Position Overview:

We are seeking an intelligent, articulate, innovative and curious technology professional to step up and manage Darien Library’s cutting-edge infrastructure. This position is a unique opportunity to apply a wide range of skills and expertise in an exciting environment that is constantly changing and adapting to emerging trends.

Darien Library is known world-wide as a technology innovator within the library industry.  We don't consider ourselves to be just a library--we prefer to think of ourselves as a high-performing, forward-thinking organization that happens to be a library, one that consistently sets trends rather than follows them.  We are ranked as one of the top 10 public libraries in the country for its size, according to Hennen's American Public Library Rating. Darien Library holds itself to the highest possible standard of customer service and we pride ourselves on providing a fulfilling and enriching experience to all who visit us either in person or on the web.

Watch: Darien Library: Are You Ready?

If you feel that you are ready to join the best library team in the world, we want to hear from you,  To apply, send your cover letter and resume to the address below.  Include in your cover letter a link to a video that you have recorded, no longer than two minutes, that demonstrates how you are great and why you are the right person for the position.  We engage with our community daily, so we are seeking evidence of your sustained engagement in social media.  Please let us know how to find you on twitter, Reddit, tumblr, GitHub, etc. Do you blog? What’s the address?  Please include anything else you would like to share.

Please send your cover letter and resume to jblyberg@darienlibrary.org.

Position starts July 8, 2013.

Duties:

     This position would be a 50/50 split combination of system administrator and coder, reporting to the Assistant Director.

     * 50% of responsibilities would include ongoing maintenance and management of the Library's network and server infrastructure supervise tech staff and coordinate with vendors:

          * Perform regularly scheduled operations, such as backups, log analysis, software audits, and security checks.

          * Provide Tier III or equivalent-level tech support to the organization. Investigate and troubleshoot issues.

          * The development and maintenance of complete, in-depth documentation of and procedures for the Library's technology configuration.

          * Work with the assistant director on the development and tracking of the library's technology budget.

     * 50% of responsibilities would involve active software development:

          * Have experience working in a collaborative development environment using version control best practices.

          * Would need to become familiar with existing code-bases (SOPAC, Locum, Insurge, Databoard, etc)

          * Work with other Darien Library staff and development team partners from other libraries.

          * Take an active role in identifying areas for potential improvement.

      * Be proactive about learning and applying knowledge of emerging trends and technologies.

     * Develop and manage a departmental budget.

     * Other duties as assigned.

Skills:

Mastery of:
     OS:
          Linux
          Windows/Server 2008/2012
          Mac OSX

     Software:
          VMWare vSphere/vCenter

     System Administration:
          Backup and recovery
          Apache
          MySQL
          Windows Active Directory
          Exchange 2010
          TCP/IP protocols
          Protocol Fundamentals: DHCP, DNS, SMTP, SNTP, NTP, SMB, etc
          Other Fundamentals: RAID, HA, Storage management, etc

     Development:
          MySQL
          PHP
          XHTML & CSS
          Javascript
          Git & Github

Proficiency in:
     Software
          Vmware View
          Adobe Creative Suite
          Apple Final Cut Pro
          Microsoft Office Suite
          Drupal

     Development:
          Python
          Node.js

Familiar with:
     Integrated library systems or inventory control systems
     Cisco VoIP software and equipment
     HP Procurve networking
     HP Proliant and IBM SystemX server hardware
     Working knowledge of quality control systems
     Emerging trends and technologies
     Social media engagement
     Raiser's Edge software

Image courtesy of Flick user tiaragwin

The Library will be closed on Sunday, March 31st for Easter. 

Suggested Projects & Books

Easter Crafts by Colleen Van Blaricon and illustrated by Anita Riggio

Making Things for Easter: Many Colorful Easter Crafts You Can Make By Yourself for Children From 4 and Older by Sabine Lohf

He Is Risen: The Easter Story by Elizabeth Winthrop

All Easter books

Tech Center

The Tech Center on the Lower Level will be closed this morning for an upgrade.

Louise Berry

Louise Berry, who has served as Director of Darien Library for 34 years, announced today she will retire on February 28,2014.

