Description
System Learning Commons
Annual Salary - $54, 425
A bout the Board
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to learning, equity, engagement and innovation. We are guided by our vision, Growing Together, the mission that every student experiences a sense of belonging and engages in dynamic learning to reach their potential and build their own future, and our values of Compassion, Dignity, Trust, and Joy to guide our daily work and ensure that we honour the unique identities and needs of all. Proudly serving a community of approximately 50,000 students in the City of Hamilton and surrounding area, HWDSB operates across 80 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 1 Adult Learning Centre, in addition to providing support and service to approximately 8,800 staff members.
Staff Wellness
At HWDSB, staff wellness is a priority. We are committed to co-creating and fostering an environment where staff feel safe, valued, and supported. We are continuously striving to support the needs of our diverse community and actively work to foster and maintain a culture of human rights.
Our holistic Staff Wellness program has been designed to support employee’s well-being in all dimensions of health. As one part of this comprehensive program, all staff as well as their dependents have access to free and confidential supports through our Employee and Family Assistance Provider (EFAP), in addition to many other program components.
About the Role
Reporting to the Manager, System Learning Commons, the Learning Commons Technician is responsible for providing library support to all HWDSB Library Learning Commons. The Learning Commons Technician will help build capacity of staff and students through recommendations and improvements, as well as through job imbedded training on the library tools. The Library Technicians team is responsible for applying Board cataloguing and classification standards, as well as creating and maintaining library catalogue system records. The Learning Commons Technician will provide support for Board provided technologies and software applications used within classrooms including the Learning Commons.
Duties include but are not limited to:
As part of a responsive team of Learning Commons Technicians, support Teacher-Librarians and school staff in assigned schools by:
Working with System Learning Commons staff, Teacher-Librarians, Administrators, and consultants to plan, create, and implement Library Learning Commons standards that contribute to every student experiencing a sense of belonging.
Modeling current literacy and technology fluencies to students and educators, enhancing the student experience with the Learning Commons and its resources.
Training staff to use electronic tools and devices, including the library catalogue and the virtual library collection.
Delivering reference services to staff and students, as required, including bibliographic searches to enhance lesson planning and classroom instruction.
Keeping current with children’s and YA material, both fiction and nonfiction, and making culturally relevant and responsive collection suggestions for Teacher-Librarians and/or Principals based on existing school collections and student voice. This may include ordering resources, with approval from a Teacher-Librarian and/or Principal, using established certificate programs (i.e. Scholastic book fair certificates).
Completing regular System Learning Commons projects, as assigned and required.
Creating customized statistical reports using a variety of reporting utilities.
Responsible for providing accurate and standardized access to Learning Commons collections, both physical and virtual, by cataloguing; including:
Perform original descriptive and subject cataloguing for resources in a variety of formats, including French and other language material as required, using the range of standard cataloguing tools such as AACR/RDA, Library of Congress Subject Headings, and Dewey Decimal Classification Tables.
Creating and editing inclusive bibliographic records to meet standards as established by the System Learning Commons.
Performing copy cataloguing using online bibliographic services, and processing materials to be shelf ready.
Maintaining a central Union catalogue including database structure, retrospective conversion, online catalogue and authority files updating.
Assisting with maintaining and ensuring access to board supported technologies and software used in classrooms, including the Library Learning Commons:
Provides initial support and problem solving for board supported technologies (hardware and software) within the school.
Arranges for IT support for higher level technology problems, beyond tier one.
Liaises with IT Helpdesk to ensure effective and efficient access to technologies and software.
Troubleshoots and updates SIS records and student passwords as appropriate.
Participate in creating and establishing short and long-term goals for the System Learning Commons as well as establishing standard processes and workflow.
Actively participate in System Learning Commons team meetings as scheduled, as well as in professional development to keep current with library standards and practices.
Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Two-year diploma in library information technology, or equivalent, is required.
Two years of experience in a similar role is considered an asset.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Familiarity with the documents, ‘Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons’ and ‘Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada’.
Current knowledge of the organization, collections, practice, and operation of a school Library Learning Commons.
Excellent knowledge of culturally relevant and responsive print and online library resources related to the K-12 educational system.
Experience using Enterprise, Horizon and Overdrive preferred.
Technical knowledge and expertise utilizing Library Learning Commons software, including standard cataloguing tools and library resource vendors.
Familiarity with search-strategies, technologies, social networking, and information websites commonly found in the Library Learning Commons, with the ability to learn other software programs, as required.
Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of HWDSB and Library Learning Commons policies and procedures is required.
Excellent organizational and time management skills required. Must be able to recognize and establish priorities independently, and work to established standards of accuracy with high attention to detail.
Ability to catalogue MARC records to industry standards using AACR/RDA, DDC System, LCSH.
Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate effectively with educators, administrators, and students is required.
Comfort with, and the ability to use, library software and Microsoft 365 applications to plan, organize, and track activities.
Ability to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability, with the ability to manage change effectively.
OTHERS
Ability to travel to all schools in the Board, a valid driver’s license is required.
Deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m. on October 18, 2024
Employment Equity Statement
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to building inclusive learning and working environments where students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, staff population, physical surroundings and the broader community.
HWDSB’s mission is to empower students to learn and grow to their full potential in a diverse world. Guided by this mission, HWDSB strives to build a workforce that embodies the values of human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, while reflecting and welcoming the diverse and distinct identities, experiences and needs of our students and our communities.
HWDSB seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, and who will contribute to the vision of creating inclusive and equitable outcomes. HWDSB especially invites and welcomes applications from:
Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples).
Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin (e.g., Black and racialized communities, immigrant communities, etc.).
Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities.
Persons who identify as women.
Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. (i.e., Two-spirit and LGBTQIA+).
As part of HWDSB’s commitment to employment equity and removing barriers to groups that have faced and continue to face barriers in employment, we invite all applicants to complete a voluntary questionnaire that collects identity-based information. The voluntary questionnaire is on the Apply to Education application page for this position.
HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds. If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Land Acknowledgement
HWDSB is located on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The Dish with One Spoon wampum belt represents the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabe with respect to sharing the land and resources thereon. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.
Applicant Self-Identification Form
The information collected on this form is used to monitor HWDSB’s progress toward our equity goals including our commitment to diversity in HWDSB recruitment and hiring practices. We are committed to the security and confidentiality of information under our control, and to the protection of privacy with respect to personal and confidential information that is collected, used, disclosed and retained in the system (Policy 1.6 - Privacy). Information on this form is collected pursuant to Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (Ministry of Education) and in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Access to this form is restricted to specific individuals in Human Resources. The Research and Analytics Department will use aggregate data from all the forms (not individual data) for internal reporting. Their access and use of the data is governed by MFIPPA and ethical research practices. Applicant Self-Identification Forms will be maintained in the Human Resources job competition file and securely destroyed 1 year after the job posting for candidates not selected for an interview and 6 years after the job posting for candidates interviewed, in accordance with general records retention principles. If you prefer not to answer any of the questions, you can select “prefer not to answer”. This in no way affects your application or the applicant selection process. If you have questions or concerns about this form please contact humanresources@hwdsb.on.ca
