Collections Team Leader

CITY OF EAST LANSING

EAST LANSING PUBLIC LIBRARY

JOB DESCRIPTION

AVAILABLE POSITION:              Collections Team Leader

PAY RATE:                                    $63,951.42 - $89,597.04

HOURS PER WEEK:                     40 hours per week. Union Position. Includes some evening and weekend hours

REPORTS TO:                               Library Director

POSITIONS SUPERVISED:          Library Technical Assistant, Library Assistant - Collections, Pages

PURPOSE:

The East Lansing Public Library is seeking a Collections Team Leader who provides professional leadership and operational oversight for the development, management, and promotion of the library's collections. This forty (40) hour per week, team-oriented position supervises technical services operations including cataloging, acquisitions, and collection maintenance; manages the collections budget and vendor relationships; serves on the library leadership team; and collaborates with programming, marketing, and public services staff to ensure collections meet community needs and support programming initiatives. The Collections Team Leader fosters a commitment to collection excellence, staff development, and innovative access to resources.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS

  • Develops, manages, and evaluates all library collections, including the Library of Things, ensuring they meet community needs and interests.
  • Supervises, manages, and evaluates Collections staff including Library Assistants, Pages, and other relevant positions.
  • Oversees all cataloging workflows and performs original cataloging as needed.
  • Manages the collections budget, including approving invoices, tracking expenditures, and establishing funding priorities in collaboration with library leadership.
  • Oversees the selection, acquisition, and maintenance of all library materials, reviewing orders before placement and managing vendor relationships.
  • Collaborates with programming and marketing staff to promote collections and ensure collections complement library programs and events.
  • Prepares statistical reports and conducts collection evaluations using the ILS (Sierra) and other resources.
  • Serves on the library leadership team and participates in library committees and teams.
  • Staffs public service desks weekly and serves as evening/weekend Person In Charge as scheduled.
  • Acts as liaison to cooperatives and consortia related to collections and technical services.
  • Supports and periodically reviews Collection Development policies and other related policies.
  • Participates in library events and outreach on an as needed basis.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Master’s degree in Library Science or Information Science from an American Library Association accredited school.
  • A minimum two (2) years in a supervisory capacity or demonstrated experience overseeing projects from inception to completion.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in performing acquisitions and cataloging tasks using an Integrated Library System (ILS) and other collection management tools.
  • Experience with vendor tools and resources for selection, acquisitions, and cataloging.
  • Cataloging and metadata experience, including knowledge of cataloging standards, metadata schemas, and technical services workflows.
  • Experience with budget management, vendor relations, and library acquisitions processes.
  • Ability to stay current on publishing trends, new formats, and collection development innovations.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Project management skills with the ability to manage complex workflows from planning through implementation.
  • Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be substituted.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Public library experience, ideally in a collection development or technical services capacity.
  • Four or more years of post-MLS collection development experience with adult, teen, and juvenile collections.
  • Experience supervising staff in a collective bargaining environment.
  • Readers advisory skills and familiarity with major publishers and publishing trends.
  • Process management and process documentation skills.
  • Experience with Bibliocommons products and Microsoft Office.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

  • Ability to withstand and perform routine and repetitive motions such as bending, crouching, reaching, standing, and pushing book truck on a regular basis
  • Ability to lift library materials weighing up to 50 lbs., and to push book trucks weighing up to 200 lbs.
  • Ability to sit and stand and use computers for extended periods.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Majority of work performed in library environment and East Lansing community
  • Some evenings and/or weekend work required
  • Requires periodic participation and attendance at events and training

TO APPLY, PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING:

ELPL will accept applications through Monday, May 25, 2026.

SUBMISSION OPTIONS:

  • Email: Send all materials to Chrissie Evaskis-Garrett, Library Director, at cevaskis@elpl.org
  • Alternately, mail your completed application to:
    Chrissie Evaskis-Garrett
    East Lansing Public Library
    950 Abbot Rd.
    East Lansing, MI 48823

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level or work being performed by people assigned in this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable someone with a qualifying disability to perform the essential functions of the position.

EAST LANSING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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