Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

LibraryThing is hiring (non-technical)


2007 Halloween book pile winner by member Bluesky1963

LibraryThing is hiring again—a relatively junior position, with room to advance and grow. We’re looking for someone smart and organized to help out with the customer support side of the quickly growing LibraryThing for Libraries.

You must be:

  • Able to write quickly and well
  • Organized as all get-out
  • Able to juggle multiple tasks efficiently and with humor
  • Extremely comfortable with computers
  • Able to work independently and communicate effectively

We’d appreciate:

  • A Library or Information Sciences Degree
  • Experience in libraries or library “industry”
  • Technical skills (HTML, CSS, MySQL, etc.)
  • Customer-service or sales experience
  • Mac lover
  • Love of cheese

Duties:

  • Assist Abby with LibraryThing for Libraries
  • Provide customer support to libraries
  • Attend trade shows
  • Learn whatever we need you to learn
  • Think creatively and suggest improvements
  • Whatever else is needed. We are still a startup so “duties” are fluid.

Location:

Boston, MA or Portland, ME area strongly preferred. If we get enough applications we will probably not look at others–no offense.

Compensation:

Salary plus gold-plated health and dental insurance. We require hard work, but we are flexible about hours.

How to apply:

Email and resume is good. Don’t send a separate cover letter. In your email, please go through the bullets above, explaining briefly how they do or don’t fit you.

Send emails to abby@librarything.com.

[Update, 4/21/11: We’re reviewing applications now; further submissions are not being considered at this time. Thanks for your interest!]
[Update, 5/12/11: We’ve made our hire, look for an announcement soon!]

Labels: employees, employment, jobs

41 Comments:

  1. Amber says:

    Oh man! I love this! I almost have my MLS degree but I’m not in those areas. Good luck to everyone else! 🙁

  2. Tim says:

    FWIW, MLS degree isn’t required. Certainly we don’t care about the degree qua degree. We care what you know and can do, if you get me.

  3. Michelle says:

    This sounds awesome- I work for the libraries on Cape Cod- so close! However, I am starting my MLIS this fall. If it’s still open in about 2 years, I’ll definitely apply!!=)

  4. Marissa says:

    What about “willing to relocate” to Portland or Boston?

  5. bee says:

    Oh my gosh, I am a librarian, and I love cheese. This job sounds perfect for me.

  6. Tim says:

    What about “willing to relocate” to Portland or Boston?

    In theory. But this is an entry-level job. We can’t afford to add money for relocating. In general I don’t like relocating people to Portland if they’re not people I know well. If they don’t work out disastrously, they’re stuck in Portland, and that’s not a good thing.

  7. Saisquoi says:

    Gosh. I’m right between Portland and Boston. And I have an MLIS. Hmmm. Will have to think about this…

  8. Tim says:

    Portsmouth? Think about it. That’s be ideal, actually.

  9. Einar says:

    I’m a librarian (no MLS) – but this sentence, ” If they don’t work out disastrously, they’re stuck in Portland, and that’s not a good thing.” definitely scared me off. Einar

  10. Gail M says:

    I’m moving to the Portland area in the spring. I have a B.S. in Library & Information Technology from U.M.A. This position sounds like a good fit for me.

  11. Tim says:

    “definitely scared me off”

    Well, I’m wary of hiring people to come for that very reason. This is probably the point where those I know and love tell me to stop ragging on Portland, but, when you get down to it, Portland has an illiquid labor market, compared at least to cities like Boston. That doesn’t mean there aren’t jobs. The unemployment rate is not higher than other places. But the turnover is very slow. LibraryThing isn’t General Electric. We’re a startup company. Even if we were GE, people get fired or leave jobs all the time. Such events are a lot harder to take when the job has moved you to a small place like Portland with such an illiquid labor market.

  12. terribly says:

    Would you consider someone working remotely? Like from Canada with periodic visits or Skype sessions?

    I have the degree, the library experience, the technical chops. My clients have loved me, I have 25 years of multiple Mac ownership, and carry 40 extra pounds due to cheese. So, yeah, I would like to do the work. But Portland might be tough. And Canadian librarians are pretty awesome too… 😉

  13. Kate K says:

    I would love to work for you, I love using LibraryThing, have an MLS, and am unemployed. I think the ability to write QUICKLY and well is what is stopping me (besides the fact that I’m on the West Coast). I am a slow word crafter.

  14. Cara says:

    bummer- wish you were in ny, sounds SO my style. especially cause i love cheese. 🙂

  15. debbs says:

    when you say Mac lover .. is that mac & cheese? 🙂

  16. Ruth Merkley says:

    I would love this job as well, alas, I live in Utah. Not that I wouldn’t personally LOVE to relocated to Portland, Maine, but my husband is in the Army and that just doesn’t jive for us right now. I definitely love cheese, although I’m more a PC girl. Working on my MLS from the University of Southern Mississippi. Good luck.

  17. Casey says:

    Oooh. Is this position still available/open for resume submission? This is right up my alley.

  18. Azure skyyes says:

    Hi, I’m really interested in this job…
    I don’t have a degree, but I love books.
    I’m not really organized but I can pretend to be.
    I love mac and cheese but unfortunately I have to be gluten free now so though I can eat the cheese I can’t really eat the noodles!
    Instead of me relocating can you think about relocating to me?
    I live in beautiful Green Bay, home of the Packers and the cheeseheads!

