LIBRARY ASSISTANT ll- CHAVEZ TECH

City of Stockton; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Evenings and weekends

Job summary

City of Stockton is seeking a Library Assistant II to join the Community Services Department at the Chavez Central Library. You will balance behind-the-scenes technical work with direct public service, assisting patrons with collections, digital resources, and technology.

The role emphasizes strong customer service, reference assistance, and support for digital programs, with occasional evenings/weekends required; two years of related experience and an associate degree or 60 college units are

Qualifications

• Library Assistant II is equivalent to an Associate degree or completion of sixty semester units from an accredited college or university and two years of experience equivalent to City’s Library Assistant I or Circulation Assistant I and II classes.

Responsibilities

• Assist patrons with physical and digital library collections, including e-books, streaming, platforms and databases.
• Provide personalized reference and reader’s advisory assistance to the public using ILS and advanced search techniques.
• Offer technology assistance, including troubleshooting computers, printers, Wi‑Fi, and other devices.
• Guide patrons in using emerging technologies and makerspace tools.
• Perform collection development tasks such as cataloging, interlibrary loans, and resource distribution across branches.

Skills

Customer service

Reference services

Digital resources

Public library experience

Education

Associate degree or 60 semester units

Tools

Integrated Library Systems (ILS)

Cataloging software

Job description

OPEN/PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

THE COMMUNITY

Located in California’s great Central Valley, Stockton has grown from a community with rich agricultural roots to an urban destination with a rich arts and culture scene, fine dining, shopping, sports, recreation, and family activities. With a multi-ethnic, multicultural population of over 320,000 residents, Stockton is the 11th-largest city in California. It is centrally located, 60 miles east of the San Francisco Bay Area and 45 miles south of Sacramento, offering an easy and scenic drive to numerous world-famous attractions such as Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and the California Coast. In addition, Stockton has many local natural resources, including the San Joaquin Delta. The community has a long tradition of established families who have called Stockton home for generations and many new residents have chosen Stockton as the community in which to live and raise their families. The City has a number of beautiful residential neighborhoods along waterways and tree-lined streets, and it offers an affordable cost of living with home prices about one-third the price of Bay Area homes. With its comfortable California lifestyle, Stockton is enriched by the pleasures of metropolitan living without the congestion, overcrowding, and expense. Stockton is the seat of San Joaquin County, where wine grapes have recently become one of the leading crops, transforming the region into one of California’s premium wine districts. The robust and thriving Port of Stockton has direct waterway access to the San Francisco Bay and provides domestic and international distribution of dry and bulk cargo, containerized cargo, and steel, handling ships from all over the world. Home to several well-known higher education institutions, including the University of the Pacific, California State University – Stanislaus, Stockton Center, and San Joaquin Delta Community College, Stockton offers a variety of private and vocational schools. Year-round events and activities make Stockton a destination for venues and attractions such as the award-winning Stockton Flavor Fest, Annual Jazz Brubeck Festival, the Haggin Museum, Bob Hope(Fox California) Theatre, Children’s Museum, and the Stockton Symphony. The 10,000-seatmulti-purpose, waterfront Stockton Arena is home to the Stockton Kings – the G-League affiliate of the NBA Sacramento Kings. The adjacent 5,000-seat Stockton Banner Island Ballpark, frequently ranked as one of the nation’s top minor league ballparks, is home to the Stockton Ports single-A minor league baseball team - affiliate to the major league Oakland Athletics.

THE ORGANIZATION -

The City of Stockton is a full-service, Charter city with a Council/Manager form of government. The Mayor is elected citywide, and the six Councilmembers are nominated and elected within their respective districts. The City is one of the largest employers in Stockton, with 1,790 full-time employees and has a FY 2024-2025 annual budget of $955 million. The City Council directly appoints the positions of City Manager, City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Clerk. All other departments report to the City Manager, including Administrative Services, Human Resources, Community Services (Library and Recreation), Economic Development, Public Works, Information Technology, Municipal Utilities, Fire, Police, and Community Development. Stockton’s organizational culture is based on high performance, trust, and collaboration, and the executive management team is characterized by highly skilled, experienced leaders.

Stockton’s organizational culture is based on high performance, trust, and collaboration, and the executive management team is characterized by highly skilled, experienced leaders.

