Collection Development Librarian Jobs in California

Description

The Collection Management Librarian leads the strategic oversight, evaluation, and development of systemwide physical and digital collections to ensure collections remain responsive, relevant, accessible, and aligned with organizational goals and community needs. 

This role is responsible for collection analysis, digital resource strategy, merchandising standards, space planning, and systemwide collection maintenance initiatives. The position works collaboratively with branch leadership, selectors, vendors, and operational teams to support a high-quality customer experience across all library locations.

Collection Strategy & Maintenance

• Develop and implement systemwide collection maintenance standards aligned with organizational priorities and community interests.
• Monitor overall collection health across physical and digital collections, including age, usage, duplication levels, and format balance.
• Establish consistent practices for merchandising, shelving density, and lifecycle management for physical materials while coordinating with digital collection strategies.
• Coordinate large-scale maintenance projects such as shifting, inventory, and refresh initiatives.
• Oversee and advise on systemwide collections budget allocations, ensuring funds are strategically distributed across formats, subject areas, and branches based on demand and organizational priorities.

Ebook & Digital Collection Management

• Analyze ebook and digital media usage trends (holds ratios, cost-per-use, format performance) to inform purchasing and licensing strategies.
• Collaborate with selectors and vendors to maintain balanced digital collections that reflect community demand and budget constraints; serve as primary liaison to the Collection Management Team.
• Monitor platform performance and advise on allocation between physical and digital formats.
• Develop guidelines for integrating digital collections into overall collection strategy.
• Provide recommendations on digital merchandising, featured collections, and discoverability within catalog and apps.

Physical Space Planning & Collection Layout

• Advise on shelf space allocation based on usage trends, demographic patterns, and shifts between physical and digital borrowing.
• Collaborate with branch leadership on collection layout, signage, and merchandising strategies that improve discoverability.
• Analyze shelf capacity and recommend adjustments to maintain balanced, browsable collections.
• Collaborate with branch leadership on collection layout, signage, and merchandising strategies that improve discoverability.
• Analyze shelf capacity and recommend adjustments to maintain balanced, browsable collections.
• Support remodels, new branches, or temporary locations with collection design guidance informed by hybrid physical/digital usage.

Active Rebalancing & Systemwide Collection Distribution

• Lead ongoing redistribution of physical materials across branches to align supply with demand.
• Develop workflows and decision criteria for floating, transfers, and rebalancing projects.
• Identify areas where digital usage trends should influence physical collection distribution.

Data Analysis & Decision Support

• Use LibraryIQ data analytics platform, circulation trends, digital usage data, holds ratios, turnover rates, and demographic insights to inform selection and deselection strategies.
• Translate systemwide analytics into actionable recommendations for selectors, branch leaders, and administration.
• Prepare and deliver regular reports and presentations on collection performance, trends, and initiatives to leadership, branch managers, and clients, translating complex data into clear operational recommendations.

Weeding Oversight & Collection Health

• Develop and maintain weeding guidelines.
• Support large-scale deselection projects tied to space optimization or collection refresh cycles.

Training & Capacity Building

• Design and deliver training for branch staff on collection maintenance, weeding, merchandising, and interpreting both physical and digital collection data.
• Provide guidance on promoting ebooks and supporting patrons in accessing digital collections.
• Create documentation and workflows

Requirements

• MLS or MLIS degree required.
• 5+ years experience preferred.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of online library databases and services.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent communication skills; both verbal and written.
• Able to work a flexible schedule including weekdays, evenings and weekends Includes regular travel to visit branches. 
• Must have access to reliable transportation.