Public Services Assistant

At the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, we are dedicated to enriching the lives of the communities in Zionsville and Whitestown, Indiana. Our team is at the forefront of library services, embracing modern technologies, creating innovative amenities, and delivering personalized, up-to-date programs. We foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and entertainment throughout our community. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Team members are assigned a primary library location to provide consistency for their day-to-day work-life. There will be times that team members are asked to assist at their non-primary location or at community events. This position's assigned primary library location is at the Whitestown Library.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Public Service Assistant is the primary point of contact for patrons, contributing to a positive atmosphere through providing outstanding customer service to our patrons. Working primarily at the Welcome Desk, you will engage in a range of responsibilities, including material check-ins and outs, holds management, library card registration, and resolution of account inquiries. Additionally, this role involves providing reference assistance, technology troubleshooting, and reader's advisory services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Patron Interaction and Services

• Greet patrons warmly, assess their needs, and direct them to the appropriate resources.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the library's operations, mission, and available resources.
• Assist patrons with library card accounts, including new registrations, verification, policy communication, and payment processing.
• Resolve patron account disputes.
• Provide reader's advisory services, technical troubleshooting, and reference assistance.
• Offer support in locating materials within the library.

Material Management

• Conduct check-in and check-out of library materials.
• Assist patrons at self-check-out stations and provide guidance on technology-related issues.
• Manage payments, record transactions, and balance/reconcile cash drawers.
• Place, fill, and remove holds on library materials.
• Inspect returned materials for damage, address missing pieces, and take appropriate action.
• Clear returned materials as needed.

Administrative and Organizational Tasks

• Participate in opening and closing procedures for the building.
• Contribute to the organization of materials through activities such as shelf reading and creating displays.
• Fill transit requests and process incoming and outgoing items.
• Empty drop boxes, sort materials, and shelve library materials.
• Contribute to library-wide and off-site events.
• Additional duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERENCES

• High school Diploma or GED required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with patrons and team members.
• Proficient in MS Office and Windows and IOS software, with the ability to adapt to new technologies.
• Previous experience in customer service and working as a member of a team.
• Strong organizational abilities to manage multiple tasks and maintain order.
• Sensitivity to diverse patron needs and a commitment to promoting inclusivity.
• Experience with Dewy Decimal System and library database apps preferred.
• Physical Demands: This position requires physical demands, including reading, writing, maintaining hand-eye coordination, standing, sitting, walking, bending, crawling, climbing, pushing, pulling, and lifting items weighing 15-20 pounds.