Director of Youth Services – York County Libraries (PA)

Where your story begins…  York County Libraries (PA) seeks an engaging and experienced advocate for children and young adults as its next Director of Youth Services. Working with strategic partners throughout York County, the Director of Youth Services will seek to lead and participate in community initiatives to achieve the Library’s goals of supporting teens, children, and families. Located in south-central Pennsylvania, York County is situated on the northern Maryland border, covers roughly 900 square miles, and serves a population of 437,846 residents with 13 full-service public libraries and two satellite locations. YCL is a federated library system comprised of eight branch and five-member libraries with a combined operating budget of $7M.  YCL directly employs 109 staff at ten of its thirteen libraries and another 35 employees at its contract sites. More than 35% of York County residents hold library cards and annually borrow 1.2 million items. The YCL Youth Services team provides early literacy programs, free play areas, digital and online resources, and year-round activities for youth throughout the county, including 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, GOAL Grade One at the Library—an annual reading campaign for first graders, Sensory Story Times, the SummerQuest summer reading program, Library Tales for Tails therapy dog reading sessions and the award-winning program, Beyond Our Walls: Read Me a Story, which provides incarcerated individuals the option to record themselves reading a story to be shared with their children. YES: Youth Empowerment Summit, YCL’s annual countywide initiative focused on high school teens, highlights career planning and leadership building. Part of the Story inspires and captures compelling issues of our teen population through programs, workshops, and facilitated group sessions. YCL is currently renovating and expanding three of its library facilities, creating dedicated spaces for teens and expanding children’s areas at all three locations. Quality delivery of youth services is a hallmark of the YCL mission.

There is no better place to live than historic York County – nestled in the Susquehanna River Valley of South-Central Pennsylvania—York offers big-city amenities with small-town charm. While continuing to embrace its agricultural roots, the county also has evolved into a manufacturing and business hub. Major companies with roots in York County include Harley-Davidson, York Barbell, Voith Hydro, York International, Utz Quality Foods, Snyder’s of Hanover, and BAE Systems.  A bustling local economy has made York one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania. York also has great schools, a low cost of living, quality health care, and boundless entertainment opportunities. York has seen the emergence of cultural events and movements, art exhibits and shops, multiple music and performance venues, industrial street art, family events, children’s activities, “foodie” delights from festivals to underground restaurants, and more. York has become a place where you can have it all: a challenging and rewarding career, deep friendships, engaging social life, valuable education, family-friendly activities, and a great place to call home. The region is only a short drive away from Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

Responsibilities: The Director of Youth Services (DYS) must have a vision for planning innovative, diverse, and collaborative programs and services for YCL.  Demonstrating strategic agility, superior listening skills, ability to manage with ambiguity, flexibility to see opportunity in diverse situations, and political savvy to build strong relationships, the DYS works closely and collaboratively with key stakeholders and partners throughout the County serving as an advocate for children and young adults.  The Director also participates in the hiring, training, and supervising of all YCL youth services staff and is a key member of the library’s leadership team. A focus on customer service is essential to the success of this position.

Qualifications: Minimum requirements for the position include an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program, a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in a library setting, and three years of supervisory experience in a public library. Essential attributes and skills include a comprehensive knowledge of current trends and practices in youth services; a demonstrated ability to plan, implement, and measure performance goals; and experience in both urban and rural library settings. Child Abuse Clearance, Pennsylvania Criminal History Check, FBI Criminal Record Check, and Mandated Reporter Training are required.

Compensation.  The starting salary range for the position is $70,000 – $75,000 (with placement dependent upon experience and qualifications) and an attractive benefits package.

For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates. Apply via email with a meaningful cover letter and your resume as Word or pdf attachments to Beth Barker (bethbarker@bradburymiller.com). This position closes on May 21, 2023.

View the most up to date version of this announcement in its entirety along with accompanying links at https://bradburymiller.com/job/york-dys/.

Submit specified application materials to bethbarker@bradburymiller.com.