Librarian

THE COMPETITION Clare County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition. Clare County Council will, following the interview process, form a panel for the post of Librarian from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Positions will be offered in order of merit as per the panel. This panel will exist for 12 months and may be extended for a further period of 6-12 months at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

JOB DESCRIPTION Clare Library Service is headquartered in Ennis and manages and supports a network of a Local Studies Centre and fifteen public libraries strategically located across the county. The library service is constantly innovating and diversifying in a dynamic and changing environment, taking advantage of technological advancement in particular to deliver a wide and varied range of front-line services to customers. The Library Service has a cultural remit within the Rural Development Directorate which also includes the management of the County Museum, the County Archives, and the Arts Service. Library staff have a collaborative and supporting role in the day-to-day management of these other cultural services. A new cultural facility which includes a new library for Ennis is nearing construction completion and will open in mid 2024. Clare County Council is seeking dynamic, creative, and motivated individuals to be placed on a panel for the role of Senior Executive Librarian who will assist in fulfilling our vision to be open, accessible, a focal point for our communities and delivering a quality customer service.

The Librarian is an entry level professional librarian post and performs a role in almost all areas of library service. The post may be assigned responsibility for day to day management of a branch library or, alternatively, based in Library Headquarters with responsibility for managing particular service areas.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE FOR THE ROLE The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person, with drive and commitment to delivering quality public services and continual professional development who can demonstrate clear knowledge and understanding of: • Local authority services, its key stakeholders, and relationships • Local government structures and its democratic role and mandate • National and international public library policy and strategy

Desirable Attributes and Skills: • Understanding of and dedication to customer service • Understanding of bibliographic services and cataloguing • Energy and enthusiasm with a commitment to the needs of the community • High level of IT proficiency, digital and social media • Strong interest in working with children and young adults and proficiency with children's and young adult literature and programming • Strong interpersonal and communications skills • Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and supervisory experience skills • Community and Stakeholder engagement • Decision making • Strong judgement and capacity to innovate and work autonomously • Ability to work under pressure in a cross functional environment and to tight timelines • People / team management • Planning and organising workloads effectively • Fostering and maintaining productive working relationship both internally and externally in the organisation

DUTIES The duties to be assigned include the following although this list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time as organisational needs require.

The duties will include but will not be limited to the following: • Supporting ICT and Digital services • Managing and promoting My Open Library (pending National Agreement). • Developing and supporting literacy and family support services. • Planning, promoting, and implementing programs for children and young adults, networking with local schools and teachers and planning/coordinating the Summer Reading Programme. • Maintaining service to the public including working late nights / weekend and rosters. • Developing and supporting community engagement. • Organising event and activity programming. • Management and development of the library team, including the PMDS process. • Adhering to Health and Safety and Child Protection policies. • To support the Line Manager to communicate, implement and manage all change management initiatives within the relevant area of responsibility. • To supervise employees in supporting roles including assigning duties and workload. • To provide on-going support to employees in the department or section, including handling day to day problems and identifying training and development requirements as appropriate. • To ensure full compliance with all organisational policies and procedures including grievance and disciplinary, performance management and attendance management. • To communicate and liaise effectively with employees, supervisors and managers in other sections, senior managers, and customers in relation to operational matters for their section. • To prepare budgets and ensure that work programmes are implemented within allocated budgets. • To identify opportunities for improvements in the service delivery within the relevant area of responsibility and to use key performance indicators or other performance indicators effectively as appropriate. • To compile, prepare and present reports as necessary, including the preparation of reports or letters which may be sensitive and/or confidential in nature. • To support the implementation of good practices with transparent reporting and communications to deliver accountable services in the department or section. • To provide assistance in the understanding and interpretation of the Council’s policies and procedures to employees in their area of responsibility and to customers as appropriate. • To carry out duties in a manner that enhances public trust and confidence and ensures impartial decision making. • To organise and facilitate internal and external meetings and participate and engage in discussions as appropriate. • To carry out duties in a politically neutral manner, with a clear understanding of the political reality and context of the local authority. • To manage projects from inception to final outcome stage. • Applying for grant aid from various Departments. • To provide specialist administrative assistance and support in the delivery of projects as required. • To support the Line Manager in the management and implementation of Health and Safety for the section or department. • Deputise for line manager when required. • Any other duties that may be assigned by the line manager COMPETENCIES FOR THE POST OF LIBRARIAN Key Competencies for the post include the following and candidates will be expected to demonstrate sufficient evidence within their application form of competence under each of these. Please take particular note of these when completing the application form as any short-listing and/or interview processes will be based primarily on the information provided by candidates in the application form:

MANAGEMENT AND CHANGE • Ability to understand management decisions and effect leadership in the role • Think creatively in fostering solutions • Project manage processes and maintain momentum • Ability to understand management decisions and to effect leadership in the role

DELIVERING RESULTS • Acts decisively and makes timely, informed, and effective decisions. • Pinpoints critical information and address issues logically. • Develops operational and team plans in the Library Section having regard to corporate priorities, operational objectives, and available resources. • Establishes high quality service and customer care standards. • Allocates resources effectively to deliver on operational plans. • Identifies and achieves efficiencies. • Ensures compliance with legislation, regulation, and procedures. • Project Management in relation to grant aid.

PERFORMANCE THROUGH PEOPLE • Effectively manages performance of individuals and teams to achieve operational plan targets and objectives. • Leads by example to motivate staff in the delivery of high-quality outcomes and customer service. • Develops staff potential. • Manages underperformance or conflict. • Understands effective communications at all levels within the organisation. • Actively listen to others. • Demonstrates high level of verbal and written communication skills. • Ability to foster and maintain productive working relationships within the organisation and with relevant stakeholders externally. PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS • Initiative and creativity. • Enthusiasm and positivity about the role of the Librarian. • Resilience and Personal Well-Being. • Personal Motivation. • Understands the importance of corporate governance. • Commitment to integrity & good public service values. • Understanding the structures and environment within which the local authority sector operates and the role of the post of Librarian in this context. • Political awareness. ESSENTIAL CRITERIA 1. Character Each candidate must be of good character. 2. Health Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Education, Training, Experience, etc. Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms: (a) hold a degree (level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in the area of Library and Information Studies. Failure to input and upload proof of essential educational qualifications in your application form will deem you ineligible for this competition.

*Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications, overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document.

4. Age Each candidate must be under 70 years of age on the latest date for receipt of completed Application Forms for the office if they are deemed not to be new entrants to the Public Service as defined by the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. However, the age restriction of 70 years does not apply to "new entrants" to the Public Service as defined by the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004.

5. Citizenship: Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be: (a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway; or (b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or (c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or (d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or (e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015, or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa or (f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa. Salary: The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular. Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Starting pay for new entrants to the sector will be at the minimum of the scale.

The current salary scale applicable to the post is €48,089 - €49,561 - €51,039 - €52,537 - €54,047 - €55,806 (1st LSI) - €57,572 (2nd LSI) (October 2023) (Analagous to Grade V – Staff Officer