Library Assistant

Compensation Range

$19.43 - $24.89

Please note: This job opening may close earlier than the stated date, due to high candidate volume. If interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Who We Are:

At the City of High Point, we celebrate the creator in everyone. Building on our rich cultural history steeped in industrialism and innovation, our employees seek not only to transform themselves, but the world around us. We are collaborators, we are makers, we are visionaries. 
  
We invite you to explore the many opportunities to serve our community, by sharing your talents, skills, and expertise. You'll join a diverse team of over 1300 individuals dedicated not just to making a career, but a difference; because what we create in High Point, changes the world! 

Our Core Values:

• Stewardship: We manage the city’s resources responsibly and make decisions that sustain High Point’s future. In other words, we take care of what we have today to build what we’ll need tomorrow
• Welcoming: We create a friendly, open environment where residents, partners, and visitors feel valued and embraced. We want everyone who connects with High Point to feel welcomed, like they belong here.
• Integrity: We act with honesty, transparency, and ethical responsibility in everything we do. That means doing what’s right – even when no one’s watching. This is how we earn our community’s trust.
• Productivity: We stay focused on results, fostering creativity, innovation, and outside-the-box thinking. We don’t just get things done – we find smarter, better ways to do them.

What We Offer:
The City of High Point offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefit package for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 401K and 457B Retirement Plans
• PTO earned within first year
• 13 Paid Holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement Plan
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective day one

What You'll Do:

Performs routine para-professional and customer service work in the Public Library, which involves lending materials and keeping records of those materials and their borrowers, and keeping books and non-print materials in order on shelves. Does related work as required.

Essential Tasks & Responsibilities:

Essential Tasks

·      Answers borrowers’ questions about reserves in person and over the telephone, using information found in the computer.

·      Answers the telephone and transfers calls to other parts of the library.

·      Answers questions about the Library at the Customer Service Desk as assigned.

·      Checks books and non-print materials out to borrowers, scans RFID tags barcodes with antenna or scanner and operates computer and circulation system.

·      Registers new borrowers, which involves oral communication, reading applications filled out by the borrower, entering information into a computer, and interpreting information on driver’s license.

·      Collects fees for damaged and lost materials and Friends Continuous Book Sale, involving finding and interpreting information in the computer and operating a money transaction program and credit card machine.

·      Performs computer operations involving renewing materials, changing status of library cards, and other activities related to circulation of library materials.

·      Checks shelves for overdue, lost and requested materials which involves going to all three floors of the Library and searching shelves for materials listed on a computer printout.

·      Straightens shelves, which involves pushing books and nonprint materials into an upright position with edges aligned with the edges of the shelves.

·      Performs shelf-reading, which involves checking all books and nonprint materials on shelves to make sure they are in alphabetical or Dewey Decimal order, identifying misfiled books, and placing misfiled books in correct places.

·      Shifts books and nonprint materials, which involves moving books from one shelf to another, sometimes by hand and sometimes with a cart.

·      Checks in materials using a computer, circulation system and RFID antenna.

·      Manually changes status and holdings codes, as needed.

·      Sorts books and nonprint materials, which involves separating them by types and putting them in appropriate places in the book sorting room.

·      Shelves books and nonprint materials, which involves going to all three floors of the Library pushing carts and placing books on shelves in correct location by alphabetical or Dewey Decimal order.

·      Writes RFID tags using a computer, RFID antenna and specific computer program.

·      Inspects returned items for damage or missing components.

·      Places and cancels reserved materials for borrowers, which involves entering information in a computer.

·      Processes reserved materials for library and self-service lockers at other locations pick up. which involves checking in materials to fill reserves, checking out materials and assigning self-service lockers using a circulation system and specific locker assigning computer program.

·      Processes reserved materials for NC Cardinal resource sharing libraries, which involves checking in materials to fill reserves, creating mailing labels and processing materials for outgoing shipments; and processing incoming shipments. Both processes involve packing and unpacking boxes of materials.

·      Instructs library customers in use of the computerized catalog.

·      Assists borrowers with self-checks, involves scanning library cards and using RFID antenna.

·      Assists the public with using the photocopier i.e. make change and troubleshoot problems.

