure their accessibility, preservation, discovery, and use. Processing activities may include devising and implementing processing plans, screening collections for sensitive materials, rehousing materials and applying appropriate preservation techniques, and creating and updating access tools including finding aids and MARC catalog records in accordance with national and local standards.
Ensures broad access to unique collections by participating in digitization efforts, including scanning collection materials and generating metadata according to established standards and specifications, and working with content management systems to maintain and deliver digital objects.
Provides in-person and remote reference services for all collections in the Special Collections and Archives Department. Assists patrons with locating relevant materials, in print and online, and assists patrons with using department equipment.
Catalogs library materials according to current standards and local practices to ensure library customers and staff are able to efficiently locate materials. Maintains bibliographic records in the Integrated Library System (ILS). Performs original cataloging, and imports and updates copy catalog records as needed. Classifies library materials, performs subject analysis and applies access points using controlled vocabularies, performs physical processing, and keeps database records up-to-date and accurate. Maintains professional cataloging standards, including monitoring and staying current with all major cataloging industry standards. Recommends the adoption of bibliographic maintenance standards and authorities in an automated environment. Works closely with vendors to ensure bibliographic record accuracy and to resolve database and access issues. Assists with answering basic cataloging questions.
Promotes awareness and use of the collections by designing and implementing programming; creating social media and other promotional content; and giving presentations, talks, and/or interviews to the media, library groups, historical societies, and elementary through college classes. Develops and promotes exhibits and related programming.
Assists with collection development activities by maintaining donor contacts, conducting field surveys, appraising potential acquisitions, and acquiring/accessioning collections which meet the department’s collection development policies. Assists in fundraising activities, administering and developing existing endowment programs, and obtaining internal and external grant funding for processing projects, records surveys, interpretive exhibits, and publications.
When working in Makerspace
Supervises library staff in the Makerspace to include prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff is trained, creating schedules, approving time records, ensuring that employees follow policies and procedures; maintaining a healthy and safe working environment; evaluating and approving requests for leave and assisting with hiring and disciplinary decisions. Must meet regular attendance requirements. Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and patrons.
Develops and maintains both traditional and non-traditional collections, public speaking in front of large groups and in media about the Library and its services, schedule and process payment of all event spaces located at the Main branch of the library, and may develop and produce digital content on behalf of the Library and its services.
Must have specific knowledge of all equipment available on the Makerspace and up in coming technologies, tools, and A/V equipment. This knowledge includes, but is not limited to, best practices, general maintenance, and general understanding of consumables available for purchase by library patrons.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s Degree and four (4) years of applicable experience; or any combination of equivalent experience and education. Master’s degree in Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited program or in a related field preferred. Depending on assignment, may be required to be eligible for certification as a Passport Acceptance Agent according to United States federal regulations.
LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS: Valid Driver's License
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Knowledge of theoretical and applied library science principles and practices; customer service principles; cataloging and classification theory and practices; library material preservation techniques; applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; inventory management principles; automated library systems; middle to advanced level knowledge of the use of cloud computing, teleconferencing, and media production software and devices; advisory and reference resources; bibliographic formats and standards; archival processing practices and descriptive standards, general knowledge of professional librarianship cataloging rules and resources including databases; database management principles; educational concepts and standards, reference materials, techniques and practices; print and online reference sources.
Skill in preserving and maintaining archives and special collections; planning and administering specialty programs within the library; prioritizing and assigning work; interpreting and applying applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; the use of computers and mobile devices; significant accuracy and strong attention to detail; devising and delivering technical training and educational content; managing and maintaining databases; providing customer service; information sources for reliability, accuracy and appropriateness; performing computer and device troubleshooting; retrieving, organizing and disseminating information; conducting informational searches; prioritizing, organizing and managing multiple simultaneous projects; reading, applying and explaining rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; preparing clear and concise reports; gathering and analyzing information; skill in interpersonal communication with coworkers, supervisors and patrons sufficient to provide a high level of customer service receive complex work direction, and collaborate at a high level.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Medium Work: Exerting up to 45 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently or constantly to move objects.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: Y
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check / drug screening
The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
JES 3.26.25
KJF 260282
Chattanooga, the 4th largest city in the state, is located in Southeast Tennessee near the border of Georgia at the junction of four interstate highways. The city has received national recognition for the renaissance of its beautiful downtown and redevelopment of its riverfront. The city boasts the most productive affordable housing program in the nation, and is notable for leveraging development funds through effective public/private partnerships, with significant civic involvement on the part of private foundations. Chattanooga was one of the first US cities to effectively use a citizen visioning process to set specific long-range goals to enrich the lives of residents and visitors.
