Residence Requirements:

THERE ARE NO RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS EXAMINATION.   This eligible list will be used to fill vacancies in public libraries throughout the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System.  

A promotion examination will be held at the same time as this examination. The list resulting from the promotion examination will be used first but appointments from this open competitive examination are anticipated. Use of the list may be suspended after it is one year old for any position which it is practical to fill through a new promotion examination.

Examples of Duties:

A Librarian IV has overall responsibility for a major functional area of the library, such as, Central Reference, Extension Services, Support Services or System Services;

Makes administrative decisions for assigned area, i.e., recommendations for service policy, collection development, budget, personnel;

Evaluates the effectiveness of the collection/services in relation to the changing needs of the users;

Recommends, plans, and implements new types of services;

Provides reference and reader's advisory services to library users;

Performs on-line database searches and search training;

Devises work flow procedures involving technologies;

Makes/recommends policy decisions for the library related to classification and subject cataloging of materials, inventory in the automated circulation system, circulation rules;

Prepares budget proposals and estimates for the assigned unit;

Serves as liaison for library services with community groups, vendors, government agencies, and other libraries;

Coordinates public relations efforts for the assigned area;

Reviews statistical and narrative reports of activities within assigned area and reports to appropriate administrative persons;

Supervises professional, paraprofessional, clerical, page and volunteer personnel with ultimate responsibility for selection, evaluation, and discipline of staff as necessary;

Keeps informed of professional developments through participation in professional organizations, meetings, workshops, continuing education courses and reading professional materials;

If assigned to Support Services, duties require L.C. cataloging and classification rules/techniques or the DRA automation system applications (e.g., acquisitions, serials and circulation modules and reports); facility in mathematics/programming languages and basic accounting;

If assigned to Public Services, responsible for overseeing expenditure of $500,000 library materials budget, making collection decisions for a reference library in a specialized content area (e.g., humanities and social sciences, business and science), supervising up to 50 subject specialists, clerks, and pages; negotiating with vendors; other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before August 31, 2017:

Master's Degree in Librarianship from a library school that is accredited by the American Library Association or recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable education practices; six (6) years of professional library experience subsequent to receiving the MLS.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Eligibility for a New York State Public Librarian's Professional Certificate at the time of application for appointment; possession of certificate at time of appointment.

For specialized services three (3) years of this experience must have been in the specialized service field.

Notes:

NOTES: 1. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting the experience requirements. 2. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.
All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. 

Subjects of Examination:

There will be no written or oral test for this examination.  If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will receive a rating based upon an evaluation of your training and experience against the duties of the position being tested.

Candidates must first complete an examination application and return it to the Erie County Personnel Department on or before the last filing date of June 28, 2017

Approved candidates will be sent a notice containing directions to a website address needed to complete a Training and Experience Questionnaire.  

The Training and Experience Questionnaire will be available on August 1, 2017, and approved candidates will be required to complete and submit this questionnaire between August 1, 2017 and midnight, August 31,2017.  NOTE: Candidates will not be able to claim any credit for training or experience gained after the application filing deadline of August 31, 2017.

Candidates who fail to submit a questionnaire by midnight, August 31, 2017, will not receive a rating.  

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.