Principal Library Assistant - Bookmobile

About the role

The Principal Library Assistant, under general direction the Supervising Library Assistant, performs technical and/or paraprofessional duties of considerable difficulty in one or more of the functional areas of librarianship; and does other related duties as required.

Responsibilities

• Participates in implementation of library extension programs on mobile units, at community agencies, and in other non-library settings throughout the community; conducts programs for which objectives and general procedures have been established or outlined such as story hours, preschool programs, and programs for senior citizens, convalescents, ethnic groups, and school students; promotes library extension programs; makes personal contacts and provides routine information to community residents.
• Collaborates with team and department members to address the activities of a library unit or section such as circulation desk, periodical section, shelving of library material, microfilm section, book processing section, or interloan section; follows established policies and procedures with responsibility for revising work methods or processes to increase efficiency; issues assignments and trains subordinate personnel assigned to such units.
• Processes interloan requisitions for library material between area/branch libraries and the main library; charges and discharges library material to users; examines collections of books, films, periodicals, and so forth to weed material for purpose of discarding due to obsolescence; inspects books for damage; lists overdue library material and completes overdue notices for notifying patrons; performs filing or shelving tasks involving the use of the Dewey Decimal Classification System and alphabetical filing systems beyond the initial letter of a subject or topic.
• Promotes good customer service; registers new members; reviews library card applications for completeness as to name, address, and similar personal identification and records changes of such information; answers patrons' inquiries pertaining to library hours, physical location of library material, offices, or personnel including explanation of basic library resources and services; meets the needs of a diverse community; Maintains cooperative relationships with local community residents and system-wide library staff; meet the needs of a diverse community.
• Determines and prepares content and arrangement of library material for displays, exhibits, and special library programs.
• Gathers data; compiles numerical reports on circulations, accessions, or other aspects of library operations using basic arithmetic.

Requirements

• Ability to demonstrate a practical knowledge of library functions, services, terminology, techniques, procedures, and standard tools such as ILS (Integrated Library Systems), shelving arrangements, Dewey Decimal Classification System, and successful completion of relevant manager training within the organization.
• Two (2) years of experience demonstrating practical knowledge of library functions, services, terminology, techniques, procedures, and standard tools (card catalog, microfilm, shelving, circulation systems, and so forth.) OR Satisfactory completion of a two-year library technician course at an accredited college or university.

Core competencies

• Communication/Collaboration
• Customer Service
• Professional Development
• Community Engagement
• Technology

Qualifications

• Master's degree in library or information science from an accredited library program OR satisfactory completion of a two-year library technician course at an accredited college or university.
• Preference given to applicants currently earning a master's degree in library or information science from a library program accredited by the American Library Association or from a New Jersey college master's program in Library Science that has been deemed acceptable by Thomas Edison College.
• Ability to manage and administer library programs.
• Knowledge of Jersey City’s population, geography, and/or local government.
• Facility in a non-English language spoken in Jersey City (such as Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Tagalog, etc.).
• CDLB License highly desirable
• NJ Driver’s license is required