Library Assistant

Job Description

Key Result Areas

• Assist with library opening and closing daily routines.  
• Help maintain general cleanliness and orderliness within the library.  
• Perform customer service activities including locating, retrieving, sorting, and restocking.  
• Process library loans, renewals, holds, and returns.  
• Participate in inventory and search activities.  
• Report missing items and the condition of damaged materials to aid in repair and replacement decisions.  
• Perform shelving rearrangement to accommodate growth and new programs.  
• Carry out shelf reading activities to maintain orderliness in the collections.  
• Help customers with copiers, printers, and other equipment.  
• Verify the accuracy of periodicals received from the Serials department as recorded in the automated Library Catalog and report missing issues.  
• Check the accuracy and completeness of the marking of books and bound periodicals on their return from binding services.  
• Assist librarians with weeding of outdated and old edition materials and suggesting replacement of heavily-used books.  
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Problem Solving & Complexity

• Consults with others when needed.  
• Backs up solutions with relevant facts and figures.  
• Identifies problems within their own scope of work.  
• Discusses problems with others and escalates where appropriate when solutions are not readily determined.

Decision-Making Authority & Responsibility

• Identifies issues and accepts responsibility for decisions within own scope of responsibilities.  
• Evaluates available information and analyzes facts from different angles to select the best option.  
• Arrives at decisions in a thoughtful and timely way based on available information.  
• Takes action or escalates decision-making where appropriate.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• High School education.  
• 2–5 years of relevant full-time work experience; customer service experience is a plus.  
• Must perform well on an alphanumeric sorting test.  
• Experience using a range of standard office equipment (e.g., printers, copiers) is preferred.  
• Must be able to work accurately with strong attention to detail, even when performing highly repetitive tasks.  
• Must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.  
• Proficiency in Arabic is a plus.