Deputy County Librarian

Date Opened 2/5/2026 12:00:00 AM

Filing Deadline 2/23/2026 5:00:00 PM

Salary $83\.13 \- $101\.15/hour; $172,910\.40 \- $210,392\.00/year

Employment Type Permanent Full\-Time Employment

HR Analyst Erika Beams

Department Library

Work Location Fremont

Type of Recruitment New, open, assembled

Introduction

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THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and supplemental questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE.

DESCRIPTION

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Alameda County Library is a values\-driven public institution recognized by the community and professional organizations for advancing equity, inclusion, access, and high\-quality public service. The Library is deeply committed to serving the diverse communities of Alameda County and to ensuring that library services, spaces, and programs reflect the needs, histories, and aspirations of all residents.

THE AGENCY

The Alameda County Library provides library services from ten libraries in the cities of Albany, Dublin, Fremont, Newark, and Union City and the unincorporated communities of Castro Valley and San Lorenzo. The Alameda County Library also provides additional services through Mobile and Outreach Services, Education and Literacy Services, and Social Justice Services.

The County Library was established in 1910 and is governed by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. The Alameda County Library Advisory Commission advises County Librarian, Cynthia Chadwick, and the Board of Supervisors on library services.

The County Library is funded primarily by local property taxes, with additional revenue from State grants and contracts with cities for additional open hours and services.

The Board of Supervisors allocates a portion of utility users and business license tax which is collected only in the unincorporated areas of the County to the Library for service to the unincorporated areas. The Alameda County Library Foundation and active Friends of the Library or Library League groups in each community support library programs and services. To learn more about the Alameda County Library, please visit their website at HERE

THE POSITION

Under administrative direction, assists the County Librarian in the administration, supervision, planning, budgeting, evaluation and advocacy of Library Public Services; coordinates public services with administrative and support services; acts as department head in the absence of the County Librarian, and performs related work as required.

This is a single position which reports directly to the County Librarian. The classification of Deputy County Librarian is distinguished from the classifications of Library Division Director in that the incumbent in the classification of Deputy County Librarian is responsible to the County Librarian for the effective and economical administration and supervision of all public services in the branch libraries throughout the County, whereas, the classification of Library Division Director is responsible for either the operation of branch libraries or the Communities and Collections Division.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: DEPUTY COUNTY LIBRARIAN (\#4185\)

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Deputy County Librarian is a key member of the Library’s executive leadership team and plays a central role in translating the Library’s service commitments into daily operations and long\-term systems. The ideal candidate will lead complex initiatives in close collaboration with staff, community members, and public partners, fostering shared ownership and trust while guiding thoughtful, inclusive change that advances the Library’s mission.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will be:

• A values\-driven leader who supports the County Librarian in advancing equitable, accessible, and inclusive library services that meet evolving community needs.
• Open to learning, reflection, and continuous improvement, with the ability to build shared understanding and support for new or evolving programs.
• Outcomes\-focused, setting clear goals for personal and team success while centering community impact and service quality.
• A clear and respectful communicator who inspires confidence and builds alignment within the Library and with community partners and public agencies.
• A committed champion of library programs and services, particularly those serving communities historically underserved.
• An approachable and politically astute leader whose style fosters trust, respect, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
• Deeply grounded in the essential role of public libraries and responsive to the distinct needs, cultures, and priorities of Alameda County’s diverse communities.
• An empowering manager who achieves objectives by setting expectations, delegating thoughtfully, supporting staff development, monitoring progress, and recognizing success.
• A collaborative leader who thrives in participatory management environments and shared decision\-making based on mutual goals.
• Able to think strategically while translating vision into action and measurable results.
• Proven in leading complex library operations with clarity, accountability, and care.
• Experienced in guiding strategic initiatives from early visioning through successful implementation.
• Adaptable and decisive, navigating complex situations with sound judgment, diplomacy, and respect.
• Skilled in working across cultures and communities, building authentic relationships with residents, library users, and staff.
• Deeply committed to delivering welcoming, high\-quality public service for both staff and the communities served.
• Motivated to achieve library goals through collaboration, breaking down silos and strengthening cross\-division teamwork.
• Comfortable leading organizational change with transparency, empathy, and steady leadership.
• Experienced in using data, evaluation, and lived experience to inform decisions and improve services.
• Knowledgeable about emerging trends and best practices in public libraries and public service.
• Experienced in navigating labor relations within a unionized environment with fairness and integrity.
• Politically astute, with the ability to work effectively within a public\-sector governance landscape.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

