Patron Service Specialist

City of Cedar Rapids•Busse Library, IA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

Be part of something special from the very beginning! The city of Cedar Rapids is preparing to open our B rand-New Library, we're looking to fill the Patron Service Specialist who's enthusiastic, customer-focused individuals who are passionate about creating exceptional experience for our community. As a Patron Service Specialist, you'll be one of the first friendly faces our visitors meet. You'll play a vital role in making every visit welcoming, engaging, and memorable. If you're excited about helping shape the experience of a brand-new library and making a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents, we'd love to have you apply and join our team! About our Organization At the City, we are committed to employing individuals who reflect our community’s diverse backgrounds and this position is crucial in the success and strategic direction of a growing and evolving community. We appreciate and leverage the vast experience individuals bring beyond the technical requirements of a job. If you are an individual with similar experience listed here please consider applying. Experience and skills combined with commitment to our core values is key to building a greater community now and for the next generation. About our Community Nestled in the heart of Iowa, Cedar Rapids is our vibrant and diverse community known for its rich history, culture, and natural beauty. Our city has a strong sense of community which can be seen at any of our numerous parks, recreational opportunities, and family-friendly events year round. You can also explore our thriving downtown district, filled with shops, restaurants, and entertainment options, or take a stroll along the Cedar River, which runs through the heart of the city. Cedar Rapids - Why you should live here!

Requirements

Ability to interact and communicate a variety of topics in an engaging way to all ages
Ability to create relationships and work closely with patrons, staff, and volunteers
Ability to provide personalized advisory services to patrons in all collection formats and genres
Intermediate Experience and ability to train and troubleshoot common issues of informational databases and third-party library content applications (Overdrive, Kanopy, RBDigital, etc)
Intermediate experience and ability to assist and train patrons on Windows and Microsoft Office programs
Intermediate experience and ability to assist and train library staff in library’s primary software (ILS) and related 3rd party products-sorter, self-checkout, cash register interface, etc
Willingness to learn on the spot in front of people and to continually learn new things on the job
Ability to communicate new ideas, products, and services in a positive and engaging manner
Enthusiasm for an environment of change
Strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills
Ability to focus on the customer, show integrity, be inclusive, enjoy learning, and have fun
Ability to successfully work with varying demographics
Ability to adhere to Cedar Rapids Public Library’s Core Competencies
Confidence and excitement in the services and resources the library has to offer
Passionate about the mission of public libraries
Comfortable with the principles of intellectual freedom and patron privacy
2 years of customer service experience
Bachelor’s Degree
An equivalent combination of experience, training, and certification may be considered for substitution.

Responsibilities

Greets patrons and provides proactive customer service
Assists patrons with library account maintenance (check out, placing holds, fines, etc.)
Discusses and offers meaningful recommendations for books, movies, and music
Provides virtual customer service through phone and/or email communication
Educates customers on how to use self-checkout stations
Provides patrons with general reference and technology assistance or guides to appropriate staff/resources
Maintains a safe and welcoming environment for all patrons (ie. Snow shoveling, trash removal, etc.)
Promotes library services, programs, and offerings
Collects fine and fee revenue, utilizing library’s POS software and reconciling cash balances
Interacts with automated materials handling systems
Provides Active Service on a regular basis to meet patron needs
Interprets library policies, rules, and procedures with an understanding of Library Values and able to escalate issues to management when needed
Performs related work as assigned by supervisor or manager
Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with city policies, procedures, and safety practices
Understands and supports core principles of equity, intellectual freedom, and privacy