Collections Assistant

PCPLS; Valparaiso (IN); On-site; USD 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Life and disability insurance

Indiana PERF retirement

Job summary

PCPLS is hiring a full-time Collections Assistant to support the life cycle of physical and digital library materials. You will assist with intake, record management, and processing of new items, while exploring streamlined cataloging partnerships and broader collection maintenance duties as needs evolve.

The role involves working Monday through Friday daytime hours with occasional evenings or weekends, and offers robust benefits including paid leave and comprehensive medical, dental, and vision

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Able to work with people of all ages.
• Demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail.
• Willing and able to learn computer skills, applications, and devices relevant to the position.

Responsibilities

• Greet patrons and assist with inquiries in a professional manner.
• Assist with intake, record management, and processing of new items.
• Use ILS for patron-facing and circulation functions.
• Assist with shelving, shifting, and merchandising of materials.
• Maintain inventory and organize equipment and supplies.
• Perform basic custodial tasks and ensure facilities are orderly.

Skills

High-level communication

Oral and written communication

Attention to detail

Willing to learn computer skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Integrated Library System (ILS)

Job description

Do you have an eye for accuracy and a passion for keeping library materials accessible and engaging? Our library is hiring a full-time Collections Assistant to support the life cycle of our physical and digital materials.

Working under the direction of the Collections Coordinator, you will assist with the intake, record management, and processing of new items. While copy-cataloging is part of our current day-to-day work, our library is actively exploring streamlined cataloging partnerships. Therefore, this role is designed to be flexible. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about shifting into broader collection maintenance duties as needs evolve—including deselection/weeding, inventory integrity, and visual merchandising.

This full-time, non-exempt position typically works Monday through Friday daytime hours (with occasional evening or weekend flexibility as needed). PCPLS provides an excellent total compensation package featuring robust paid leave, medical, dental, and vision plans, 100% employer-paid life and disability insurances, and participation in the Indiana PERF retirement program.

Requirements

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Able to work with people of all ages.
• Demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail.
• Willing and able to learn computer skills, applications, and devices relevant to the position.

Physical Tasks and Work Environment

• Lift and move up to 20 lbs and push or pull at least 100 lbs on wheels.
• Engage in extensive bending, stooping, pulling, reaching, kneeling, and crouching.
• Stand on a stool to shelve books overhead.
• Communicate effectively.
• Operate technology equipment.
• Use hands and fingers to handle books, paper, and technology with manual dexterity.
• Engage in repetitive tasks.
• Tolerate exposure to dust, dirt, adhesives, toner, and chemicals.
• Complete work onsite at any of our branch locations as needed.
• Willing and able to work evenings and weekends.

Basic Responsibilities for All Staff

• Greet patrons as they arrive and depart from the library.
• Assist patrons and answer general questions with professionalism.
• Assist in maintaining discipline and good order in the library.
• Assist with the physical security of the library and its equipment.
• Perform basic tasks in custodial maintenance of all facilities and grounds as necessary.
• Manage the inventory, stock, and organization of equipment and supplies.
• Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, scanning, sorting, etc.
• Learn and use software & technology to effectively carry out position functions.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Library-Related Responsibilities

• Perform collection maintenance such as shelving, shifting, shelf reading, and merchandising.
• Use the integrated library system (ILS) proficiently to perform all patron-facing and circulation functions.
• Assist patrons, answer information requests, and help locate materials.
• Assist patrons in using and accessing library technology services.
• Promote library services, while observing brand and style guidelines, through any appropriate and assigned channels, such as visual merchandising, displays, word-of-mouth promotion, graphics, etc.

Collections-Specific Responsibilities

• Preserve the integrity and quality of records in the integrated library system (ILS).
• Process and distribute physical materials, both local and external, accurately and expediently.
• Weed and discard materials.
• Clean, maintain, reprocess, & perform mending on library materials.
• Receive purchase orders, update acquisition records, and handle related paperwork.
• Basic record maintenance/manipulation of patron and item records.
• Order physical and electronic materials from any established acquisition channels.
• Process and respond to all patron material requests.
• Invoice and manipulate acquisition records.
• Receive periodicals & perform basic maintenance on prediction and holdings records.
• Maintain or manipulate bibliographic ILS records under supervision.
• Resolve submitted or escalated support requests or information services queries.
• Liaise with vendors, partners, & third parties as directed or assigned by a supervisor.
• Perform basic administration, configuration, & troubleshooting of the ILS and connected technologies.
• Set up and manage periodical prediction patterns.
• Run basic or pre-configured reports in the ILS and other related library software.
• Copy or original cataloging of popular book, audio, and video physical formats; knowledgeable of current cataloging standards.