Library Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Either two years of paid customer service experience involving frequent interactions with the public and six months of paid library work experience, or a B.A. or B.S. from an accredited university or college and six months of paid library work experience.
• Good knowledge of standard library principles, practices, and procedures.
• Good knowledge of current technology, an integrated library system, and electronic and printed materials, resources, and databases.
• Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions and make decisions based on established policies and practices.
• Ability to handle multiple and unexpected tasks and patrons simultaneously.
• Ability to plan and present programs to targeted audiences.
• Ability to deal professionally with patrons, employees, and vendors using resourcefulness, tact, courtesy, and respect; create pleasant impressions of the library; and build good rapport with patrons and staff.
• Ability to train, evaluate, and discipline subordinates with input from the supervisory team.
• Ability to handle opening and closing duties and building and grounds issues, and participate in the hiring process.
• Ability to use the Dewey Decimal system.
• Physical ability to frequently reach, stand, walk, sit, twist, use hands to finger, grasp, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls, and talk and hear; hand-eye coordination to operate computers and office equipment; and required close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision and focus adjustment.
• Occasional ability to climb, balance, stoop, crouch, squat, kneel, and crawl; occasionally lift or carry up to 20 pounds; frequently lift or carry up to 10 pounds; and frequently push or pull loaded book carts weighing up to 75 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Supervisory experience.
• Experience planning and/or presenting programs using books, crafts, and/or other activities for appropriate audiences.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, direct, and supervise branch work in conjunction with the Branch Manager; assist in other departments, work at service desks, and open and/or close the branch.
• Conduct investigations and resolve patron inquiries and complaints, assisting administrative supervisors as needed.
• Assist with training and supervising employees; maintain staff relationships; complete payroll and approve leave requests using Replicon; schedule substitutes; cover staffing shortages; recommend staffing needs and changes; support employee investigations and complaint resolution; participate in corrective action meetings; apply Employee Handbook policies; and communicate policy and procedure updates.
• Assist with daily building and grounds upkeep, including coordinating with cleaning services, maintaining cleanliness, recording completed work, stocking or cleaning library areas, and ordering maintenance supplies.
• Respond to after-hours security calls, work with security guards, ensure staff preparedness for emergencies, assist with evacuation drills at least semi-annually, and monitor guards’ working hours.
• Provide reference, readers’ advisory, youth services, circulation, outreach, and/or special collection services; assist patrons with materials, equipment, collections, databases, digital resources, internet use, software, and hardware; handle routine questions and interlibrary loan requests; and conduct computer classes.
• Plan and provide programs for target audiences; participate in community and system-wide outreach; promote library services and relationships with community organizations and schools; give tours; and coordinate displays and promotional signage.
• Perform circulation duties, including answering telephones, charging, discharging and renewing materials, registering borrowers, updating records, processing requests, emptying book drops, filing and sorting, shelving and straightening materials, shelf-reading, locating lost materials, and processing incoming materials.
• Assess and collect overdue fines and payment for lost materials, make change, and collect and record miscellaneous payments.
• Review materials and offer selection suggestions to Acquisitions staff; weed the branch collection on an ongoing basis.
• Count fines and miscellaneous receipts on a rotational basis and prepare money and reports for the SML Financial Assistant.
• Assist with preparing reports and maintaining records.
• Attend staff meetings, quarterly work review meetings with the supervisor, and other meetings as necessary; travel to other locations for work, meetings, and training.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Benefits are offered; specific benefits are not listed.