Assistant Librarian Job Description

Library Assistants: A Career in Library Science

Library clerks are responsible for assisting with the administration of a library. They help visitors find the right reference materials, process interlibrary loans and sign up visitors for their own card library. Library assistants are usually employed at public libraries and schools to facilitate library programming and provide clerical support.

They keep the book stacks organized by shelving books according to the Dewey Decimal System, making note of missing and damaged books, and setting aside reserved books for library patrons. The circulation desk is staffed by library assistants who check out books and other resources for visitors. They can help with setting up the library for events like story time for kids or teen book club.

A high school degree is usually required for a library assistant. Most libraries prefer their library assistants to have a post-secondary certificate in cataloging, reference and automated library systems. Library assistants usually get on-the-job training to learn the basics.

Academic assistants are in universities or colleges helping students and professors, while public library assistants are in community libraries. School library assistants for elementary to high school are available, as well as special library assistants who work in museums, government, and medical centers to provide information that is of particular interest to the organization. Library assistants can get on-the-job training to understand the work they are doing.

It is a plus to have experience as an assistant in an office, business or non-profit as there will be responsibilities that correlate with each other. A master's degree in library science is required for a library assistant to become a librarian. Library staff and customer service are provided by Library Assistants, who are responsible for clerical support and customer service.

Library Assistants

clerical duties in libraries are performed by library assistants Patrons can request more in-depth research if they request it from the librarians. Library assistants check in and out material at the circulation desk, receive payments for fines, and help process new material when patrons return books.

They are called library clerks, library technical assistants and library circulation assistants. Library assistants help keep libraries organized and efficient. Patrons can usually be assisted with checking materials in and out.

Library assistants answer calls to the library and direct them to the appropriate people. Most libraries don't need a high school degree to be a library assistant, and some libraries may even hire high school students to serve in entry-level roles. On-the-job training is provided by libraries.

Most jobs are part time. Libraries are usually open during the week and on weekends. Library assistants should be prepared to work any day at any time between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

A library assistant helps to sort and organize books, and receives library materials. They may be responsible for answering questions and locating materials for patrons to use in the library. The librarians also help patrons in the library.

They can help visitors find a specific section or title in the library, or direct them to areas of the library where they can use computers or other resources. When patrons need to use audio-visual materials or records on microfilm, the librarians are responsible for setting up equipment and making sure it works as intended. Updating and maintaining patron records is a task that the librarians support.

A library assistant may be responsible for updating the library's records if a patron changes their address or contact information. The library assistant keeps records of checked-out items, overdue materials, and accrued and paid fines. In libraries, the librarians are responsible for processing fines for lost or delayed items.

A library assistant is supposed to keep the library organized. They are usually supervised by librarians or library technicians. They help visitors find books and materials, check out or check in materials, answer questions, take incoming calls, keep things orderly, and take care of fines for late material.

Library assistants have different ways of working. They are conscientious and conservative because they are conventional individuals. They are organized and logical.

Some of them are realistic, meaning they are independent, stable, persistent, genuine, practical, and thrifty. Library assistants work indoors. They spend most of their time at a desk.

Most also spend time in the library stacks while cataloging or re-shelving books, a task that may require bending or stretching to reach the shelves. School libraries have library assistants working during school hours. People working in public or college libraries work weekends, evenings and some holidays.

Librarians: A Career in Libraries

The librarians can provide many benefits to the institution. You can learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a librarian by reading this. A library director is responsible for the daily operations of the library.

They can work in schools, religious institutions or as part of the government. School librarians can work in public or private schools. A large part of a library's job is to educate students on how to use a library effectively and how to love reading.

They might teach children how to use the library database and other research tools in class. Academic librarians work in colleges and universities. They help students learn how to use the library database to find online scholarly articles or materials for research papers and projects.

They help professors find and access research material and sometimes hold materials for them to use in their classes. Librarians are often tasked with storing and preserving artifacts and books at college and universities. They might be responsible for scanning pages of old books to add to their online database so as to provide access to library users while ensuring its preservation.

A four-year bachelor's degree in library science is what librarians usually get. Librarians can get degrees in areas they want to specialize in. A pre-law degree can translate to a law library job after completing a master's degree.

Librarians: A Career in Information Technology

Librarians help visitors find the research resources they need. The librarians arrange speakers, entertainers and workshops to educate and entertain their patrons. They try to expand the use of library resources.

Digital delivery systems are being used more and more by libraries to present resources to patrons at their facilities and remotely through the internet. Librarians follow technology trends in the field and evaluate systems for storing and delivering digital content. They evaluate and purchase computers and electronic databases.

Colleges, corporations, schools, law firms, hospitals, prisons, and museums are just some of the places where librarians work. Some librarians have expertise in areas like music, art, law, science, social science or literature collections. They advise patrons on how to access and utilize information they find.

Specific populations that librarians can serve include scientists, artists, medical professionals, lawyers, prisoners, children, or youth. A Masters in Library Science is required for librarians to complete their undergraduate degree. A related area is a good area to major in if you want to specialize in a particular area.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says librarians earned an average of $59,050 in the year. The top 10% of librarians earned at least $94k, while the bottom 10% earned less than that. Librarians must be prepared to help library patrons from all walks of life.

In public libraries, assistants can help local community groups by distributing their leaflets, displaying event posters, or running events in the library. Library assistants work 37 to 39 hours a week. They can work shifts in the public library.

It is common to work part-time. The assistants have to bend and stretch to reach their items. When unpacking deliveries, there may be some lifting.

During busy times, such as Saturday mornings, libraries can be very busy, with constant customer inquires and work being very hard. The starting salary is around £15,000 a year. Depending on the sector and level of qualifications, salaries can vary.

The assistants in public libraries are paid less than their private sector counterparts. The setting in which assistants work can be very different, from large employers like the national libraries that employ from 500 to 900 members of staff, to working in an industry setting where only a few information workers are employed. It is possible to move into a senior library assistant post.

CILIP offers a qualification for library assistants who want to progress in their careers and become librarians or library managers. The librarians in small libraries may need to move to get promoted. There is a formal promotion structure in public libraries.