Jail and Reentry Services - Administrative and GIS Analyst

San Francisco Public Library has received funding through Public Knowledge at Mellon Foundation to conduct a two-year research project focused on identifying, locating, and sharing information about library and information services available to people who are incarcerated. A central aspect of this project is to integrate information about these services into a layered, interactive, and publicly available online map. This map will be used by librarians, information scientists, researchers, and the friends and family members of incarcerated people.

The Administrative & GIS Analyst will join a small team located in the Jail and Reentry Services Department at San Francisco Public Library. The Analyst will play a vital role in the ongoing work of Jail and Reentry Services by conducting identifying library and information services for incarcerated people, which may involve directly contacting local jails and juvenile detention centers, state juvenile detention facilities and prisons, and Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities, managing data about library services and information access for people who are incarcerated, portraying this information as layers on a map created in ArcGIS, working with IT professionals at an outside organization to ensure the map is available online, and creating materials, templates, and, in conjunction with a research group, creating white papers, reports, and other materials with the aim of increasing library and information services for people who are incarcerated. This is an ideal opportunity for an individual with strong research, administrative and communications skills who is a doer. The ideal candidate is a self-starter, creative, tech savvy, flexible, collaborative, committed to social justice, and keen to grow professionally in a dynamic role.

Research Support (75%): This position will extend ongoing research conducted by San Francisco Public Library’s Jail and Reentry Services staff. The research duties may include but are not limited to:

• Utilize multiple methods to identify local, state, and federal level library and information services for incarcerated people, including through direct contacts, surveys, and other research approaches

• Conduct interviews or focus groups to gather key information about what information is most useful to librarians, library staff, and the public

• Identify parameters for organizing information about these services as separate layers on a publicly accessible map (created through ArcGIS)

• Support all needs of the GIS framework (databases, GIS software products); software licenses will be acquired by the library

• Analyze, visualize and evaluate patterns in existing services and growth or other trends in services over the course of the two-year position

Communications (25%): Throughout the course of this project, the administrative analyst will assist with the generation of reports and other materials that will raise public awareness of trends in library and information services to incarcerated people and advocate for increased access. Communication duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Contribute to reports and issue briefs on library and information services for incarcerated people

• Design templates and edit content for blogs, newsletters, reports and briefs

• Coordinate development of e-newsletters and other communication channels

• Develop PowerPoint presentations, talking points, and presentation materials as needed

• Work with an IT professional at an outside organization to update website content to reflect current news, program changes and announcements

• Conduct community outreach, including distributing communications materials, providing trainings to nonprofit service providers, and scheduling listening sessions with community groups as needed.

• Represent San Francisco Public Library’s Jail and Reentry Services department externally as needed.