Student- TUSC Reference Desk

Tulane University; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 14,000 - 19,000; Part time

Job summary

Tulane University Special Collections seeks a student assistant for the Reference Desk, in Jones Hall. Work up to 20 hours per week during Fall through Spring 2027, with shifts 3–4 hours long, in-person.

Responsibilities include greeting patrons, guiding to materials, and assisting with basic research and scanning services; candidates should be enrolled students at Tulane and capable of light lifting.

Qualifications

• This position requires active enrollment as a Tulane student.
• Ability to push book trucks and lift boxes up to 20–30 lbs.
• Basic technical skills with scanners, printers, and Excel.
• Excellent customer service while assisting researchers.
• Reliable and punctual availability.
• Familiarity with Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Greet patrons and direct to assigned tables.
• Explain handling guidelines for archival materials.
• Support basic research using library catalog and Archives Space.
• Assist patrons with scanning and related tasks.
• Answer reference phone calls and reshelve materials.
• Process duplication requests and assist with projects and events.

Skills

Great customer service

Reliable and punctual

Public interactions

Education

Active enrollment as a student at Tulane University

Tools

Scanners

Printers

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Description

This position is to beginas soon as agreed upon for thesemester and end on a determined basis. We are hiring a student that is available for the Fall into the Spring 2027 semester. No more than 20 hours per week is allowed for all combined student positions. Please keep this in mind when applying for this position.

This position is for a student assistant to work at the Reference Desk of Tulane University Special Collections (TUSC). We are located in room 202 of Jones Hall. TUSC is open to the Tulane community and general public weekdays 10am-4:30pm. Appointments are strongly encouraged, but walk‑in patrons are welcome. We provide access to the library's Rare Books collection and archives from the Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music, Louisiana Research Collection, Southeast Asian Architectural Archive, and University Archives.

Hours of Operation

Shifts are available during our operating hours from 9am-4:30pm.

Hours per week

Student assistants will be expected to work 10-20 hours per week.

Schedule

Flexible but 3 to 4 hours per shift preferred.

Hourly Pay Rate

The wage begins at $12 per hour.

Position Type

The position is in-person.

Responsibilities

• Greet patrons, direct to assigned tables
• Provide guidelines on proper handling of archival materials
• May provide basic research assistance using the library catalog and Archives Space, page additional material for patrons, and provide help with scanning services

Other Tasks Include

• Answer reference telephone calls
• Reshelve materials
• Fulfill duplication requests via email
• Assisting with projects, social media, exhibits and special events
• Basic archival processing tasks
• Data entry

Qualifications

• Active enrollment as a student at Tulane University
• Ability to push book trucks and lift heavy boxes (up to 20 to 30lbs)
• Basic technical skills using scanners, printers, Microsoft excel
• Great customer service - you will be working directly with researchers
• Reliable and punctual
• Familiarity with Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal System preferred but not required
• This position is limited to students with Federal Work Study (FWS) funding. See this page for more information about work study: Federal Work Study Program | Human Resources (tulane.edu)

About Us

Everyone here at the Howard‑Tilton Memorial Library strives to make this a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space. We’re looking for students who are outgoing, thrive on public interactions, and enjoy showing off the library’s resources.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Tulane University is an equal opportunity educator and employer committed to providing an education and employment environment free of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Legally protected demographic classifications (such as a person’s race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, shared ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws) are not relied upon as an eligibility, selection or participation criteria for Tulane’s employment or educational programs or activities.

Tulane University is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing an application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the Office of Human Resources by phone at 504-865-4748 or by email at [e-mail].