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TO QUALIFY FOR THE COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, YOU MUST MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BY FULFILLING ONE OF THE PATTERNS LISTED BELOW (I\-III).

EITHER I

Experience: The equivalent of two years’ full\-time experience in the class of Principal Librarian.

OR II

Experience: The equivalent of five years of full\-time experience as a Deputy Librarian (or equivalent classification) in a similar urban, suburban, or city library system.

OR III

Education: Possession of a Master's degree in Library and Information Science,

And

Experience: The equivalent of five years of full\-time, recent, increasingly responsible supervisory and administrative experience in a community library system, that included at least three years of experience at a level comparable to that of Principal Librarian in the Alameda County classified service.

A degree in Public Administration is highly desirable.

License: Must possess a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

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The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Library administration and organization.
• Principles and practices of planning, organization and management techniques as applied to a modern public library system.
• Principles of personnel, fiscal administration, supervision and staff development.
• Planning, organizing, supervising and evaluating library programs and policies and their relationship with community needs.
• Principles and practices of librarianship, including collection development, circulation, reference, reader advisory services for all ages and the use of technology in library services.
• Principles of budget development and administration.
• Principles of facility management and staff resource utilization.
• Principles and practices of marketing relations and community outreach.
• Methods and techniques of planning, implementing and evaluating library programs.

Ability to:

• Act as Chief Operating Officer of the organization’s services and operations.
• Plan, organize, direct and evaluate comprehensive programs for providing library services.
• Effectively supervise, train and evaluate professional and support personnel.
• Analyze budgetary and staffing requirements and make recommendations.
• Participate in developing controlling and monitoring the Library’s budget and expenditures.
• Organize, analyze and supervise comprehensive library programs and policies and recommend specific plans for modifying or extending library services.
• Communicate effectively both in writing and verbally with individuals and groups.
• Develop and maintain good relations with the public, library staff and community and governmental organizations.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

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THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

• A review of applicants' application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
• A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified that will be weighted as qualifying only (pass/fail). Candidates who pass the best qualified exam component will move on to the final step in the examination process.
• An oral examination which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score. The oral examination may be administered virtually and contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

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Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.

The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN

Deadline for Filing: 5:00:00 p.m., Monday, February 23, 2026

Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications: February 26, 2026

Notification to applicants: March 2, 2026

Review of Questionnaire for Best Qualified: Week March 16, 2026

Civil Service Oral Examination: Week April 13, 2026

Notification of Exam Results: 2\-3 Weeks after oral exam

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Department Selection Process: TBD

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT \& SELECTION PLAN.

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, Reasonable Accommodation \| HRS.

BENEFITS

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The County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide\-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing. These benefits include but are not limited to\*:

For your Health \& Well\-Being

• Medical – HMO \& PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO \& PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts \- Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short\-Term Disability Insurance
• Long\-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits \- Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Long\-Term Care, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan \- (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program

Management Paid Leave\\*

• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources

1st

• United Services Credit Union
• Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement. This provides a summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

\\ Non\-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three (3\) days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to eight (8\) days of management paid leave.

Conclusion

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All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org, @jobaps.com, acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

*Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.*

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box Noreply@jobaps.com and Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Erika Beams, Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda

Analyst Email Address Link: Erika.Beams@acgov.org

www.acgov.org/hrs

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non\-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.