Upper School Librarian

About Us

The Fessenden School is an all-boys independent day and boarding school serving 540 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 9 in West Newton, MA. Our mission is to cultivate each boy’s talents and develop in balance his character, mind, and body in an inclusive and joyful community. For over 100 years, The Fessenden School has offered state-of-the-art facilities, a dynamic curriculum, and programs specifically designed to meet the educational and developmental needs of boys.

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Position Overview

The Upper School Librarian at The Fessenden School is an energetic educator, collaborator, and connector who works closely with faculty and students in Grades 7-9 to cultivate a love of reading, strengthen information literacy, and design meaningful learning experiences that integrate research, technology, creativity, and critical thinking.

Candidates must be able to design, implement, and adjust curriculum to integrate into Upper School classes based on student needs and departmental and library goals. Grounded in the developmental needs of early adolescents, the Librarian communicates with young people in a way that respects their humanity while exciting their curiosity about the world. The Librarian also acts as a faculty advisor and performs other duties to contribute to the Upper School community. Attention to detail, commitment to professional development, the ability to maintain a vibrant, welcoming space, and willingness to assist and support all Fessenden students, colleagues, and other librarians are also key. 

The Upper School Librarian brings joy, humor, and strong relationships to their work and plays a vital role in advancing the school’s mission to develop each boy’s character, mind, and body in a joyful and inclusive community. The Wheeler Library team of Upper, Middle, and Lower School librarians works together to provide a vibrant, forward-thinking, and coherent program for boys in Pre-K through Grade 9.

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Upper School Librarian:

• Serves as a teacher and collaborator, partnering with faculty to design learning experiences aligned with curriculum goals and AASL standards
• Curates and promotes a diverse, inclusive, and engaging collection that reflects our community and provides windows into a wide array of experiences that help to expand our students’ world views. We aim for our collection to support boys’ identities, interests, and academic growth
• Uses a current understanding of children’s and Young Adult literature to inspire a culture of reading by connecting boys with books, authors, genres, and ideas both in and beyond the library
• Helps students develop strong research, information literacy (including AI literacy), and digital citizenship skills, empowering them to navigate information thoughtfully and ethically
• Closely collaborates with the Wheeler Library and Ciongoli Center for Innovation teams to support students in their journey through design thinking, research, and creative problem solving
• Embraces growth, experimentation, and collaboration in a school culture that values professional learning and innovation 

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Essential Responsibilities

Student & Community Engagement

• Build meaningful relationships with boys in Grades 7–9 in general, and directly support the academic and personal growth of a smaller group as a faculty advisor 
• Supervise and support students in the library space and during assigned faculty duties 
• Attend daily Upper School morning meetings and weekly X-Block assemblies or clubs 

Teaching & Learning

• Collaborate with faculty to design and support inquiry-based, project-based, and interdisciplinary learning experiences
• Teach and support information literacy, innovation, and research skills 
• Promote reading and literature appreciation through creative programming, book talks, displays, and curated reading lists, including a Summer Reading List
• Incorporate executive function support, educational technology, differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive practices into lessons
• Participate in professional development opportunities 

Library & Innovation Support

• Support and manage library and school technology systems, including Google Workspace, SORA/OverDrive, and Alexandria
• Maintain curriculum documentation and student learning materials
• Maintain current knowledge of circulation records and overdue notices for Grades 7-9 and Upper School faculty
• Assist with book fairs, library teas, and other events
• Evaluate and help select print and electronic resources to support Upper School curricular needs, in collaboration with Upper School faculty and Library Team
• Support makerspace tools, emerging technologies, and website design (with training and support provided as needed)

Professional Responsibilities

• Participate in Library Department, Upper School, grade-level, divisional, and full-faculty meetings
• Uphold and model the school’s core values of honesty, compassion, and respect.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance
• Complete required certifications and trainings, including CPR/AED, First Aid, and child abuse prevention

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Schedule

• Orientation: August 24–25, 2026
• School Year: August 31, 2026–June 15, 2027
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–3:00 pm (2 days); 7:30 am-4:30 pm (3 days); Monday Faculty Meetings: 3:00 pm-4:00 pm; 4:30 pm-5:30 pm

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Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Have a passion for and current knowledge of children’s, middle grade, and young adult literature, and be able to inspire that in others
• Experience or background in teaching or education
• Experience in a library setting
• Commitment to professional development
• Strong communication skills and enthusiasm for working with middle school boys
• Ability to build relationships, manage groups of students, and foster an engaging learning environment
• Ability to perform critical thinking, organization, prioritization, and problem-solving with minimal supervision
• Ability to collaborate with a diverse community of colleagues, students, and families
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice
• Passion for boys’ education and adolescent development
• Successful background check

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science (MLS/MLIS) from an ALA-accredited institution (or equivalent)
• Experience working with young adolescent students
• Knowledge of Information Literacy skills and AASL standards, and willingness to remain current in these topics
• Interest and/or familiarity with makerspaces and project-based learning
• Working understanding of the uses/misuses of Artificial Intelligence in a school setting and willingness to learn more
• Familiarity with one or more of the following tools and platforms:
  • Alexandria or similar library management systems
  • SORA/OverDrive
  • Google Workspace
  • WordPress or similar website platforms
  • Mac and Chromebook environments

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Compensation

The salary range for this position is $64,250-$98,650 per year, depending on qualifications and experience.

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To Apply

Apply through Fessenden’s Career Site. Please include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.

The Fessenden School encourages applications from candidates with diverse or minority backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Fessenden School believes that each individual is entitled to equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, ancestry, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas