High School Librarian, Grades 9-12

Salary Range: $81,000 - $178,000. The position on the scale will be based on years of teaching experience and education.

Exemption Status: Exempt

The Dalton School, a progressive K-12 gender-inclusive school in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is consistently recognized as one of the preeminent independent day schools in the nation. Known for its child-centered approach and an exceptional, inspiring faculty, Dalton enrolls over 1,300 students with approximately 350 faculty and staff. Guided by the Dalton Plan, the foundation of a Dalton education, our faculty meets each student’s evolving needs, interests, and abilities. Dalton challenges each student to develop intellectual independence, creativity, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility toward others both within the School and in the broader community.

Library Mission Statement:

 A library is more than a place to get books; an archive more than a place to research; a museum more than a place to look at objects. At Dalton, they are hubs of possibilities that provide students the opportunity to inquire and learn, to collaborate and share, to explore diverse perspectives and cultures, to develop empathy, and to come together as a community of passionate readers and pursuers of knowledge.

In support of this mission, we are seeking a dynamic School Librarian for grades 9-12 to provide the leadership and expertise necessary to ensure that the library is an integral part of the instructional program of the school and reflects The Dalton Plan. The ideal candidate embodies a proactive approach to collaboration and creates a foundation of intellectual curiosity within our school community. As our school’s conversation around generative AI develops, we are seeking a librarian who can offer a contemporary and critical perspective in considering its purpose in our current research curriculum and the long-term impact on teaching and learning under the Dalton Plan. In addition, the ideal candidate will be an impassioned reader who can inspire students to simply read for fun with personal and joyful interactions, including creative programming. The Dalton School Libraries are committed to an inclusive library environment and strive to provide a community space where all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families feel welcome and valued.

As one of two high school librarians, the librarian in this position will collaborate closely on all aspects of managing the high school library described below, as well as work with the middle and lower school librarians on specific projects and K-12 initiatives. Our dedicated team includes:

• the Director of Libraries
• two lower school librarians
• two middle school librarians
• two high school librarians
• a MS/HS library assistant
• a technical administrator
• an Art Historian in the museum program, and 
• an Archivist. 

As a teacher, instructional partner, and leader in information literacy, the Librarian in this position will play a central role in cultivating students’ abilities to find, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically. The Librarian will collaborate extensively with faculty to integrate information literacy instruction across the curriculum and foster a lifelong love of reading and learning.

Responsibilities:

• Teach and assess information literacy skills including research strategies and ethical use of information through collaborative lessons and embedded classroom support.
• Partner with teachers to design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences that develop critical thinking and advanced information and media literacy skills.
• Design and facilitate student-centered, inquiry-driven lessons that spark curiosity and nurture joy in learning.
• Advocate for the integration of information literacy instruction throughout all content areas, helping faculty embed research and inquiry-based learning into their teaching.
• Provide individual and small group lab support to students and faculty as needed.
• Manage large groups of students in our lively (and lovely) library space with an emphasis on teaching community responsibility with compassion and understanding.
• Model a commitment to respect inclusion in collection development and programming.
• Conduct Reader’s Advisory for both teens and adults in the community.
• Be a student in the ever-evolving field of Librarianship and maintain knowledge of emerging best practices in teaching, learning, and child development.
• Work with others in the Library Department to develop, implement and evaluate policies and create opportunities for the community to engage with the library.
• Collaborate in managing daily operations of the library including cataloging, circulation, interlibrary loan, and creating physical and digital displays.
• Assist in creating and managing digital publications and online presence.
• Assist with collection development, including policies, acquisitions, and weeding.
• Lead and/or participating in clubs and programs such as Book Club, HeroCon, Breakfast and Books, etc. 

Qualifications:

• Masters of Library/Information Sciences from an accredited program (concentration in School Librarianship preferred).
• Teaching experience is preferred.
• 5 + years of experience in a high school or college library is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with faculty to integrate information literacy and research instruction.
• Extensive knowledge of and enthusiasm for literature for Young Adults and Adults.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and an eagerness to work with others.
• Strong work ethic composed of self-motivation, consistency and reliability.
• Passion for working with teenagers.
• Physical ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

Knowledge of:

• teaching information literacy skills,
• research methodology and current iterations of multiple styles of citation,
• the developmental needs of teenagers,
• print (books, magazines, etc.) and non-print (e-books, audio collections, video, etc.) collection development,
• platforms such as EDS or other discovery systems, LibGuides, Sora, Noodletools, LMS systems, generative AI tools, and a variety of research databases, and
• library programming and services for adolescents.

The Dalton School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law in the administration of our educational policies, hiring policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletics, and other school-administered programs.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to the employment portal using the following link - https://www.dalton.org/employment