(photo by member Bluesky1963)
LibraryThing is hiring(1) a full-time, bookish, social-media savvy employee. We want someone who lives and breathes books, and would jump at the chance to talk to book lovers, authors, publishers and librarians.(2)
This is an anywhere position, but we will favor Portland, Maine people. If you live elsewhere, you’ll be expected to spend time in Portland at the start of the job, and return on a regular basis.
You must:
- Love books
- Love people, or at least not hate them
- Be in tune with What Makes LibraryThing LibraryThing
- Be deeply familiar with social media and bookish social media
- Write well and quickly
- Be hard-working, optimistic, and detail-oriented
- Able to work and set goals independently
We’d like:
- A book-world background (librarian, bookseller, publishing, etc.)
- Professional social-media experience
- Technical skills (HTML, CSS, SQL, PHP, etc.)
- LibraryThing membership, familiarity
- Some useless expertise and passion, to fit in with the rest of the staff.
Duties:
- Write our newsletters, blog posts, tweets, and Facebook posts
- Coordinate our Early Reviewers program
- Assist members with problems
- Be an active presence on the site, well-known to members and participating in important LibraryThing discussions
- Suggest and help develop new features and projects
- Learn, analyze and look for new opportunities
Compensation: Salary plus gold-plated health and dental insurance. We require hard work, but we are flexible about hours.
How to apply: Resume [as a PDF file] is good. Don’t send one of those overboiled cover letters, sent as another damn Microsoft Word document titled “Cover Letter,” but a brief introduction would be good, recapitulating the bullets above and how they do or don’t fit you. Send emails to tim@librarything.com.(3)
1. Jeremy (member JBD1) is moving on and up; he’ll be the new Director of Communications and Outreach at Rare Book School in Charlottesville, VA. It’s a great move for Jeremy–he’s been going down there to help them run the summer sessions for four years now. He’ll continue as unofficial-but-unquestioned leader of the Legacy Libraries project. We’ll bid him a proper good-bye in a later blog post.
2. In another company this might be called a “social media manager” job, but we don’t “manage” our members, we talk to them. We don’t want fake, we want nice but genuine.
3. Please title the email “LTSOCMED [your name].” Also, follow directions–even the ones at the end of a blog post.
Labels: employees, employment, hiring, jeremy dibbell, jobs
Books, community, writing and social media? Fantastic.
I have read this post so many times. It seems to good to be true! Expect to hear from me tout de suite!
Ugh, Siri! We’re sooo breaking up. That is such a pet peeve of mine.
Jeremy will be missed. But: way to go Jeremy! All the best.
What a shame I live in NZ! >Sobs<
New Zealand is fine. (Emailing Ray.)
You are so mean to post this when I already have a job.
What a pleasure it would be to work with @librarythingtim whom I have followed on Twitter for many years! 🙂
What sort of salary range are we talking about? $30,000/year? $40,000? Etc.
Brilliant. I believe you may have written this for me. If we could just add a bullet point that includes drinking coffee while traversing the web of social media and talking books, well then nirvana has arrived. ~Jenn
Possibly the best posting I’ve come across in many months of library job hunting!
“Wouldn’t it be loverly?”
I could do this well. Too bad this job wasn’t available when I was well enough to spend a lot of time on it. Poor, poor, pitiful me. :-}
Good luck Jeremy. You and all the staff have done a wonderful service to us. You are all much appreciated.
Well, shucks, Mr. Artery, I think that would jest fit the bill,
I wish LibraryThing continued success, so that you’ll need to divide this job in two someday.
Tim, I live in Westbrook and just sent you an email, and I’m not clear if the position is still open. You have my contact information as well as some of my online presence if it is. Sounds like a great opportunity, so I hope so!
And great good luck Jeremy!
what a shame I live in Belgium, I would sooooo love this job. If you ever consider doing something bookish in my little country, count me in!!
I just want to cry because I would love, love, love this, but I am planted in the “other” Portland on the other coast, and I’m afraid moving is just not in the cards. Maybe one day you will need a west coast employee? I’ll be dreaming….
I know Portland is a great place for a business like this but *please* start a branch on the east coast (preferably Florida) so that I can have even the tiniest chance at getting the job! There are enough enthusiasts on this side, with whole other circles of acquaintances, publishers, friends who haven’t heard of library thing and its greatness.
I agree with Nicki Leone… but I’m considering it anyway…!
This sounds so very amazing…I am located in Mumbai, India.
Please do revert.
Will Geneva-Portland round trip be included in the job offer? 🙂
Good luck in your new post sounds very exciting.
We need to keep books alive along side technology.
From a retiree living in Qld Australia.
Best of luck to you, Jeremy; that sounds like a killer job!
