Library Specialist (Preservation and Archives Specialist)

Beaufort County South Carolina; Beaufort (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Beaufort County Library System seeks a paraprofessional to assist in delivering library services. The Archives Specialist will manage, preserve, and provide access to historical records and lead service point teams, coordinating volunteers.

The role includes tasks such as cataloging, public relations, reader advisory, and reference interviewing, with mobile library services to prisons, senior centers, and other institutions.

Qualifications

• Requires an Associate’s degree or equivalent to two years of college.
• Over two years and up to four years of related experience.
• Employment is contingent upon drug screening and background check; Beaufort County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Responsibilities

• Manage, preserve, and provide access to historical records.
• Lead work team at a service point or branch; coordinate volunteers.
• Perform cataloging tasks and answer cataloging questions from Library Assistants.
• Design and prepare library publications, displays, and write press releases.
• Plan and execute programs and storytelling using creative formats.
• Assist patrons with general reference and informational requests; conduct reference interviews.
• Provide mobile library services to prisons, senior centers, rest homes, institutions, and homebound individuals.
• Check out materials at each institution.

Skills

Reader advisory

Reference interviewing

Cataloging

Volunteer coordination

Customer service

Public relations

Education

Associate’s degree or 2 years of college

Job description

The purpose of this position is to provide paraprofessional work assisting in the delivery of services within the public library system.

The essential functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this class. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the class as necessary.

• Archives Specialist: Responsible for managing, preserving, and providing access to historical records.
• Serves as work team leader for a service point or branch, coordinates volunteers.
• Performs tasks requiring specialized knowledge or skill, e.g., cataloging, public relations, children’s services, educational and employment information.
• Performs copy cataloging requiring extensive editing and original cataloging; answers cataloging questions from Library Assistants in the unit.
• Designs and prepares library promotional publications, displays, exhibits, and writes press releases.
• Plans and executes programs storytelling, etc., using creative formats and techniques as appropriate to position; participates in system-wide programs.
• Assists patrons in person and over the telephone with general reference requests and informational requests; assesses patron needs through reference interviewing and provides appropriate resources.
• Demonstrates good knowledge of books and authors, and of reader interests; offers effective reader advisory service or assistance to general and special populations as appropriate to position; recommends materials for addition or replacement.
• Provides mobile library services to prisons, senior centers, rest homes, institutions, and homebound individuals.
• Checks out materials on an individual basis at each institution.
• Performs related work as assigned.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires an Associate’s degree, vocational technical degree or specialized training that is equivalent to satisfactory completion of two years of college education.
• Over two years and up to and including four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

All applicants tentatively selected for a position with Beaufort County Council will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for the illegal use of drugs and to a background check prior to appointment. Employment is contingent upon clearing both the drug screening and background investigation. Beaufort County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.