While the Anchorage Assembly prepares a ballot question for April to get voters to approve a 3% sales tax, it’s already flush with money.
Among the jobs it is seeking to fill is a “marketing assistant,” range 10, for the Anchorage Public Libraries.
The job pays up to $26 an hour and is open to the general public and any current municipal employee.
And it’s covered by the public employee union: “This position is represented by the Anchorage Municipal Employee Association (AMEA) and is subject to the provisions of the current agreement between the Municipality of Anchorage and the AMEA,” the job listing says.
There is no library director at this time, although Elizabeth Nicolai, the assistant director, is serving as acting director of a library system that has been the subject of much public criticism for pushing gender ideology on children through Drag Queen Story Hour and books about gay sex placed prominently at a child’s eye level.
Anchorage libraries, as with those in some places in the Lower 48, have become homeless shelters and drug-use sanctuaries during the day, and some traditional users of the libraries no longer feel safe.
In 2022, a woman was stabbed in the back at the main Loussac Library and permanently injured in her spine by a man who was later released by a judge because he was found to be not competent to stand trial.
In other cities, surface tests have been conducted in public libraries and have shown that many surfaces are contaminated with drugs like methamphetamines and fentanyl. In Colorado, the Boulder Public Library suddenly closed in 2022 after meth had been detected in public areas. Denver metro libraries are spending tens of thousands of dollars to clean up meth residue in their bathrooms, according to the Colorado Sun.
With Anchorage libraries being used by drug abusers, there may be actual health hazards associated with going to the library. But instead of testing surfaces to ensure safety of patrons, Anchorage is going to focus on marketing the libraries as places for the public to take their kids.
Here is the general job description:
“The Marketing Assistant supports the development of marketing materials, social media content, short form videos, and participates in public engagement opportunities, that help grow library usage and develop a positive relationship between the Anchorage Public Library (APL) and the community. Under the direction of the Marketing Supervisor, the Marketing Assistant is responsible for: developing original content for both print and digital projects using Adobe programs and web-based services; producing engaging creative content for all APL’s social media platforms, representing the department at various outreach events virtually and/or in-person; contributing ideas for future marketing campaigns; other duties as assigned.”
Find this and other Anchorage city jobs at this link.
