Library Assistant

MERIDIAN COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 223

Job Description

LIBRARY ASSISTANT

Position Title: Library Assistant

Reports to: Library Director

Mission Statement Of District

To instruct and assist students to be self-directed learners, collaborative workers, complex thinkers, quality producers and community contributors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or LTA Certification. Minimum 3-years qualified business or library work experience
• Paraprofessional endorsement on educator license issued by the Illinois State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
• Evidence of physical fitness and freedom from communicable disease
• Successful completion of criminal background check
• Must complete item-entry training and cataloging certification through RAILS
  
  

Accountability

Reports to the Library Director. The Library Assistant shall be reviewed annually on the criteria of Customer Service, Job Knowledge, Quality of Work, Efficiency, Cooperation, Problem Solving Skills, Dependability, Initiative, Planning & Organizing and Personal Appearance. More frequent reviews may be required if the employee is not meeting the standards of employment, as outlined in this job description.

Responsibilities And Essential Duties

• Implement the District’s philosophy of education and instructional goals and objectives.
• Prompt arrival and full effort throughout the duration of every shift.
• Report suspected child abuse/neglect cases as required by statute and District policy.
• Provide friendly, courteous, and accurate services to all library users.
• Foster positive working relationships with students, colleagues, teachers, and members of the public.
• Maintain accurate, complete and correct records and maintain confidentiality of same information gained as part of exercising professional duties as required by law, School Board policy, Library Policy, or District procedures.
• Maintain student discipline with a focus on student safety in accordance with School Board policy.
• Provide support for all circulation desk functions in person and on the telephone including Interlibrary Loan (ILL) user registration, program registration, reference and readers advisory services, patron services and processing.
• Catalogs new materials according to library standards.
• Monitor students when they are in the library in accordance with District procedures.
• Assist and supplement library instruction, under the direction of a certified librarian and/or certified teacher.
• Assist students, faculty, and administration in locating resource materials in the library and online.
• Maintain circulation files, including but not limited to yearly inventories, and records for all media in accordance with District and Library procedures.
• Under the request of the Director, utilizes library system technologies to prepare lists for Collection Maintenance and Deselection of library materials.
• Makes personal contact with each patron as they enter the building
• Generates informational fliers, bibliographies, bookmarks, and picto-tutorials for students and public patrons
• Helps maintain, review, and edit the library’s procedure manual
• Runs forms, reports, statistics, calendars, account balances, etc.
• Prepare letters, reports and notices relating to overdue notices and fines in accordance with District and Library procedures.
• Generates purchase orders, as requested by Library Director
• Utilizes the library’s automated system to circulate and discharge items, register and renew library users, place holds, and display and modify user billings and overdue items
• Demonstrates advanced understanding of the library’s various electronic resources, including the online catalog, ebooks, and apps; answers related patron questions and helps troubleshoot; provides instruction, upon request
• Keeps up-to-date on new available materials and reads book reviews, in order to provide quality readers’ advisory services
• Keeps accurate daily statistics for attendance, computer use, programming and reference
• Understands and communicates library policies and procedures to library users
• Reads library newsletters, fliers, calendars, and social media posts to effectively promote library programming to users
• Provides patrons with services such as faxing, copying and laminating
• Properly shelves, organizes and aligns materials
• Maintains a neat, clean and organized workspace; organizes and cleans display areas and the library, as needed
• Suggests materials for addition, replacement or weeding
• Notifies Special Projects Coordinator-Adult Services of items in need of re-ordering
• Attends monthly staff meetings and other job-related workshops and meetings
• Serve as a role model for students and staff in demonstrating positive attitudes, appropriate attire and grooming, and effective work ethic.
• Display ethical and professional behavior in working with students, parents, school personnel, and outside agencies associated with the school.
• Be knowledgeable of and adhere to applicable laws and guidelines, including but not limited to, the Illinois School Code, State Board of Education rules and regulations, School Board policies and procedures, all federal and state laws and rules as they relate to the position, and contractual obligations, where applicable.
• Performs other duties and assignments, as directed
  
  

Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

• Listens, understands and interprets patron requests and questions
• Communicates effectively via telephone, in-person, and in writing to library users and fellow staff
• Comfortable in using technology, including: computers, databases, library apps, social media, photocopiers, fax machine and small hand tools
• Able to attend work regularly and punctually
• Self-motivated and resourceful; requires minimal supervision
• Prioritizes and completes assigned projects independently and as a member of a team
• Reads regularly outside of work
• Stand/sit/crawl/kneel/crouch/keyboard for extended periods of time
• Lift, carry, or push materials of 20-30 pounds
  
  

Physical Demands And Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit 25-50% of the day; use hands to manipulate, handle, or feel 50-75% of the day; talk and hear 75-100% of the day; reach with hands and arms 25-50% of the day; stand and walk 50-75% of the day; and bend, squat, kneel, twist/turn/balance 50-75% of the day. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20-30 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. The employee occasionally must climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Other physical demands of the positions include regular reaching above shoulder/outward and typing/keyboarding.

In the work environment the employee is regularly exposed to video display and regularly works in typical interior/office environmental conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Term of Employment: At Will

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Evaluation: Annually by Building Principal

The statements in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by (an) individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities related to the position. This job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity and School Board policy and procedures. Job functions are subject to modification.

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