    Thanks,

    G

    Real families aren’t bred, they are spun together!

  19. Tyler says:

    It’s unfortunate you’re not in the Midwest – sounds like a very interesting position. Of course, I don’t meet several of your qualifications, but I’d suggest that a high school English teacher can do about anything.

    And Tim, what are you doing posting about General Electric at 3am? Get some sleep, man.

  20. Tissy says:

    I’m an organised as all get out librarian who loves cheese (and chocolate) but I guess New Zealand is too far away to apply from! But ooh such a tempting job – daydreaming it…

  21. Kryzde says:

    Wish I lived anywhere near!!! But no, sadly stuck in Dayton Ohio!

  22. Sandy K says:

    Alas, this is exactly the kind of job I would love when I retire! A perfect fit and location, a National Board Certified School Librarian, a regular attendee at library conferences, live in MA, two kids in Portland (who are very happy there)..a MAC geek (still waiting for my new ipad)..work with kids, humor you say???, flexibility is may mantra…boo hoo, 2 more years to go! Please keep me posted on part time or opportunities to work at home.

  23. Sandy K says:

    oops, typo on “MY mantra” can you fix that? Things like that drive me crazy! 🙂

  24. Pattee Anne says:

    Too bad it is tied to a physical location! I would love this job if it was in cyberspace.

  25. Lucy Tucker says:

    Library and books are my passion. Location is way out of my range. In case there is ever anything in Georgia, here is my information

  26. Brittany in Portland (OR) says:

    Maybe you guys are just located in the wrong Portland!

  27. David says:

    Would you be willing to say what the salary is? I always appreciate it when employers mention salary up front. This saves everyone time. I live in New Hampshire and own a cabin on Moosehead.

  28. Ooooooh,sooooo tempting. Love LibraryThing, love Maine, love books, love maine coon cats, love cheese but live in Virginia and volunteer at the local library. No MLS either, sigh.

    Shelley
    if wishes were fishes, my cats would eat free

  29. Jenny says:

    This is the first job ad I’ve seen that says “dream job” to me…and I can put a check mark next to every bullet point. I’ve already applied, but now I have an offer for a part-time job and I need to get back to them…is there a timeframe on this? Fingers crossed!

  30. Selina Strovers says:

    Sending my email and resume right now!!!

  31. Ann says:

    This string of employment-related comments is delightful. I live in SoCal, love cheese, am not looking for a job or willing to move, but I’m fascinated with the possibilities. Thank you all.

  32. Kevin M. says:

    Out of curiousity…a lover of cheese? Not that I don’t love cheese, I do. I just wish more employers would put that in the list of qualifications.

  33. Coastie says:

    Love books, have actually been in a library. Already have a job and even if it is the pits, it is work so I won’t compete with the bright eyed refulgent LibraryThing wannabes. Did the Maine thing in the USCG in the 60’s in a town right out of the “Shipping News” except ME not NFLD. But were I starting out, I would be salivating at your doorstep. Make it a great adventure for the one selected.
    Best Regards,
    Tom

  34. kb feldman says:

    Wow – what a dream job! I am in Los Angeles and judging by the responses, there are plenty of great candidates in the ME area already. But if Library Thing ever needs someone in the West, I’m here! I am organized, book-devoted, and a serious lover of all things cheese (and bacon, but you didn’t ask about that…)! Like others, I’m working on that MLIS degree, but unlike many – I actually like trade shows! Worked them for years during a past career in the video industry – I can sling “chum” and chat with the best of ’em. Anyway, thanks for posting the opportunity – go you Maine’rs!

  35. Lynn says:

    Is this a full-time or part-time gig? (From a curious Portlander)

  36. ardikhlash says:

    thanks for the information. I am very appreciate it. I hope you get the right man on the job. 🙂

  37. D says:

    My husband has cut out dairy due to high cholesterol, and my son can’t have it due to allergies. I have to hide it when I eat it. It’d be very convenient if I “had” to eat as part of my job! Plus, I’m a grad student at Simmons in Boston (though I do commute). I am slated to gradaute from their School Library Teacher Progam with an MS in LIS. So… must one live in Boston or Maine or is close enough good enough? Thanks! Good luck to everyone applying!

  38. DTH says:

    Is there a projected start date for this job? I’m working two jobs through the summer but I’m always on the look out!

  39. shelley patterson says:

    Working with you sounds like so much fun! Have an MLS and tons of experience, including fairs, outreach, programs. Write well and quickly. Major organizational skills. Love NH, live near Boston. Prefer MACs. Love finding new cheese. Is job still open?

  40. HockeyGoddess says:

    I was also curious as to whether or not the position is still open. I live in Manchester, NH, but family has a home in Kennebunkport, ME. I love LT, Macs, AND cheese, plus have over a decade of experience in customer service.

  41. Jami says:

    Maine native and Mainer through and through, but now live in DC (due to said illiquid job market), a two librarian family means that we need more opportunities than Maine can offer, unfortunately. However, if there’s any opportunity for remote work (with flexibility for travel for on-site meetings, of course – I can stay with my Mom!), I’d certainly be interested – now or in the future. I’m an IA, with an MLS, and a focus on information retrieval systems and metadata strategy. Just FYI)… 🙂

    Interestingly, and randomly enough, my next door neighbor (also a New England transplant) works for Tom’s of Maine, but lives in DC and works remotely… Seems the way things are going, I guess.

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