Job Description

The award-winning San José Public Library (SJPL) consists of more than 600 employees, a 23% bilingual workforce, and has 24 branch libraries across San José, in addition to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, which is the city’s main library jointly operated through a unique partnership with San José State University. SJPL serves a diverse community of roughly one-million residents and currently has nearly 700,000 library members. It annually attracts over 6 million visitors (pre-pandemic) and circulates more than 8 million items per year.

Over the past few years, SJPL has cultivated a 21st century library experience dedicated to public service and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion at the core. In addition to providing library services to the community, SJPL proudly leads two citywide initiatives - the Education and Digital Literacy Strategy and the SJ Access  digital equity initiative, which has become the number one provider of free public access to Wi-Fi connectivity, tech device lending, and multi-lingual digital literacy programs and support. SJPL is led by Jill Bourne, City Librarian, who was nationally recognized in 2017 as Library Journal’s “Librarian of the Year.”

SJPL enriches lives by fostering lifelong learning and ensuring that every member of the community has access to a vast array of ideas and information. The library department is a place where people do great work and make a difference in our community. To see examples of SJPL’s work and learn more about its impact, visit Join us to make a difference! The Library Department is currently seeking Library Clerks to fill vacancies throughout the organization.

PLEASE NOTE : The  Library currently only has part-time vacancies, if you are interested in possible future full-time vacancies, we encourage you apply to be added to our applicant list.

Library Clerks facilitate quality service through direct assistance to the customers of the San José Public Library System. The clerical activities include providing phone, virtual, and in-person customer service including explaining library materials usage policies and procedures; checking materials in and out; shelving materials; assisting with the use of self-check machines; entering data on computer terminals; issuing borrowers’ cards; preparing and processing materials for circulation; processing materials holds; maintaining records and files; accepting fines; operating cash registers; handling routine problems; assisting with training of and serving as lead person for Library Pages, Library Aides, and volunteers; and pushing or pulling carts loaded with materials; packing, unpacking, and transporting shipment boxes; reaching, bending, and stooping to put materials on low and high shelves.

We are looking for candidates who can provide excellent customer service in an innovative, fast-paced, diverse team environment. As a front-line customer service representative for the library, Library Clerks play a key part in making the library experience a positive one for our customers. SJPL is currently recruiting for multiple part-time vacancies. Part-time positions are benefited and are normally scheduled to work 20 hours per week. Part Time Clerks are typically expected to work some nights and weekends on a rotation basis. Bilingual skills preferred.

 
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

(These qualifications are typically required. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to satisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be substituted.)

 

Education and Experience

Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND one (1) year experience providing basic library customer service, checking in and out of library materials, and performing simple library or routine clerical office work.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include:

• Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations. 
• Customer Service - Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.
• Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel. 
• Multi-Tasking - Can handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously; has handled a wide variety of assignments in past and/or current position(s). 
• Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.
• Reliability – Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.
• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
• Problem Solving - Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews. You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process.

You must answer ALL job-specific questions to be considered, or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration.

• Describe your experience as the lead person within a group. What were your duties as the lead and how did you prepare your team to meet specific objectives? 
• Describe your customer service experience when engaging with the public in various capacities such as in-person, over the phone, and virtually. 
• Describe a time when you had to learn a new work process. How did you approach learning this new process? What was the outcome of learning this new process? 
• Describe a time when you faced an unexpected challenge at work. How did you resolve it?

Additional Information

The application deadline is 11:59 PM on October 21, 2024 . Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

If you have questions about this position, please email Daniel Aholt at Daniel.Aholt@SJLibrary.org . 

Job Tags

Full time, Part time, Remote job, Night shift,

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