LIBRARY ASSISTANT

Fulton County; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Fulton County Public Library System in Atlanta seeks staff to provide excellent customer service, assist patrons with routine library operations, and support circulation duties at various branch locations.

The role includes helping patrons with resources, processing loans, fines, holds, and registrations, and contributing to outreach materials and events. A high school diploma or GED is required, with a preference for an associate degree and related experience.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required, Associates Degree preferred; supplemented by one year of work experience in customer service; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.
• Official transcripts may be required at time of employment for degrees used to qualify.
• Must learn and apply county or departmental policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provides customer service to patrons and the public at the library.
• Staffs circulation desk, checks materials in/out, handles fines and holds.
• Reserves materials, assists with self-check machines and databases.
• Assists with voter registration information and library services as needed.
• Maintains supplies and assists with collection maintenance activities.

Skills

Customer service

Voter registration assistance

Patron assistance

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associates Degree preferred

Tools

Automated circulation system

Job description

UNCLASSIFIED VACANCIES IN THE FULTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM

THIS RECRUITMENT WILL BE USED TO FILL PERMANENT, TEMPORARY AND PART-TIME POSITIONS FOR VARIOUS BRANCH LOCATIONS

PERMANENT ANNUAL SALARY: $38,000.00

PERMANENT LIBRARY BRANCH LOCATIONS:

AUBURN AVENUE RESEARCH LIBRARY (AARL)
DOGWOOD BRANCH

COLLEGE PARK BRANCH

PART-TIME HOURLY RATE: $18.27

PART-TIME LIBRARY BRANCH LOCATIONS:

ADAMS PARK BRANCH

(DUTIES ARE BASED ON AREA OF ASSIGNMENT)

Minimum Qualifications:

High School Diploma or GED required, Associates Degree preferred; supplemented by one year of work experience in customer service; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required:

None.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities

Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all county or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Veterans’ Preference:

Qualifying veterans will be given preference in the form of a guaranteed invitation to interview for any position to which they applied and have been found to have met the minimum qualifications. Veterans’ preference provides for hiring preference on initial appointment only. To see the full Fulton County Veterans’ Preference Policy and Procedure, please click here (Download PDF reader).

Examination:

The examination will consist of an evaluation of education and experience, accomplished by analysis of the application. Applications must document that the applicant possesses the minimum knowledge, skills, education, and experience as listed to be rated as qualified. If selected, an official, accredited college transcript is required at the time of employment for all degrees/coursework used to qualify for this position.

Purpose of Classification:

The purpose of this classification is to provide customer service and other assistance to patrons within the Library System. Responsibilities include assisting patrons with routine service, service and electronic resources/databases, checking materials in/out, processing library card applications and book/material requests, sorting/locating materials, maintaining supplies, and assisting with collection maintenance activities.

Essential Functions:

Provides customer service to patrons and the public: shelves library materials, conducts routine reading of shelves, and maintains shelf order of materials; greets visitors and directs to areas of library; provides mandatory Voter Registration assistance and information related to library services, fees, procedures, city information/directions, or other issues; assists patrons with self-check machines, electronic resources, databases and library services; researches book titles, book availability, patron records, or related information; reserves materials for patrons; notifies patrons about overdue books, arrival of reserved books, or other issues; and assists patrons with use of copy machine and maintains adequate supply of copy paper in paper trays.

Staffs circulation desk: checks library materials in/out; assesses and clears fines; operates the library’s automated circulation system to charge, discharge, and renew books; processes or locates holds upon request; retrieves books from book drop; inspects materials for damage and withdraws materials in need of repair from circulation; inspects identification prior to shelving; routes books to other locations as appropriate; and sorts/arranges materials on book carts for shelving.

Collects and records money in payment of fines, fees, book sales, or other library services; writes receipts; removes fine data from computer system; and counts revenues/ balances with receipts.

Maintains and assembles and outreach promotional materials, including bookmarks, brochures, bulletins, forms, giveaways, and/or procedural books.

Maintains supplies for assigned area: monitors inventory levels of library supplies; initiates requests for new or replacement materials.

Repairs/mends damaged books/materials; determines best technique for repair work; and routes unrepairable items to discard.

Performs general tasks related to library operations, which may include changing due date stamps/label guns, recording door statistics, maintaining supply of pens for patron use, moving book carts, turning equipment on/off, checking patrons’ items when alarm has sounded, and maintaining general appearance of library.

Answers incoming telephone calls, and responds to customer inquiries, and serves as a switchboard operator as required.

Receives, opens and distributes incoming mail; prepares outgoing mail

Operates a computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data; utilizes database or other software programs.

Communicates with supervisor, employees, volunteers, library patrons, community organizations, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems; works at least one late evening at a Library facility and some weekends. Position can be reassigned based on the needs of the department.

Additional Functions:

Performs other duties as assigned.

For Applicants with Prior Military Service:

We strongly encourage veterans, prior military and transitioning service members to apply. Many of the competencies and transferable skills developed through military service directly support success in this role, including:

• Customer Service Under Pressure: Demonstrated ability to remain calm, courteous, and mission-focused while assisting diverse patrons in fast-paced or high-stress environments.
• Operational Planning & Execution: Proven experience following structured procedures and executing tasks with precision to support daily operational goals.
• Adaptability & Rapid Problem-Solving: Skilled in adjusting quickly to changing situations and resolving issues efficiently with limited information.
• Team Cohesion & Communication: Experienced in working collaboratively within unit-based teams, ensuring clear communication and shared accountability.
• Safety & Risk Awareness: Trained to identify potential hazards, follow safety protocols, and maintain secure environments for staff and patrons.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to determine, calculate, tabulate, or summarize data/information, following a prescribed plan requiring the exercise of some judgment. Includes performing subsequent actions in relation to these computational operations.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and /or interpretation to others regarding the application of procedures and standards to specific situations.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and /or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and /or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference and descriptive data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to calculate fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form. Involves semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

Physical Ability: Physical requirement of standing, walking, lifting, carrying, climbing, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing and seeing. Requires medium work of exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

It is the policy of Fulton County that there will be equal opportunity for every citizen, employee and applicant, based upon merit without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, genetics, disability or sexual orientation.