Part-Time Senior Substitute

cityofsomerville; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 44,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision care

Retirement plan

Transit benefit

Free Blue Bikes membership

Job summary

City of Somerville is hiring part-time library staff to provide reference and reader services at the Central Library and branches. You will staff public service desks across Reference, Children’s, Teen, and Circulation departments and assist patrons with computers and programs.

The role requires strong customer service and communication skills, flexibility for evenings and weekends, and a willingness to perform outreach activities in a busy library environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred from an ALA-accredited program; students in grad library school are encouraged to apply.
• Excellent reference and customer service skills; ability to communicate effectively in writing and speech.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions accurately and thoroughly.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public library operations.
• Must be available evenings and weekends, up to 19 hours per week.
• Multilingual ability preferred.

Responsibilities

• Staffs public service desks in Reference, Children’s, Teen, and Circulation departments.
• Offers reference and readers’ advisory services.
• Assists patrons with using public computers, printers, copier/scanner, and fax machine.
• Assists library staff with programs and outreach initiatives.
• Interacts with the public cheerfully and with tact.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Reference expertise

Customer service

Communication skills

Public library operations knowledge

Evenings & weekends availability

Multilingual ability

Education

ALA-accredited MLS preferred

Job description

Statement of Duties:

We seek cheerful, enthusiastic, and flexible individuals who possess a strong attention to detail and who want to join a team committed to providing excellent library services to patrons of all ages.

Essential Functions:

• Staffs public service desks in Reference, Children’s, Teen, and Circulation departments at the Central Library and at the branches as needed
• Offers reference and readers’ advisory services
• Assists patrons with using public computers, printers, copier/scanner, and fax machine
• Assists library staff with programs and outreach initiatives
• Interacts with the public cheerfully and with tact
• Other duties as assigned

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited Library and Information Science program preferred (students currently enrolled in an accredited graduate library school program, with current or past coursework in reference, reader services, children and youth services, and related areas are encouraged to apply)

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

• Excellent reference and customer service skills, and ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing are required
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions accurately and thoroughly
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public library operations
• Must be available evenings and weekends, up to 19 hours per week
• Must be flexible, particularly concerning schedule
• Multilingual ability preferred

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employees will be required to work nights and weekends, as the library is a public building open in the evenings and on weekends.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential function.

Physical Skills

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books and office equipment, as well as pushing book carts.

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job requires minimal motor skills for activities such as moving books, using a personal computer, telephone, and/or most other office equipment.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading both a computer screen and printed documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Part-time. Must be able to work weekdays, weeknights, and Saturdays. Up to 19 hours per week. Must be flexible, particularly concerning schedule.
Salary: $29.14/hour; not a benefits-eligible position.
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Date Posted: September 23rd, 2026

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or [e-mail].

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.