POOL: Public Services Student Assistant - Spencer Research Library

The University of Kansas; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 13,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Kansas invites applications for a student hourly position in the Spencer Research Library. The role involves paging, shelving archival materials, and assisting at reception and reference desks on a rotating schedule.

Responsibilities include supporting special projects, blog writing, and exhibits work; candidates should be comfortable moving books up to 40lbs and have knowledge of KU libraries and microfilm equipment.

Qualifications

• Availability to work at least 2 hours at a time, as evidenced by application materials.
• Preferred: library experience, experience with rare books/manuscripts/archival material, customer service experience.
• Must be reliable and maintain a weekly schedule.
• Great attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• 50% - Stacks Maintenance & Collection Care: paging, shelving, and carefully maintaining archival material, rare books, and manuscripts; clean stacks and public areas; shift books and perform heavy lifting up to 40lbs.
• 40% - Public Service & Patron Assistance: cover reception desk, answer phones, register patrons; assist Reference Librarians in Reading Room; help with microfilm and Bookeye machines; assist in setting up/tearing down events.
• 10% - Library Research Support: assist Spencer staff with special projects, collect/transcribe data; write blog posts and develop small displays related to collection materials.

Skills

Public service

Attention to detail

Reliability

Customer service

Rare books handling

Availability to work 2-hour blocks

Job description

Position Overview

This position is in the Spencer Research Library which houses rare books and manuscripts. The building is located behind Strong Hall. The position duties include paging, shelving, and carefully maintaining the materials. Students will staff the reception and reference desks on a rotating schedule. Cleaning, shifting, and special projects will be assigned on a regular basis. Special projects can include setting up events, assisting curators with collections, shifting in the stacks, developing temporary exhibits, and contributing to the Spencer Blog.

The ideal candidate will have a knowledge of KU libraries and of microfilm and reproduction equipment.

This position requires moving books and some heavy lifting (up to 40lbs).

Job Description

50% - Stacks Maintenance & Collection Care

• Paging, shelving, and carefully maintaining archival material, rare books, and manuscripts.
• Cleaning and maintaining stacks and public areas.
• Shifting books and some heavy lifting (up to 40lbs).

40% - Public Service & Patron Assistance

• Covering reception desk: answering the telephone, registering and interacting with patrons.
• Assisting Reference Librarians in Reading Room as security backup and helping patrons with handling materials as well as microfilm and Bookeye machines.
• Assist in set up and tear down of special events held at Spencer Research Library.

10% - Library Research Support (As Assigned)

• Assisting Spencer Staff in special projects by collecting and transcribing data.
• Writing blog posts and developing small displays related to collection materials.

Required Qualifications

1. Availability to work at least 2 hours at a time, as evidenced by application materials.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Previous library experience, as evidenced by application materials.
2. Experience working with rare books, manuscripts, and/or archival material, as evidenced by application materials.
3. Experience working in customer service, as evidenced by application materials.
4. Experience requiring being reliable and maintaining a weekly schedule, as evidenced by application materials.
5. Experience requiring great attention to detail, as evidenced by application materials.

Position Requirements

During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).

Work hours are between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Students must be available to work Saturdays (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM) on a rotating schedule during the fall and spring semesters (approximately 3-4 Saturdays per semester). The library is open during university breaks.

Employment Conditions

(1) Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.

(2) This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.

Advertised Salary Range

$11.00 per hour

Anticipated Start Date

Monday October 5, 2026