Library Officer, Public Libraries

Public Service Division; Singapore; Hybrid; SGD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

National Library Board (NLB) in Singapore invites applicants for a front-line role based at one of the public libraries. The position offers a two-year contract with a hybrid work arrangement and opportunities to engage the community through library programmes and services.

You will guide customers, promote collections, supervise outsourced staff, and support operations, events and reporting. Flexibility for shift work, weekends, and public holidays is required.

Qualifications

• Good customer service and engagement skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to supervise staff and maintain quality standards.
• Able to adapt quickly to changes from iterative service development.
• Capable of working in a fast-paced, high-priority environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Willingness to perform mobile frontline roving across library branches.
• Provide logistics support for events and activities.
• Candidate may need to work shifts, weekends, and public holidays.

Responsibilities

• Guide customers on library etiquette and promote library collections and services.
• Provide physical and digital collection recommendations and engage patrons through programmes.
• Deliver high-quality customer service and handle inquiries (email, registrations, cases).
• Supervise outsourced staff and volunteers, train vendor staff on service standards.
• Process library items to support collection development and maintenance.
• Ensure library facilities are well maintained for operations and customers.
• Support library operations with reporting, crisis management, and admin tasks.
• Handle customer queries and feedback per service standards.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Staff supervision

Adaptability

Multitasking

Mobile frontline service

Logistics support

Shift work

Job description

[What the role is]

The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through our network of 28 libraries across Singapore, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore.

At NLB, you can look forward to a flexible, hybrid work environment with rewarding, impactful deliverables that improve the lives of the community. With caring colleagues, you will be in an ideal environment for professional development, innovation and impact.

We can offer you:
• A chance to Impact the Community, bridge gaps and empower everyone with the opportunity for learning and discovery.
• An opportunity to Innovate and Push Boundaries. We value ideas, curiosity and a passion for innovation to transform our libraries and archives.
• An organisation that Cares for your Growth and Wellbeing through investment in staff development and wellbeing in a supportive and collaborative environment.

[What you will be working on]

Job Responsibilities

• Guide customers on library etiquette, and promote library collection and services.
• Provide physical and digital collection and service recommendations, engaging library patrons through programmes (like book displays, storytelling, tours, displays and roadshows).
• Provide quality customer service and maintaining excellent service standards (e.g. email queries, membership registrations, following up on customer service cases).
• Manage a team of outsourced staff and volunteers in delivering quality standards in their work e.g., Train and guide vendor staff on handling patron enquiries, customer service, collection maintenance criteria and procedures, user education on library facilities and services.
• Processing of library items that support collection development and maintenance.
• Ensure the facilities are well maintained to meet both operational and customers’ needs.
• Providing support in library operations such as compiling reports and statistics, crisis management, financial matters, incident management, systems and administrative support etc.
• Handle customer queries, issues and feedback according to service standards and standard processes.

[What we are looking for]

Requirements

• Good customer service and engagement skills.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to supervise staff in maintaining quality standards.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changes due to iterative nature of new services.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and highly volatile environment and manage multiple priorities and stakeholders at the same time.
• Ability to carry out mobile frontline services e.g. roving in library branches.
• Ability to provide logistics support e.g. supporting library events.
• Candidate will be required to perform shift work and work on weekends and occasionally on public holidays.

Please highlight any other skills that you might have for example, data analytics, design, etc.

You will be based at one of the public libraries.

Successful applicants will be appointed on a two-year contract in the first instance.