Posted: 28-Jan-26
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Job Title: Early Childhood & Lower School Librarian
Reports to: Director of Library & Media Services
Role Duration: Faculty 10 months, full time
Job Summary
Ashley Hall seeks a dedicated and dynamic Early Childhood and Lower School Librarian to support students and faculty in the Early School and Lower School divisions. Reporting to the Director of Library and Media Services, this role collaborates closely with fellow librarians, faculty, and academic administrators to develop innovative, curriculum-aligned programming that enhances teaching and learning.
The Early Childhood and Lower School Librarian maintains a welcoming, engaging, and inclusive library environment that inspires curiosity, wonder, and a lifelong love of reading and learning. The successful candidate will co- cultivate an inviting space that supports academic excellence while encouraging students and faculty to make full and meaningful use of the library’s resources. This position requires a strong commitment to student-centered learning, collaboration, and the thoughtful integration of information literacy, literature, and technology. Through intentional curation of resources, meaningful learning experiences, and strong partnerships with faculty and academic leaders, the librarian will support conceptual understanding, transdisciplinary inquiry, and a lifelong love of reading, research, and learning.
Major Responsibilities and Duties
- Curriculum Support
- Design and deliver developmentally appropriate, inquiry-based library instruction aligned with Early School Reggio and Lower School IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) curricula
- Teach regular library classes to Primary through 1st Grade students
- Collaborate with classroom teachers to integrate research, literacy, and information skills into units of inquiry
- Support IB PYP learning by fostering student agency, conceptual thinking, and research skills
- Create student-centered research tools and information guides that support transdisciplinary learning
- Collaborate with faculty, IB Coordinators, and academic leaders on instructional planning and special projects
- Partner with the Technology Integration Specialist to support ethical, effective use of digital tools and resources
- Collection Development
- Work in conjunction with the library team to select, acquire, and organize diverse texts and materials that align with the school’s curricula needs as well as texts and materials that would be of interest to students in the early childhood program and lower school
- Review, inventory, and organize collection/databases, weeding and replacing materials as needed
- Guide students to find books that align with their interests, reading abilities, and course needs
- Coordinate with academic departments and divisions to expand their collection in support of their curriculum
- Work in partnership with the IB Coordinator and Reggio academic team to enhance existing collection to complement the school’s IB and Reggio needs
- Review, evaluate, and select books, reference works, databases, and media for the library
- Support the cataloguing process
- Library Programming
- Direct special library activities including
- partnering with others to provide storytime, author visits, and book clubs
- partnering with others to coordinate the annual Book Festival and student Summer Reading titles
- Develop activities highlighting the library on campus, including special exhibitions
- Help manage library spaces creating an open and inviting environment for all students
- Circulation Needs, help
- manage library’s checkout system
- ensure materials are available to students and faculty
- students select age- and developmentally appropriate texts
- manage overdue books
- Additional Responsibilities
- Support in the purchase and distribution of textbooks for the school
- Keep up to date with the latest research and trends in library and media sciences
- Help supervise any parent or student volunteers
- Perform additional duties as assigned
Minimum Requirements
- Master’s degree preferred in library sciences from an American Library Association accredited school
- Minimum five (5) years experience working in a school / academic library
- Extensive understanding of children’s literature; specifically, current books and other texts across various genres and reading levels
- Knowledge of the theories, principles, and techniques of librarianship
- Expertise with library technologies and software
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Exceptional interpersonal skills with both students and adults
- Positive, strong, work ethic, with the ability to meet deadlines in a timely manner
In addition, the ideal candidate will
- Demonstrate a commitment to student-centered learning
- Embrace a collaborative, interdisciplinary, team-oriented approach to their work
- Approach their work with students and faculty with patience, kindness, and humor
- Help manage student behavior in a library setting and facilitate group activities
- Be well-versed in print awareness and in read-alouds that build vocabulary, comprehension, and phonological awareness.
- Be a thoughtful self-starter
Since its founding in 1909, Ashley Hall has empowered young women to think critically, act ethically, and embrace their world with confidence. The School serves girls kindergarten through grade 12 (and is co-ed in its Early School, ages 2 to 5 years). Ashley Hall provides a dynamic education grounded in a Reggio approach in its early School and an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in its Lower School. It is currently in the strategic phase of a Middle Years Programme candidacy with the intention of pursuing Diploma Programme candidacy thereafter.
Interested candidates are required to submit an official application, including a cover letter, through Ashley Hall’s website at www.ashleyhall.org/employment to be considered for the position.
As part of the online application, candidates will be required to upload a cover letter, resume, and list of references to be considered for the position.
Questions regarding the position can be directed to both:
Kimberly Ells-Payne, Human Resources Administrative Assistant
Email: ellsk@ashleyhall.org
Christie Powell, Human Resources Administrative Assistant
Email: powellc@ashleyhall.org
Ashley Hall is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.