Branch Library Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Harris County Public Library (HCPL) system, established in 1921, began as a collection of small libraries located in stores, post offices, and private homes. Over the years, it has grown into a robust network comprising 26 branch libraries, two technology service centers, and two partner locations that provide collection and circulation services. HCPL serves the communities of unincorporated Harris County and cities without independent library systems. In 2024, HCPL received the prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor awarded to libraries in the United States. Bestowed annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), this award recognizes institutions that deliver exceptional service to their communities. The library was recognized for innovative initiatives like HCPL Connected, Enhanced+ Library Cards, and its Mobile Outreach Librarian program. HCPL is also recognized as one of the best places to work, offering a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. Its dedication to employee well-being, diversity, and community impact makes HCPL more than just a workplace—it's where individuals can grow, inspire, and contribute to meaningful change.

What you will do at Harris County Public Library:

The Library Branch Manager II serves as the primary manager responsible for independently directing the overall operations of a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 branch. The position establishes operational priorities, allocates staff and resources, supervises and develops employees, manages budgets and facilities, and oversees public services, collections, programming, customer experience, community engagement, and partnerships. The role balances hands-on service delivery with branch-wide leadership, resolves routine to moderately complex operational and employee issues, implements system initiatives, and uses performance data to improve services. The position is accountable for policy compliance, service quality, operational efficiency, staff performance, and overall branch results.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Directs daily operations of a Tier 3 branch, including public services, employee assignments, schedules, service-desk coverage, workflows, facility readiness, safety, and customer experience.
• Establishes and adjusts staffing, service, and resource priorities as customer demand, employee availability, facility conditions, and operational needs change.
• Selects, supervises, trains, coaches, motivates, and evaluates assigned staff. Establishes expectations, assigns and reviews work, coordinates schedules and leave, supports employee development, documents performance, and initiates corrective or disciplinary action in accordance with policy.
• Provides visible branch leadership by communicating HCPL's mission, strategic direction, priorities, and service expectations.
• Translates system goals into branch objectives, work plans, employee assignments, and measurable service improvements while promoting accountability, teamwork, and follow-through.
• Interprets, communicates, and administers library policies, procedures, work rules, and service standards for employees and customers.
• Ensures requirements are applied consistently, explains decisions, addresses noncompliance, and escalates significant legal, safety, employee relations, or policy matters to the appropriate leadership or department.
• Promotes a customer-centered service culture by modeling professional, respectful, inclusive, and responsive service.
• Resolves routine to moderately complex inquiries and complaints; supports reference, technology, and information services; and performs professional librarian duties as operational needs require.
• Plans, directs, and evaluates branch services and programs for children, teens, adults, and circulation service areas.
• Coordinates staffing, schedules, space, supplies, technology, communications, and partner participation to ensure services are accessible, well organized, and responsive to customer needs.
• Assesses branch and community needs by reviewing service data, customer feedback, demographic information, program participation, collection use, and barriers to access.
• Implements or recommends changes to services, procedures, outreach, staffing, and programs to improve participation, responsiveness, and community impact.
• Leads outreach and community engagement by developing and maintaining relationships with the Friends of the Library, schools, academic institutions, local government, nonprofit organizations, businesses, civic groups, and other partners.
• Oversees branch collections to ensure materials remain current, accessible, organized, and responsive to community interests.
• Coordinates selection, maintenance, inventory, shelving, merchandising, displays, promotion, and weeding in accordance with collection-management guidelines and usage data.
• Develops and administers the branch operating budget and gift funds, when applicable. Plans expenditures, monitors balances, approves or processes purchases within authority, maintains records, and ensures compliance with fiscal requirements.
• Responds to escalated customer concerns, employee issues, service disruptions, facility concerns, and operational problems.
• Gathers relevant information, determines appropriate action, communicates decisions, documents significant matters, coordinates follow-up, and escalates high-risk legal, safety, personnel, policy, security, or reputational concerns.
• Maintains a safe, secure, accessible, and welcoming branch environment by monitoring the facility, emergency readiness, furnishings, equipment, and public areas and coordinating maintenance, technology, security, and continuity needs.
• Monitors branch performance by analyzing circulation, customer traffic, program attendance, collection use, staffing, budget, service, and operational data.
• Prepares required reports, identifies trends and performance gaps, establishes improvement actions, and evaluates whether changes produce the intended results.
• Collaborates with Library Administration, other branches, Circulation, Programs, Partnerships and Outreach, Human Resources, Finance, Facilities, Information Technology, Security, and other departments to coordinate services and implement organizational initiatives.
• Leads or participates in assigned projects, pilots, committees, workgroups, meetings, training activities, and professional conferences. Coordinates responsibilities, monitors progress, communicates changes, and reports results.
• Performs related administrative, supervisory, customer-service, and professional library duties as assigned to support branch operations and changing organizational needs.
• Other duties as assigned

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All applicants must register and take the HRT Clerical Skills Test and score a minimum of 80% with a typing speed of 30 wpm and 80% accuracy.

Education and Experience:

• Master's degree in Library and Information Studies or a related field from an accredited college or university.
• Five (5) years of full-time professional library experience involving community engagement and planning, collection development and reference services, budgeting and financial resource management, library technology, program management, or service-data analysis.
• Three (3) years of full-time supervisory experience assigning and evaluating work, managing resources, addressing performance, ensuring productivity, and supporting employee development.

OR

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible, full-time library or public-service experience involving branch operations, community engagement, collections, budgets, technology, programs, or service evaluation.
• Five (5) years of full-time supervisory experience assigning and evaluating work, managing resources, addressing performance, ensuring productivity, and supporting employee development.

Additional Requirements:

• Unofficial copies of transcripts are required along with the application.
• Available and reliable transportation for work-related duties.
• Candidates must complete a clerical skills test and achieve a minimum typing speed of 80% aptitude, 30 WPM with at least 80% accuracy.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of branch administration, budgeting, purchasing, resource allocation, facility coordination, public relations, and organizational policies and procedures.
• Ability to independently establish operational priorities, coordinate multiple branch functions, allocate staff and resources, and maintain consistent service delivery.
• Ability to exercise initiative, sound judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and appropriate decision-making authority in routine to moderately complex situations.
• Ability to interpret and consistently apply policies, explain decisions, document significant matters, and recognize when an issue requires escalation.
• Ability to supervise and develop employees, address performance concerns, foster teamwork, and maintain accountability in a diverse workplace.
• Ability to provide exceptional customer service, resolve concerns, and work effectively with customers, employees, and community partners.
• Ability to analyze branch data, prepare reports, identify trends, and implement practical service and operational improvements.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally, establish effective working relationships, manage competing demands, and follow through on commitments.
• Proficiency with integrated library systems, reporting and scheduling tools, Microsoft 365, the internet, social media, digital resources, mobile devices, and standard office equipment.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations
• Ability to use personal mobile device for the County's multifactor authentication