Patron Services Social Worker (MSW), Elizabeth Public Library
For over 100 years, the mission of Elizabeth Public Library has been to serve as a focal point for our community's lifelong educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs. We believe that lives and communities can be improved with information, and strive to connect our patrons with the information needed to resolve difficult life issues. We try to do this while remaining positive and maintaining a sense of humor.
We are looking for a creative, innovative, and team-oriented Patron Services Social Worker willing to experience the highs and lows of working in a busy urban library. EPL serves a population of 137,000 in a city that serves as the County seat. The preferred candidate will develop, coordinate, and implement community-centered services and events that are responsive to the existing and emergent needs of the community including customers of all ages in need of social service referrals. The position is not clinical work, but rather embedded in the community.
We invite those who share our passion for serving the patrons of the Library to grow with us. We strive to support and reflect our community through our dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We strongly urge people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people of all ages, and people with disabilities to apply. The Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Position Title: Patron Services Social Worker (MSW)
Schedule: Salaried full-time position (35 hours) including days, evenings and weekend hours.
About the Position:
As part of the Information and Adult Services (IAS) Department and reporting to the Head of IAS, this position is responsible for providing assistance to individuals, families, and the community to enhance their individual and collective well-being through outreach, service, and connection to resources.
This includes but is not limited to: collaborating with area social service agencies; City of Elizabeth and Union County social services staff and other city and county departments; and Elizabeth Public Library staff. The idea candidate will work with members of the community to address the health and wellness needs of at-risk library patrons; work directly with patrons experiencing mental health challenges, substance use disorders, housing instability, and other exclusion issues; assess client needs and provide linkage to appropriate services and resources in the community; provide training to Elizabeth Public Library staff working with challenging populations on topics such as boundary setting, de-escalation techniques; and create related programming and outreach initiatives.
The position will require flexibility in terms of placement and assignments obliging the candidate to potentially travel independently to multiple locations during the course of a day.
Public interaction sometimes involves working with people who present mental, emotional, or physical challenges, or those for whom English is not the first language. The position would serve the residents at all Elizabeth Public Library branches and throughout the community.
Education/Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will possess a Master of Social Work (MSW) with at least one year of experience in social work, public health, mental health, behavioral health, health information/education, or related field; the ability to successfully synthesize and communicate information related to public health, public policy, or related social issues and concerns; and professional knowledge regarding the issues Elizabeth residents might be confronting.
Additionally, the candidate should possess strong service orientation; be able to maintain professional boundaries and ethics and a calm demeanor; display excellent communication skills to provide a high level of positive regard and assistance to a diverse public who may be experiencing challenges; possess an understanding of the role of a social worker in public libraries while working with librarians in expanding community access to resources and collections; and have the ability to perform both independently and as a team member.
Preferred Skills:
Fluency in a language other than English, especially Spanish, is highly desirable.
Knowledge of Elizabeth’s population and geography as well as state social service policies.
Experience and facility in public speaking and meeting facilitation.
The above job description is not a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for the employee for this job.
Salary: $62,000 plus a full benefits package
Please send your resume & cover letter to the attention of the Head of IAS, Jeff Cupo, jcupo [at] elizpl.org () by 11/9/22.
Please note that this position is subject to the NJ First Act, requiring public employees to establish residency in the State of New Jersey. See N.J.S.A. 52:14-7 (L. 2011, Chapter 70) for further information.
This is a Civil Service Job and you must eventually pass and qualify for the applicable Civil Service title. Elizabeth Public Library is a Union shop.