The City of Richmond Community Services, Library - Division of Customer Service, is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Part-Time Library Associate at various branch locations. This role coordinates programs and services for users and staff of the City Library. Work may include planning, developing, and implementing special library activities and programs; executing the City Library's strategic plan, including providing programs for children, young adults, and special needs groups; facilitating, marketing, and promoting special programs; and preparing and updating library web content. This position also may prepare reports, assist patrons with locating materials in the computer or catalog, and with physically locating materials or equipment. This position may support circulation functions and assist with special projects or other library programs. This position will require on-site work on weekdays, evenings, and weekends on a rotating basis.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Preparing, coordinating, planning, and facilitating programs and activities
- Promoting and marketing programs and activities
- Preparing reports
- Assisting supervisors with staff supervision duties
- Assisting patrons and answering their questions
- Performing circulation duties
- Conducting outreach
- Representing the library at various community events
- Writing various reviews, reports, and other documents
- Attending various meetings, including staff meetings
- Training staff as needed
This position is considered Essential Personnel, which means that the incumbent is required to work when the City is closed due to public emergencies, critical or hazardous conditions, or inclement weather.
Qualifications, Special Certifications, and Licenses
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The incumbent has considerable knowledge of routine library functions, policies, practices, classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal System, and circulation functions. Greater emphasis in the following areas is integral to success: children's developmental stages, STEAM activities, computer programs such as Microsoft Office Suite, Integrated Library Systems, electronic databases, and related software applications. Must have a strong mastery of English composition, spelling, and grammar, general knowledge of current and classic literature, especially children's genre, and overall subjects held by the library. The individual can demonstrate skills in excellent customer service, assisting patrons, communicating with various internal and external departments. Working with youth from pre-school to middle school, performance, and keeping children's attention, marketing and promoting special programs. Must be able to plan, coordinate, develop, implement, and facilitate special activities and programs. Preparing announcements and updating library website and social media communications (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, NextDoor). Researching and keeping current on early literature best practices. Teaching, reading stories to children, troubleshooting youth challenges. Using library programs as tools for reference or information questions. Using various office equipment such as computers, printers, laminators, etc. Writing, creating, and editing various reports, story scripts, and other documents. Oral and written communication. This individual can demonstrate the ability to have an interest in library culture as learning environments for all levels, work with children and adults with a wide range of abilities, serve the public, and speak publicly.
Minimum Training and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Library Science, Literature, Education, Information Systems, or a related field
- Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited library school is preferred
- Two years of public library experience
- An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification
Licensing, Certifications, and/or Other Special Requirements: None required
Preferred Training and Experience: None
Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.
Environmental Hazards: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.
Physical Requirements and Working Environment: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraints. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly work with one's fingers, talk, hear, see, and use repetitive motions; frequently walk; and occasionally stoop, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, push, pull, lift, grasp, and feel. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is sedentary (exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects) but may differ based on the area of focus. The working conditions may contain environmental hazards, depending on the area of focus.