·      Orders and maintains inventory for photocopier.

·      Schedules maintenance and repairs for photocopier when needed.

·      Opens and closes money transaction program and credit card machine, including tallying end of day moneys.

·      Full-time employee -acts as team leader in absence of the supervisor.

·      Ensures that all work is performed in accordance with OSHA and City Safety Standards and Policies

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalent, plus at least one consecutive year of recent (in the last 3 years) customer service experience in retail, library, or a related service industry.
• Valid driver’s license; cover letter and resume required with application.
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional customer service with strong communication, listening, and teamwork skills; ability to work effectively with a diverse community and adapt to evolving library services..
• Intermediate experience in Microsoft Office and basic office practices; ability to accurately interpret and manage computerized records.
• Experience with Canva or similar design tools, social media platforms (X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads), and digital technologies such as online databases and streaming services may be required for certain assignments.
• Ability to assist customers with downloading apps, setting up accounts, and accessing digital content on mobile devices may be required for certain assignments.
• Knowledge of organizational systems such as the Dewey Decimal System; ability to maintain accurate shelving and interpret spine labels for library materials.
• Comfortable with public speaking and training for programs and instruction, including occasional off-site events may be required for certain assignments.
• Physical ability to move throughout all library floors, push carts, and lift materials (up to 50 pounds).
• Availability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays; regular schedule includes evenings and a weekend rotation (or as scheduled)

Physical Requirements

• Hearing/Speaking - Expressing and/or receiving information by means of spoken word are both necessary to converse with people in person and over the phone.
• Visual Abilities – the ability to perceive via eyesight is required for this position:
  • Acuity, far - Clarity of vision at 20 feet or more.  Both eyes 20/25 - R 20/30 - L 20/30 corrected
  • Acuity, near - Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less.  Both eyes 20/25 corrected
  • Depth Perception - Three-dimensional vision.  Ability to judge distance and space relationships so as to see objects where and as they actually are.  Depth Perception - 4
  • Field of Vision - Area that can be seen up and down or to right or left while eyes are fixed on a given point.
  • Accommodation - Adjustment of lens of eye to bring an object into sharp focus.  This item is especially important when doing near-point work at varying distances from eye.

• Physical Strength – degree of physical demands typically associated with this position include:
  • Light to Medium Work
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. and/or
  • Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently. and
  • A negligible amount of force constantly to carry and/or move books and other material. 
• Type of Physical Demands
  • Reaching - Extending the hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction.
  • Handling - Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with hand(s).
  • Fingering - Picking, pinching or otherwise working with fingers primarily rather than the entire hand or arm.
  • Employee must reach to answer telephone, work with computer terminal, etc.  Handles books, materials, cards, forms, documents, pencils, pens etc., requiring use of hands and fingers.

Mental Activity/Requirements

• Reasoning
  • The ability to apply principles of logical thinking to work tasks and practical situations and requests made by supervisor, other employees or members of the general public. to comprehend and respond to a variety of situations in an expedient manner.  Must interpret information so good judgment is important.

• Mathematics Ability 
  • The ability to use arithmetic to figure due dates and book and material fees and to complete time sheets.  
• Language Ability  
  • The ability to read emails, manuals, instructions, directions, book information, forms and other documents relating to the job.
  • The ability to write names, addresses, figures, and take messages.
  • The ability to be conversant in voice and diction so as to participate in discussions with other employees and the general public in person and by telephone.

Environmental Conditions  

• Physical Surroundings
  • The Library Assistant is Inside Environmental Conditions: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• Hazards
  • No environmental hazards indicated for this position.
• Machinery/Tools/Work Aids/Other Equipment
  • Personnel Resolution, copier, computer, scanner, RFID antenna, credit card machine, calculator, stapler, pen, pencils, books, paper clips, cards, card files, telephone and directory.

The work location of this job will be 901 N Main St High Point, North Carolina.

Our Commitments
The City of High Point is dedicated to fostering a work environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and seeks to attract and retain the most qualified partners in service to the citizens of High Point. As an at-will employer, the City allows employees to terminate their employment, or be terminated at any time, with or without cause, as long as it is not prohibited by law.