Children’s Librarian, The Providence Athenaeum, (Providence, RI)

Posted September 2, 2026

Position Summary:

The Children’s Librarian is a professional position that plans, organizes, coordinates, and manages all library services, programs, and collections associated with the frontProvidence Athenæum’s Children’s Library. This is a facing position that manages the daily operations of the Children’s Library with an emphasis on fostering a welcoming space for members and visitors. Main duties include providing patron assistance, readers’ advisory, programming, and collectio n development. The Children’s Library primarily serves families with children under 12 years of age.

A member of the Library Operations team, the Children’s Librarian works collaboratively with other staff and reports to the Director of Collection & Library Services.

• Department: Library Services
• Reports to: Director of Collections & Library Service
• Status: FT/40
• Code: Exempt
• Start Date: Early December 2026
• Compensation: Dependent on experience

Examples of Duties:

General:

• Assists members and visitors with an emphasis on excellent customer service.
• Providers readers’ advisory.
• Contributes to user policies and strategic goals for the children’s department.
• Maintains department statistics and submits annual report for the children’s department.
• Writes a monthly e-newsletter (Owlet).
• Leads school tours for elementary and middle school children.
• Oversees volunteers and high school student community service projects (when needed).
• Member of Library Operations team.

Collections:

• Evaluates and selects purchases for the children’s and YA collections.
• Maintains the shelves and creates book displays.
• Weeds and discards children’s material based on relevance, condition, knowledge of the collection, and trends in children’s literature.
• Evaluates damaged children’s books for replacement or weeding and may perform minor repairs (e.g. to pages).
• Monitors annual materials budget for acquisitions.
• Reviews gifts/donations fo children’s materials.
• Coordinates projects with other staff as needed.

Programming:

• Develops, implements, and oversees all children’s programs.
• Regularly presents “in-house” programs such as nursery songs and rhymes, fingerplays, storytelling, reading aloud, and craft activities, etc.
• Selects, schedules, and coordinates with local presenters and community partners to enrich program offerings.
• Provides descriptions and images to promote children’s events.
• Maintains supplies for children’s programs and services.
• Contributes children’s activities/components to building-wide events.

Other

• Provides support to and coverage of the main Circulation Desk and Visitor Center and has knowledge of library functions associated with these services (e.g. answering and transferring calls, processing memberships, and locating materials, etc.)
• Assumes supervisory role to maintain the smooth daily operations of the library in the absence of other staff, or when requested.
• Attends appropriate adult programs and donor events as required.
• Works regular evening and weekend hours.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements and Skills:

• Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited library school.
• Deep knowledge of children’s and young adult literature and materials.
• Experience creating, managing, and presenting children’s programs.
• Knowledge of library trends in children’s literature and programming.
• Experience with ILS circulation systems (Sierra preferred).
• Basic computer literacy, including Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to perform work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and pleasant working relationships with library members, visitors, and staff.
• Ability to stand, sit, lift, stoop, walk, climb stairs, and move library materials.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Punctuality.

Schedule:

• September – May:
  • Wednesday: 11am – 7pm
  • Thursday – Saturday: 9:30am – 6pm
  • Sunday: 10:30am – 5pm
• June – August:
  • Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm

How to Apply

Please send resume and cover letter to Kate Wodehouse, Director of Collections & Library Services, at [email protected]. The deadline to apply is Monday, September 21.