PRINCIPAL LIBRARY ASSISTANT (State)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under general supervision of a Supervising Librarian or other supervisor in a library in a state department, institution or agency or in the Materials and Textbook Center of the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Department of Human Services, does sub-professional library work directly related to the acquisition, organization, maintenance and distribution of library materials. Supervises staff and work activities. Prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• When the Library work program has been established, organizes assigned non-professional and supervisory work and develops appropriate work methods.
• Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
• Assists in the planning, supervision and execution of library procedures including: charging and discharging books and other library material; acquisitioning, shelving and filing library materials; preparing and duplicating catalogue cards; maintaining catalogues, serials, records of newspapers and statistical and other records of library transactions; binding, reinforcing and mending library materials;
• Maintaining appropriate records of accessories, loans, losses, shipments and collections of various types; and sending out overdue notices and other routine forms.
• Assigns and instructs individuals and groups and supervises the performance of their work.
• Assists in the planning, supervision and executing in-service training programs for non-professional and library clerical employees.
• Completes requests for information and materials as directed, searches card catalogues, indexes and bibliographies.
• Provides assistance to library users in the use of card catalogues, files and indexes.
• Fills and records orders for films, slides, tapes, cassettes and maintains the slides and tapes in good condition.
• When an order is received, obtains requested films, slides, tapes and cassettes from film vault and properly packs and ships them.
• Orders films, slides, tapes and cassettes.
• Maintains records of the sources from which films, slides, tapes and cassettes are obtained and of their shipment and return.
• As directed, has charge of the varied clerical library services including; service at the loan desk, the shelving of books, pamphlets and other library materials; the charging and discharging of books and library cards; the provision of library information to users of the library collection; and the assembly of books and other materials for requests.
• As requested, prepares statistical and other reports.
• In the Materials and Textbook Center of the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Department of Human Services:
• Assigns and instructs Library Assistants, Senior Library Assistants and other employees assigned to the center and supervises the performance of their work.
• Supervises and assists with the shelving and pulling of Braille texts and other books; special books for children with defective vision; Talking Book Machines; tape recorders; tapes; and other specialized educational and other materials used by the blind.
• Oversees the collection of specialized materials and equipment requested by Commission staff.
• In the Library for the Blind and Handicapped, Department of Education:
• Assigns and instructs Industrial Assistants and Senior Industrial Assistants (Library for the Blind) and other employees engaged in the work of packing, shipping, unpacking, shelving and inspecting books, tapes, tape recorders and other library materials.
• Supervises the loan and reception desk services, the shelving of books, tapes, recorders, Braille books, and the record-keeping necessary to the conduct of the Library program.
• Sees that requests for special library materials are promptly and accurately filed and recorded and that these are returned on time.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.

Experience

Two (2) years of experience in library work, one year of which shall have included the performance of a specialized phase of library procedures.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of modern office methods, practices, and routines and of the internal organization and established policies, procedures and regulations of the library concerned.
• Knowledge of the problems encountered in library clerical work of the unit.
• Knowledge of the books, periodicals, specialized equipment and other library materials, specialized collections and supplies.
• Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize and implement projects within the unit.
• Knowledge of library classification and filing systems.
• Ability to acquire knowledge of the department's requirements and collections of files, slides, discs, tapes and equipment.
• Ability to organize assigned library clerical and supervisory work and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to perform detailed and technical library clerical work.
• Ability to assign and instruct Library Assistants of various grades and other sub professional employees and supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to supervise the receipt and filling of film orders, the packing and shipping of films, tapes, discs and slides, the inspection and repair of damaged films, tapes, slides and discs and the preparation of proper records thereof.
• Ability to participate in the planning and execution of in-service training programs for non-professional and/or library clerical employees.
• Ability to work cooperatively with associates, library users and others.
• Ability to gather information for and prepare factual reports.
• Ability to maintain designated records and files.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

For positions in the Library for the Blind and Handicapped and the Materials and Textbook Center, Appointees must possess one (1) year out of the above stated experience shall have been in an agency serving the blind and/or the handicapped. The agency will use selective certification procedures should a vacancy arise in the Library for the Blind and/or handicapped.

Applicants who do not possess the required experience, may substitute one (1) year of the required experience with 30 semester hour credits in a Librarian Technician course at an accredited college.