Description

LIBRARIAN I

Marin County Free Library

San Rafael, California

$76,713.00 - $91,416.00 Annually

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website.

The Marin County Free Library (MCFL) is a special taxing district that operates ten branch libraries in Marin under the authority of the Board of Supervisors. It provides public library services to the residents of the unincorporated areas of the County and the cities of Corte Madera, Fairfax, and Novato.

The Marin County Free Library is an innovative and dynamic civic institution that is committed to providing exceptional services to a community that cares deeply about the library and encourages the library to assume a critical role in supporting the community to be resilient, equitable, and progressive. MCFL is committed to racial equity and the inclusion of those with multiple perspectives and backgrounds in our decision making.

About the Anne T. Kent California Room

Located both within the Civic Center Branch Library and an offsite annex, the Anne T. Kent California Room is a local history resource, special collections, and archive dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history and culture of Marin County. The California Room acquires, preserves, and provides access to a wealth of primary and secondary resources and is a center for research, exploration, and discovery for local, national, and international information seekers.

In alignment with MCFL’s goal to actively celebrate diverse perspectives while promoting affirming environments that honor each individual’s unique history and lived experience, The California Room is committed to documenting the history of all communities, developing our collections, and establishing programs that uplift underrepresented community narratives to reflect the cultural, intellectual and creative contributions representative of Marin County’s diverse communities.     

We strive to...

•        Be a premier resource for K-12 educators as well as universities, and local colleges; 
•        Partner intentionally with our local arts and cultural heritage organizations, museums, and historical societies;  
•        Engage researchers of all levels, as well as the merely curious;   
•        Be a place that is welcoming and accessible to all.  

This is an exciting time to join the California Room during a period of transformation as we align our collections, services, and programs with MCFL’s Anti-Racist and Equity Strategic Plan. 

Current Vacancy: There is currently one (1) full-time, regular hire Librarian I, California Room position located in the Civic Center branch. Reporting to the Librarian II, the Librarian I position for the Marin County Free Library Anne T. Kent California Room is responsible for a variety of technical and public service assignments, including reference services, community outreach, collection development and maintenance, and programming for a variety of ages.  As Librarian I in the local history room, the highly qualified candidate will understand the enduring value and importance of special collections, and knowledge of the basic history, theory, and best practices relating to materials found in archives and special collections libraries.  

Under supervision from the Librarian II, the incumbent is expected to work independently, take an active role in library operations as part of a larger team, and support diverse user populations in engaging with the California Room’s physical and digital collections. The highly qualified candidate is passionate about providing excellent library services to community members and committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to realize the full potential of this unique and treasured resource.  

Our Highly Qualified Candidate: The highly qualified candidate will have experience working with archives and special collections in an academic library, public library, or cultural heritage organization. They demonstrate enthusiasm for public history, special collections, and supporting research and discovery at all levels in a dynamic public library setting and possess a high level of cultural sensitivity and understanding of the ongoing information needs of historically minoritized and marginalized communities in archives and special collections environments.

In addition, the highly qualified candidate possesses the following competencies for Special Collections Professionals outlined by the American Library Association:

•        Demonstrates an understanding of the enduring value and importance of special collections to shared collective cultural and intellectual heritage;
•        Knowledge of the basic history, theory, and best practices relating to materials found in special collections research libraries, including but not limited to printed books, manuscripts, archival material, and ephemera; photographs, prints, maps and other graphic works; audio-visual material in all formats; born-digital and digitized media; art objects and three-dimensional objects;
•        Possesses cultural awareness and linguistic competencies appropriate for collections and user communities;
•        Develops and maintains knowledge of the production and dissemination of information resources including materials used to create archival and non-print materials by physical, photographic, and digital processes;
•        Knowledge of the context, function, and enduring value of archival materials;
•        Promoting the use of special collections through a variety of outreach and advocacy methods; 
•        Engages with and supports diverse user populations in working with special collections; recognizes the potential research and learning uses of a wide variety of collections material and is able to effectively match these to the needs of diverse audiences; 
•        Commitment to integrating special collections into broader organizational and community environments through collaboration and outreach;
•        Develops specialized competencies in particular areas of practice and pursues the acquisition of new skills and subject knowledge as needed;
•        Engages with professional organizations and provides leadership within the professional community and is committed to lifelong learning as applied to professional development in a special collections environment;
•        Bilingual skills are desirable but not required.

MCFL actively seeks to recruit and retain individuals who bring a broad range of educational and professional backgrounds and life experiences that enhance our organization’s mission and values. We recognize there are many paths to acquiring experience for this role. Any combination of demonstrable training and experience, including volunteer, capstone, or intern experience, will be considered.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Equivalent to an American Library Association approved Master's degree in Library Science, Library and Information Services or similar curriculum. Course work in the area of service specialization is desirable.

Bilingual Testing/Certification: To be eligible for a bilingual differential, the successful candidate must possess bilingual skills and must demonstrate proficiency in both Spanish and English prior to appointment. A bilingual proficiency exam will be administered to ensure the candidates possess the appropriate skill level to meet the requirements. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Candidates selected are subject to fingerprinting by the Sheriff's Department and must pass a Department of Justice LiveScan background check prior to appointment.

Filing Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026, at 11:59 pm PST. Apply online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/marincounty/jobs/5180015/librarian-i.  You may also visit https://www.hr.marincounty.gov/. For any questions, please contact the Marin County HR Dept at jobs@marincounty.org or call 415-473-2126. EEO/TTY