Job Details

Library Assistant IV

The authorized level of the position is Library Assistant IV. Applications are being accepted down to the Library Assistant II in the event of recruiting difficulties. Salary Range: Library Assistant II, SR-05: $3,078.00 per month Library Assistant III, SR-07: $3,201.00 per month Library Assistant IV, SR-09: $3,333.00 per month

Typical examples of duties of Library Assistant IV positions include:

1. Independently provides all nonprofessional support services for a library (e.g. school library), including circulation activities, preparing books and other materials for use in the library, maintaining the card catalog and other related files, maintaining stacks, inventorying library materials and other support activities. Positions of this type work under the general supervision of a professional librarian and may supervise students and/or others in carrying out routine library tasks.
2. Supervises and participates in circulation desk activities. A position of this type works under the general supervision of a librarian and is responsible for overseeing the circulation desk operations in a library, which typically includes the charging and discharging of books; collecting fines and fees; sorting and shelving books; sorting and packing books to be returned to owning or requesting libraries; checking in, display, maintenance and claiming of periodicals, etc. The position is expected to handle problems and complaints that arise at the circulation desk, explaining library policies and rules to patrons and referring problems that cannot be resolved to the librarian.
3. Responsible for independently performing the full range of functions related to the orderly and timely receipt of periodicals as a major work assignment.
4. Processes orders for a variety of library materials. Librarians provide basic bibliographic information for materials to be ordered. Checks card catalog, shelflist files and on-order file to avoid duplicate purchases. Where information is incomplete, positions use a variety of standard sources to obtain complete order information (author, title, edition, publisher, price, etc.); prepares purchase orders and sends orders to vendors based on standard guidelines or contract specifications; may call or write to publishers/vendors for information regarding bibliographic information, availability and price; totals orders; may compute vendor's discount; may convert foreign values into U.S. dollars; may keep running balance of library material allotments; maintains on-order and related files; verifies orders with materials received; processes invoices for payment; returns damaged or incorrect items received; and clears up discrepancies with vendors (e.g. short orders, payment not received).
5. Responsible for processing interlibrary loan requests in accordance with established policies, practices and procedures.
6. Responsible for sending material to a commercial bindery, in accordance with established/standard practices and procedures.
7. Performs basic copy cataloging by locating a catalog record for the material to be cataloged and editing the record to match the piece in hand, in accordance with established guidelines and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications: Experience Requirement: Except for the substitutions provided for in these specifications, applicants must have progressively responsible experience of the kind and quality described below and in the amounts shown in the following table:

General Experience: Clerical work experience which demonstrated knowledge of spelling, arithmetic, the ability to read, understand and follow oral and written instructions, and compare words and numbers quickly and accurately.

For the Library Assistant III level and above, the applicant's general experience must also demonstrate knowledge of and ability to perform various clerical procedures, operate various kinds of office equipment, and deal with others in a tactful and polite manner or must have been at least comparable to the Library Assistant II class in the State service.

Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible experience in a library which involved performing various library support activities (e.g. circulation work, stack maintenance, processing orders for library materials, posting receipt of periodicals and other materials, locating and verifying bibliographic information using standard sources, etc.) and which provided knowledge and required the application of library terminology, practices, policies and procedures and understanding of the nature and organization of library materials. For the Library Technician V and above, the experience must also demonstrate knowledge and understanding of various elements related to the organization of library materials, including elements of bibliographic description, catalog card elements and general format, standard library tools and reference sources (e.g. Library of Congress Subject Headings, Books in Print, Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature), classification scheme(s) (e.g. Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress), and/or the nature of various types of publications and materials. For the Library Assistant IV and Library Technician V, at least one (1) year of the required experience must have been comparable to the next lower level than the one being applied for.

Technical/Paraprofessional Experience: Progressively responsible work experience which involved performing technical paraprofessional library work (e.g. copy cataloging, general reference, collection maintenance). At least one (1) year of the required experience must have been comparable to the next lower level than the one being applied for.

Substitutions Allowed: Graduation from high school may be substituted for the required one-half (1/2) year of General Experience. Successful completion of a substantially full-time equivalent clerical, stenographic or secretarial curriculum leading to a degree, diploma or a certificate of achievement at an accredited community college or at a business or technical school which included courses in basic English, arithmetic, general clerical procedures and office machines may be substituted for the one (1) year of General Experience provided the duration of the training was for a year or more. Successful completion of a substantially full-time equivalent clerical, stenographic or secretarial curriculum leading to a degree, diploma or a certificate of achievement at an accredited community college, business or technical school which was for a period of less than one (1) year may be substituted for General Experience on a month-for-month basis provided the training included courses in basic English, arithmetic, general clerical procedures and office machines. Successful completion of one-half (1/2) a school year of substantially full-time clerical, stenographic or secretarial curriculum at an accredited community college, business and/or technical school which included courses in basic English, arithmetic, general clerical procedures and office machines, may be substituted for six (6) months of General Experience. Successful completion of one (1) school year (of a program of more than one [1] year in length) of substantially full-time clerical, stenographic or secretarial curriculum at an accredited community college, business and/or technical school which included courses in basic English, arithmetic, general clerical procedures and office machines, may be substituted for one (1) year of General Experience. Successful completion of a substantially full-time equivalent library science or technology curriculum leading to an Associate in Science or comparable degree from an accredited community college, junior college or other comparable institution, may be substituted for the General Experience or the Specialized Experience on the basis of one (1) year of such training for one (1) year of experience, up to maximum of two (2) years of General or Specialized Experience. Successful completion of a substantially full-time equivalent library science or technology curriculum at an accredited community college, junior college or other comparable institution, may be substituted for the General Experience or Specialized Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester credits for six (6) months of General or Specialized Experience, up to a maximum of two (2) years. Education in an accredited university in a baccalaureate program with courses in English composition and college mathematics may be substituted for experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours for six (6) months of General Experience, up to a maximum of one (1) year of General Experience. Applicants who possess a master's degree in library science or who have satisfactorily completed all of the coursework (except for the thesis and/or comprehensive qualifying examinations) leading to the master's degree in library science, from an accredited college or university may substitute their education for the General, Specialized and/or Technical/Paraprofessional Experience required, up to a maximum of one (1) year of general, two (2) years Specialized and two (2) years Technical/Paraprofessional Experience. Graduate level coursework in library science from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the General, Specialized and/or Technical/ Paraprofessional Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester credits for six (6) months of experience. Excess Technical/Paraprofessional Experience may be substituted for Specialized or General Experience