THE DEPARTMENT -

The Community Services Department provides programs and services that support healthy, educated, and connected communities across all age groups. Services are designed to meet diverse community needs, including services for youth, seniors, at-risk populations, and residents with limited resources or language barriers.

Recreation -

The Recreation Services Division provides programs, facilities, and services that enhance the health, wellness, and quality of life of Stockton residents. Through youth and adult sports, senior services, after-school programs, camps, nutrition programs, and community events, Recreation promotes physical activity, social equity, and community engagement. The division operates community centers, sports fields, pools, and specialty facilities while working with community partners and volunteers to strengthen neighborhoods and expand access to recreational opportunities citywide.

Library Services -

The City of Stockton, in partnership with San Joaquin County, operates the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library system, a regional multi-branch network that provides educational, literacy, and technology resources to residents throughout the county. The library offers access to books, digital media, research tools, public computers, internet services, workforce and educational resources, and thousands of free community programs each year for children, teens, and adults. Library services play a critical role in supporting lifelong learning, bridging the digital divide, and strengthening community connections through accessible and welcoming public spaces.

The City of Stockton is seeking to fill one Library Assistant II in the Community Services Department. The incumbent will work Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00, with occasional evenings and weekends.

The Library Assistant II will join our team at the Chavez Central Library. This position offers a unique opportunity to support projects and services that benefit libraries throughout Stockton and San Joaquin County, while also spending part of the week providing direct service to children and families at the Central Library.

Approximately 75% of the position will be assigned to Technical Services and systemwide shared services, with approximately 25% assigned to the Central Children’s Department.

Primary Assignment – Technical Services & Systemwide Support

The primary assignment of this position is to provide operational support for shared services, centralized workflows, and systemwide projects that benefit the entire library system. Working primarily from Technical Services, the position will help implement new initiatives and provide support for collection operations, grants, and other systemwide priorities.

The position is intended to centralize recurring operational and administrative work where appropriate, helping projects move from planning to implementation and allowing Library Managers to focus more of their time on leading their branches, supporting staff, planning services, developing community partnerships, and other management responsibilities.

Because this is a new assignment, the work will continue to evolve as we identify opportunities to improve and centralize workflows across the library system.

Central Children’s Department – Approximately 25%

In addition to the systemwide assignment, this position will spend approximately 25% of its time supporting the Children’s Department at the Chavez Central Library. This may include providing customer service to children and families, creating new programming, assisting with programs and activities, community outreach, preparing program materials, maintaining children’s collections and displays, and supporting other departmental needs.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be organized, dependable, and comfortable balancing a variety of assignments and priorities. This position is well suited for someone who enjoys both behind-the-scenes library operations and direct public service and who takes satisfaction in helping projects move from idea to implementation.

The successful candidate will be able to work independently as well as collaboratively, demonstrate strong attention to detail, communicate effectively with staff across multiple library locations, and be comfortable learning new processes and systems. Flexibility and initiative will be important, as assignments and priorities will change based on the needs of the library system.

Under general supervision, performs increasingly responsible and complex paraprofessional work in support of library operations; supports digital services and technology initiatives; may direct the work of Library Aides, Circulation Assistants, and other assigned library support staff and/or have functional responsibility for a defined library service area or grant project; and performs related work as assigned.

Incumbents in this position are included in the Civil Service system, in a "for-cause" employment status, and are represented by Stockton City Employees' Association. (Classified/Represented)

This recruitment is being conducted as an Open/Promotional recruitment. Current regular full-time City of Stockton employees may apply for this position as a promotional opportunity, and successful candidates will be placed on a promotional list. All other candidates may apply for this position as an open competitive opportunity, and successful candidates will be placed on an open list. The appointing authority will have the option of requesting names from the promotional list, the open list, or a combination of both. These lists may be used to fill future vacancies.

Prior to appointment, eligible candidates will be required to submit to and successfully pass a background investigation, which will include fingerprinting.

Library Assistant II is the journey level class in the Library Assistant paraprofessional series. Employees in this role independently perform a comprehensive range of library services with minimal supervision, utilizing modern technologies and practices to support patrons and library operations. This position is distinguished from Library Assistant I by its emphasis on advanced responsibilities, such as providing in-depth assistance with digital resources, conducting technology-based programs, and managing complex service requests. Employees at this level are fully versed in library policies, procedures, and emerging trends, enabling them to deliver exceptional service, contribute to library initiatives, and support community engagement efforts.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assists patrons with physical and digital library collections, including e-books, streaming, platforms, online databases, and mobile applications.
• Provides personalized reference and reader’s advisory assistance to the public, utilizing modern tools such as integrated library systems (ILS) and advanced search techniques.
• Offers technology assistance, including troubleshooting computers, printers, Wi‑Fi, and other digital devices.
• Guides patrons in using emerging technologies, such as 3D printers, virtual reality equipment, and makerspace tools.