"I have cherished every day of my time here in Darien and as Director of the Library. No one could ever hope to be in such a welcoming and supportive community -- I have made many friends, and I work with an incredible staff and Board. Next year I will complete my thirty-fifth year, and that's the right time to pass my responsibilities on to other hands."

Bruce Ferguson, President of the Library's Board of Trustees, said the Board accepted her decision reluctantly but understood the reasons for her decision. "Louise has been the heart and soul of this Library for so many years that it is difficult to think of her not as Director, but she has built such a strong staff that we are sure that the values, standards and expectations she has set for extraordinary service to the community are now the values, standards and expectations of every member of this Library." 

Louise Parker Berry grew up in Chillicothe, Ohio, where she started working in libraries at the age of 13. She graduated from the University of New Mexico and received her Master's Degree in Library Service from Columbia University, where she was President of the Student Council. She was appointed Director of Darien Library on March 1, 1979. Previously she was Head of Adult Services at Westport Public Library, and before that began her career at New York Public Library. She is nationally known for developing at Darien Library the practice of "extreme customer service."

Alan Kirk Gray, currentIy Chief Administrative Officer, has been designated by the Board to succeed as Director of Darien Library on March 1, 2014. He has been with the Library for seven years and, among other responsibilities, was responsible for the planning and services incorporated into the new Darien Library which opened in January, 2009.

"Alan has been essential to the growth and success of Darien Library since he joined us, and we have all come to rely on his expertise in planning, development of services, budgeting, management and operations," said Louise Berry. "Darien Library is going to be in great shape going forward under his leadership."

"The best part of Louise telling us now," Bruce Ferguson said, "is that we have more than a year to celebrate the great things that she has contributed to the community of Darien, and to recognize her achievements for what they are -the highest standard of professionaI pubIic service. Louise Berry has made Darien Library into one of the great public libraries in the nation, but even more than that, she has, with her leadership, friendship and empathy, contributed to the lives of tens of thousands of library users and Darien residents."

The Great Blue Heron Sculpture

Several weeks ago a Library staff member attended a conference to learn how to identify and deal with bedbugs. She returned and set up procedures to identify and treat any bedbugs in our building.

That preparation paid off.

We identified a bedbug in an area of the Library that receives books from other libraries on Tuesday morning, December 18. We removed and segregated the items in that area, and had the entire Library tested yesterday and this morning.

The whole Library was found to be free of bedbugs except for two books on the second floor that were identified as likely having been exposed to live bedbugs, and one chair on the mezzanine. We removed and segregated all the books on those shelves, and discarded the chair. All affected items will be heat-treated in order to definitively kill any bedbugs.

From this time on, we will heat-treat all items received from other libraries before they are allowed into the collection, and we will continue to monitor the building with periodic testing to make sure it remains free of bedbugs.

The bottom line is that the process we have in place worked, and the Library is free of bedbugs.

If you have any questions, please call Alan Gray at (203) 669-5224.

A snowy day at Darien Library

The Library has several closings coming up in the next two weeks. Please plan ahead to pick up your books and movies! If you receive an eReader for the holidays, please join us on Wednesday, December 26th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for our annual eBooks Are in the House eReader help session.

Holiday closings:

• Monday, December 31st closing at 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 1st 

Image courtesy of Library Journal

Darien Library has received a Five Star ranking from Library Journal (LJ)! This honor is based on the LJ Index of Public Library Service that compares the quantities of "library visits, circulation, program attendance, and public Internet computer usage"  (LJ FAQ) between public libraries. Our community's usage of library materials and programs makes Darien Library one of the most high performing libraries in the country. Darien Library has been designated a Star library for each of the five years that the Index has been in place. 

Each library in the Index is grouped and compared to other public libraries with a similar budget. This year, 262 libraries among 7,570 qualifying libraries were given a Star designation. Out of the 1,349 public libraries which also have a budget between $1 million to $4.9 million, Darien Library ranked ninth to become a Five Star Library. Only three public libraries in Connecticut were given a Star rating.

To learn more about the America's Star Libraries, please read Library Journal's article.