About Our Job

The Denver Public Library (DPL) isn't just a place to borrow books; it's a vibrant, essential hub for our diverse city. As a growing urban library system with 28 locations and over 4 million annual visitors, we're deeply woven into the fabric of Denver.

Join a team where your values align with your work. At the Denver Public Library, we're not just serving our community; we're building a culture guided by values that empower both our staff and the public. 

• Welcoming:  We make our resources, services, and expertise accessible for all, recognize the inherent dignity in each person, and provide safe places where everyone can be themselves.
• Curiosity: We foster a culture of exploration, innovation, and forward thinking by creating environments that support learning and growth.
• Connection: We are neighbors. We foster relationships, listen and act to build and strengthen our community. We bring people together to share information, ideas, and experiences.
• Equity: We work to change inequitable practices, structures and policies, and attitudes that drive them, to provide opportunities for every person in our community to thrive. As we do so, we actively examine our roles in perpetuating oppressive systems.
• Stewardship: We are accountable to our community, using our resources responsibly. We lead with honesty and integrity, protect privacy and preserve and share the full history of our Denver community.

If you're passionate about service, community engagement, and creating positive change, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us. Come join a team that believes in the power of knowledge, connection, and equity.

A Note About Benefits 

This on-call Library Program Associate position does not offer City & County of Denver Benefits, except for access to  Employee Assistance Program (6 counseling sessions per year, legal assistance, financial counseling, discounted recreation center passes).

About Our Department

Plaza is Denver Public Library’s programming for immigrants and newcomers to Denver. It creates inclusive spaces for people from all over the world to connect with resources and meet new people. Participants come to practice a language, prepare for citizenship, pursue their goals, and create their future. 

About Our Position

On-call facilitate activities that engage immigrant and refugee communities. They lead a variety of small group work, including English conversation practice, citizenship preparation, arts and crafts for children, and general daily life topics geared towards self-sufficiency. 

What You Would Bring

• Knowledge of the needs of immigrant populations. 
• Skill in observing and responding to changing community trends. 
• Ability to improvise and apply creative solutions as part of a collaborative team effort. 
• Ability to support a variety of activities as requested.
• Ability to engage in a multilingual environment. 
• Ability to assist with program set up and clean up. 
• Clear and culturally sensitive communication.
• Ability to demonstrate positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural awareness in working with customers, coworkers, volunteers and community. 
• Ability to use workplace technology including email, internet and automated software.
• Strong time management skills to fulfill communication responsibilities.
• A desire to work with intergenerational groups in a multilingual environment.
• The ability to facilitate programming in-person.

Minimum Qualifications

• A high school diploma or equivalency.
• One year of experience working in an organized program.

Substitutions

• One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency in a language other than English

Don't let a "checklist" hold you back! Research shows that women and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups often self-select out if they don't meet every qualification. If you're reading this and feel a true passion for making an impact, we wholeheartedly encourage you to apply, as an equal combination of education and experience will be considered for all applicants. Your excitement for this work matters just as much as your resume.

Work Environment & Location

The Denver Public Library's branches are the arms to the community—each a unique reflection of the dynamic, diverse communities we serve. At DPL, we pride ourselves on showing up and providing support whenever there is a need. While you may be hired for a specific location, please know that we are hiring with the expectation that at any time, you may be required to work at any one of our branches based on operational needs. This allows our staff to experience the full breadth of Denver's communities and ensures we consistently deliver the highest level of service across our branches.

This position usually does not exceed 10 hours per week and the location and times will be determined by the needs of programming schedules. All Plaza staff work at multiple locations. Most shifts are 2-4 hours in length. In-person work is required - this is not a remote position. Weekday shifts are 5-8 p.m., Saturday shifts are 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. or 2-5 p.m., and applicants will need to work at least 2 weekly shifts within this schedule to be selected. 

Current branch locations: Green Valley Ranch, Montbello, Virginia Village, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, Ross-Phyllis Bigpond, Lena Archuleta, Westwood, Athmar Park, Hadley.

DPL employees may be redeployed to work in other locations or capacities to support The schedule will be determined by the needs of the department and will include evening and weekend hours.

Although the full salary range for this position is provided, starting salary is typically made at or near the range minimum.

Application & Additional Info 

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Job postings will close at 12AM on the posted ending date. If interested in this opportunity, please apply as soon as possible.

Offer of employment contingent upon successful completion of criminal history and employment verification  

All Denver Public Library employees must apply through their internal profile.

Ready to learn more and see how you can contribute? Visit us at denverlibrary.org and connect with our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Library Hiring Range

Target Pay

Agency

Assessment Requirement

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.