Librarian for school-age children

CAPSTONE AND/OR INTERN (VOLUNTEER/UPAID) OPPORTUNITY

Children’s Village Library

Summer and/or Fall 2025

CHILDREN’S VILLAGE, an independent, non-profit childcare center located in Philadelphia’s Chinatown, offers year-round early education programming for infants through preschoolers, as well as an out-of-school-time academic enrichment program for children ages 5-13.  Its library is an interactive, educational, and joyful space featuring a diverse and multicultural collection.

The Children’s Village Library is seeking Library Science students, or other students interested in pursuing librarianship, to assist with the following activities for its PNC “Grow up Great” grant-funded library:

·         Cataloging new books

·         Enhancing subject headings for books already cataloged

·         Physical organizing and maintenance of the books

·         Assisting the school-age librarian with designing and conducting interactive programming

·         Assisting children in locating and choosing books

·         Checking out books to children

This is a wonderful opportunity for students interested in children’s or school librarianship and/or cataloging and organization of materials to gain hands-on experience. The students would be supervised by mentored by Barbara Cavanaugh, formerly of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, who brings over 30 years of library experience. Students would also have the opportunity to work with Denise Ellis, and an early-childhood educator and literacy specialist.

The library is divided into two sections: one for toddlers and pre-school children who attend the school daily, and the other for school-age children who attend full-time programming in the summer and after-school programming throughout the school year. Ms. Ellis is the librarian for toddlers and preschoolers, and Ms. Cavanaugh is the librarian for school-age children.

The collection is catalogued in the online system, Resource Mate.  The librarians would like to enhance the cataloging so that the collection can be searched more effectively by subject. Additionally, while the toddler and pre-school section functions well shelved by author, the school-age fiction and non-fiction sections need further refinement to its organization.

Students will be required to obtain necessary clearances as required by Children’s Village.

Please contact Barbara Cavanaugh, librarian for the school-age children, at barbarac@childrensvillagephila.org or 215-850-1846 for additional information or to express interest.