Careers at PPL
Portland Public Library is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to providing everyone with safe and free access to educational and cultural resources. PPL is Maine’s most visited cultural institution and is a valued community asset, serving residents and visitors for over 150 years.
PPL offers free shared resources – books, film, history, big ideas – in a welcoming environment to foster meaningful connection and positive change in our dynamic City. PPL believes we are stronger the more fully we align our work and our resources toward equity, accessibility, inclusion, and representation of diverse experiences and perspectives. To succeed as a Library team member requires commitment to curiosity, inclusiveness, collaboration, and creativity. We enthusiastically invite you to apply.
PPL is committed to hiring and maintaining a diverse workforce of highly qualified staff to ensure broad perspectives, promote equity and inclusion, and connect to our wide community. Applicants with racially, ethnically, or culturally diverse identities or backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Current Job Openings
REFERENCE LIBRARIAN (BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT)
Portland Public Library is currently seeking a Reference Librarian with a specialty in Business & Government. Reporting to the Adult Services Director, this position provides professional reference and information services to the public at the reference desk and various other locations. This position is in the Adult Services department, a major public service component of the library.
The primary focus of this position is the planning and delivery of services related to business and government. To meet this goal, the librarian will work with many community partners and community members. In support of the goal, this person is also responsible for leading a collaborative approach to developing the collections related to business and government, creating programming, and establishing general planning.
The librarian works with a broad cross-section of the public and facilitates a variety of patron requests. They must be able to interact effectively and manage sometimes difficult situations. This work is performed in a fast-paced environment and requires an exceptional level of customer service.
This is a union-represented, full-time, 37.5 hours per week onsite position, normally scheduled to work a Monday through Friday/Tuesday through Saturday rotation. Pay begins at $25.25/hr. Excellent benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement options (in lieu of Social Security), and paid leave.
How to Apply
To apply, please send your resume, letter of interest, and three professional references via email at careers@portlib.org.
Mailed applications may be sent to:
Human Resources
Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland,ME 04101
SENIOR CATALOGING & ACQUISITIONS ASSOCIATE
Portland Public Library (PPL) is currently seeking a Senior Cataloging & Acquisitions Associate in the Technical Services Department. The Technical Services Section of Access Services coordinates the ordering and receiving of books, periodicals, electronic resources, and AV materials; provides MARC records and Dewey Decimal classification numbers for these materials; and processes them following recognized cataloging standards. Included in this position’s scope is maintenance and control of the library’s databases as well as any retrospective conversion activities for existing materials.
Reporting to the Technical Services Manager, this position plays a key role in supporting access to library collections across all formats and locations. The position is responsible for acquisitions, complex and specialized copy cataloging, and batch loading within the Polaris ILS. This position uses technology to ensure timely procurement and accurate metadata. The position contributes to the technical services aspects of the library’s participation in the Dirigo Libraries consortium using a shared Polaris ILS and Vega Discover catalog. This position provides considerable latitude for initiative and independent judgment. It requires a high degree of responsibility for accuracy plus a comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to synthesize, a variety of library standards and conventions.
This is a union-represented, full-time, 37.5 hours per week onsite position, normally scheduled to work Monday-Friday, after training. Pay begins at $22.91/hr. Excellent benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement options (in lieu of Social Security), and paid leave.
How to Apply
To apply, please send your resume, letter of interest, and three professional references via email at careers@portlib.org.
Mailed applications may be sent to:
Human Resources
Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland,ME 04101
Initial consideration will begin immediately. This position will remain open until filled.
SENIOR LIBRARY ASSISTANT (BURBANK BRANCH)
Portland Public Library (PPL) is currently seeking a Senior Library Assistant for the Burbank Branch, which extends the delivery of public library services to Portland’s neighborhoods. Reporting to the Burbank Branch Manager, this position is responsible for processing a variety of circulation transactions using the Polaris ILS, responding to patron reader’s advisory and reference inquiries, answering a variety of public computing questions, and assisting with programming activities.
The Branch Senior Library Assistant works with a wide variety of the public and facilitates a variety of patron account matters. They must be able to interact effectively and manage sometimes difficult situations. This work is performed in a fast-paced environment and requires an exceptional level of customer service.
This is a union-represented, part-time, 20 hours per week onsite position, normally scheduled to work Tuesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays, after training. The tentative starting date for a new hire is June 24, 2025. Pay begins at $19.78/hr. Excellent benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement options (in lieu of Social Security), and paid leave.
How to Apply
To apply, please send your resume, letter of interest, and three professional references via email at careers@portlib.org.
Mailed applications may be sent to:
Human Resources
Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland,ME 04101
SUMMER TEEN ASSOCIATE
Portland Public Library (PPL) is currently seeking a Summer Teen Associate for the Teen Library. This part-time paid position is made possible through the Maine Career Exploration Program and Manpower Maine.
The Summer Teen Associate will work with the Teen Library staff to develop and execute projects and/or programs for PPL’s downtown Teen Library space. They will work a maximum of 75 hours total across July and August 2025 with a weekly schedule co-created with the Teen Librarian upon hire. The pay rate for this position is $15.50 per hour.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit your resume and a separate document with answers to the following 3 questions:
- Why do you want to work at the PPL Teen Library?
- What are some ideas you have for the Teen Library?
- What skills and strengths will you bring to this position?
Please send all applications to teens@portlandpubliclibrary.org or drop them off at the Teen Library desk by 05/09/2025. Select candidates will be contacted for interviews by mid-May.
To learn more about Portland
City of Portland, Maine
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