Part-Time Department Assistant - Youth Services

Category/Classification: Regular Staff (Non-Exempt) Part-Time, $13.00/hr

Reports to: Associate Director of Youth Services

General Summary

The Department Assistant for Youth Services supports and assists the Associate Director of Youth Services or designee in all aspects of her/his works. Responsible for providing assistance with children’s library programs in addition to providing technical and reference assistance to children, parents, teachers, and other patrons. Assists in planning, organizing, and performing scheduled programs and events. Work is performed under regular supervision.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Assists in scheduling, planning and presenting Youth Service programs for pre-school and school-aged library patrons; organizes, schedules and promotes special exhibits and programs. Plans and conducts programs for children to encourage reading, viewing, listening, and use of library materials and facilities.
• Confers with teachers, parents, and community groups to assist in developing programs to encourage and improve children’s communication skills.
• Assists in the development and implementation of children’s reading, craft and story time programs.
• Respond to public inquiries, including children’s library reference questions in a courteous manner; provide information within scope of knowledge and refer to employee of higher classification as appropriate.
• Advise patrons concerning choice of books or materials for themselves or for their children.
• Responsible for the general appears of the Youth Service Department.
• Prepares materials for shelving or filing.
• Sensitizes, inspects, cleans as necessary, and sorts materials onto sorting shelves.
• Searches stacks and other areas for claimed returned, traced, lost, missing, or other items, as assigned.
• Performs Assistant-level work in other departments, as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

General knowledge of resource and reference materials, particularly those pertaining to children.

General knowledge of children’s books and authors.

General knowledge of the Dewey Decimal Classification System and Library of Congress subject headings.

Ability to provide courteous public service and to present clear explanations of established policies and procedures.

Ability to interact effectively with the Library’s automated system.

Skill at accurately and efficiently sorting and shelving materials in alphanumeric order. Physical capacity to place materials on shelves at all shelving heights.

Ability to work in a team setting. Willingness to assist and support coworkers, contribute ideas, maintain flexibility, and be able to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

Physical and Mental Requirements

List the physical demands that are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential function of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Frequently standing simultaneously using hand, wrist and fingers;

Occasional sitting, walking, stooping, bending, squatting, reaching overhead or in front of body, and traveling to outside meetings and engagements. Conveying up to 15 pounds. Frequently talking and hearing ordinary conversation in person or by phone in a quiet but sometimes noisy environment.

Education, Certification, Experience, and Training

Must qualify for Librarian Certificate 6 (LC6) - High school diploma or GED with 5 years of library experience or 9 semester hours of required library science courses. Must complete a minimum of 50 Library Educational Units every 5 years, consistent with Indiana State Library regulations.

The requirements given above are not intended as exclusive standards for this position. Additionally, the duties and responsibilities listed are meant to be illustrative of the nature of the position and do not include all tasks that may be necessary to this job function. Further, individuals may be required to work in other areas and at different functions that those described in accord with changing needs of the library.