Collection Development and Management:

• Conducts bibliographic verification for materials and ensures accurate cataloging in both physical and digital formats.
• Evaluates patron requests for materials considering cost‑effective strategies for acquisition, including interlibrary loans and e-resources.
• Assists professional staff to curate materials, recommending additions, weeding outdated items, and optimizing resource distribution across branches.
• Orders and receives new library materials; contacts vendors regarding materials ordered or faulty billings; prepares forms for interlibrary loan requests.

Programming and Outreach:

• Plans and conducts diverse and inclusive library programs for all age groups, including virtual events, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) activities, and cultural workshops.
• Engages in community outreach, promoting library resources and services offsite at schools, community centers, and events.
• Collaborates with external organizations to expand library programs and strengthen partnerships.
• Prepares promotional materials, including visually engaging book displays, digital content, and social media campaigns.
• Assists library professional staff on special projects.
• Represents the City with dignity, integrity, and the spirit of cooperation in all relations with staff and the public.
• Fosters an inclusive, welcoming, and collaborative library environment, embracing equity and diversity.
• Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co‑workers, other City employees and the public using principles of excellent customer service.

Other Responsibilities:

• Performs related duties as assigned to support library operations and respond to the evolving needs of the community.

Knowledge of

• Standard terminology and practices related to paraprofessional library support work;
• Basic supervisory principles and practices to foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment;
• Basic analytical and project planning principles and techniques;
• A wide range of books, authors, genres, and digital reference sources, including specialized databases and e-resources;
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment including relevant software programs;
• Oral and written communication skills; business English including vocabulary, spelling, and correct grammatical usage and punctuation;
• Safe work practices; and
• Principles and practices of excellent customer service.

Skill in

• Using sound independent judgment within established guidelines;
• Performing paraprofessional reference and cataloging work;
• Assigning, directing, training and reviewing the work of others;
• Understanding and carrying out oral and written instructions and prioritizing workload to meet deadlines;
• Reading, writing, and comprehending the English language at a level necessary for effective job performance; exercising correct English usage, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and punctuation;
• Communicating effectively, tactfully, and positively in both oral and written form;
• Operating and using modern office equipment and technology, including computers and applicable software;
• Utilizing appropriate safety procedures and practices for assigned duties;
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; and
• Contributing effectively to the accomplishments of City goals, objectives, and activities.

Education/Experience

Library Assistant II: Equivalent to an Associate degree or completion of sixty semester units or equivalent quarter units from an accredited college or university and two years of experience equivalent to the City’s Library Assistant I or Circulation Assistant I and II classes.

Other Requirements

• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends.

Physical/Mental Abilities:

• Mobility– Frequent sitting for long periods of time while operating a keyboard; occasional walking, bending of neck, squatting, climbing stairs, kneeling, and twisting; reaching above head and bending to floor level;
• Lifting– Frequent lifting of 30 pounds or less; occasional carrying of 30 pounds or less;
• Vision - Constant use of overall visual capabilities; frequent need for use of color perception, hand/eye coordination, reading and/or close up work;
• Dexterity- Constant typing; frequent repetitive motion and writing; occasional grasping, pushing, pulling, and reaching;
• Hearing/Talking - Constant hearing and talking of normal speech in person and on the telephone;
• Special Requirements - Occasionally requires weekend and/or evening work;
• Emotional/Psychological- Constant concentration, decision making and public contact; occasional ability to exercise sound judgment, especially under stressful situations; may work independently and/or in group settings;
• Environmental Conditions -Occasional exposure to noise, hazardous materials i.e. dirt, dust, gas, smoke, fumes, and poor ventilation; occasional exposure to outdoor conditions, indoor cold/heat, and working around equipment and machinery; and
• Working Conditions - Primarily performed in an office environment which is typically quiet.

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirement of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification. Any essential function or requirement of this class will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent/applicant be unable to perform the function or requirement due to a disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent/applicant when possible.