One word for the job-opportunity: Bonanza!
way to go Jeremy, good luck! Hope the newbie can fill your very capable shoes. 😉
M
I wish I had more professional experience, I’m still in graduate school! I’m in DC but would happily travel to Portland, Maine! What a great job, a dream one 🙂
So sad right now….this sounds like a lovely job but I live in England (UK)!
Best wishes to Jeremy. His (former) job is certainly something I think I could and would love to do. My background is academic and business. I published a book, Italy on the Pacific, under Palgrave Macmillan in 2011. My doctorate in history (UCLA 1981)never got me anywhere near a teaching job, which was my original goal. I live in the San Francisco area and could be your San Francisco Bay Area correspondent. I became semi-retired, semi-unemployed three years ago to finish my book (not as yet reviewed)and have been spending most of my waking hours in social media (while looking for employment) ever since then. I don’t have much tying me down to any particular area and could easily make those trips to Portland Maine and could even move to Portland if need be. I was born in 1947 and it’s pretty obvious that my age is not a plus in any potential employer’s eyes but, hey, every team needs at least one black sheep in the bunch. I’ll be sending my resume along shortly. I prefer full-time work but accept part time as well.
This is an amazing opportunity and I wish I could apply, but unfortunately I live in England as this job is right up my street!
This job would be perfect for me except that I live in Ohio. I’m so depressed now 🙁 This would have been ideal for me not only as a published Author, reviewer and small publisher but as a lover of all things book related. Maybe you’ll open an office in Ohio. Best of luck to Jeremy!
Congratulations Jeremy but this is one reason why I sometimes detest living all the way in St.Lucia. I’m missing out on a chance of a lifetime.
This would be amazing, but I don’t have the ability to spend time in Portland currently. Do you ever have any part-time opportunities available?
Hello! Just wondering what the application deadline is?
(And also whether you realise you’re offering basically the perfect job.)
Imagine one of those he-man/woman carnival strength hammer to bell games. Now imagine me hitting that as a Like button. What a wonderful avocational opportunity! More from me anon.
What a Shame you seem a tad far away for me to apply for this post, but I am certainly available to review books, if you have any vacancies in this area, if you do please let me know what you require of me, and if Living in the UK is a benefit or a hindrance. Best Wishes.. James Bowman
Hi, this message is not regarding your job post, although it sounds fabulous.
I’d like to know how to add books to your extensive list.
Thank you,
Renata
Would that I could! I don’t think I could handle those kind of deadlines and multiple responsibilities like I did even as little as 3 years ago! But I’d love to help. Any volunteer possibilities?
Cyndi
such an exciting opportunity! I have a huge background in social media journalism and a bigger love of books *crosses fingers*
By when do you need someone? When’s the deadline?
Ugh, can you hold this until February? And make it located in the Bay Area? Man, real life problems getting in the way of a dream job.
Please consider opening a branch in lovely, exciting Detroit. Working for you would be my dream job!
Congratulations, Jeremy!
East Coast? We’re ON the East Coast. Portland, Maine, not that that shabby west-coast city!
Are you still accepting applications? When is the deadline to apply?
I wish I could apply. I am not particular savvy with programming, but it is a dream job. Pity I live in Europe at the moment. But now I know where to move if finally manage to get money to immigrate to USA.
Get it in soon. There’s no fixed deadline, but we’re starting in on the 10% cut emails.
As everyone has already said – what a lovely perfect job … expect I don’t follow social media as I would much rather be reading a book! Behind that handicap, it would probably be a fun job – something must of us probably do not have….
Jeremy – best of luck with the move.
This job is perfect for me except I cannot travel (single momma with primary custody to a lil’ un). I do have to say, I love the job description and “how to apply” details–every job should be so fun to read!
Would like to apply. People say I’m obsessed with books. I have to agree. Live in Houston, TX but love to travel. Could easily live in Maine during our hot summers.
Good luck, Jeremy, as you start the next chapter of your life and career.
Has the position been filled?
I’m your man…really and truly. OK, so I’m a woman, but don’t be fooled. Is the job still open Tim? I’m a freelance writer with strong social media skills, a LONG time book collector, and am now getting my MLIS. Would love to talk. Please let me know!
oh man :(… you just posted a dream job for me. To bad I live in Wisconsin. If we could move there I’d be the craziest person there haha. Well ok maybe not that crazy but I love books. I love social media.. I am always trying to raise my Klout score. Someday maybe you will have another wonderful position and I will be available to up take it! Good luck on your search! I would submit my resume but I don’t think fixing phones, being a computer gamer and a book blogger is really going to get me a job :p
I should apply, you would need to hire me based on name alone: you don’t have enough C(h)rises on staff. You need a Cris with the H knocked out (my mother’s standing joke about my name).
All the best to Jeremy and continued success for our dear LT.
Wonder if this position has been filled?
Yes, I’m wondering if this position is still open. Don’t find a date on the website. If yes, I’ll let people know.
thank you.
Yes, the position is closed – see our posts welcoming Matt and Loranne!