Job Description
Req Id:  42389
Job Title:  Library Assistant
City:  Westville
Job Description: 

Overview of Library Assistant

The University Library on the Westville Campus is seeking a Library Assistant to join their team! Under the guidance of the Library Director and part of circulation services, Library Assistant performs library opening and closing procedures, including evenings and weekends.  Responsible for maintaining the functional operation for the Public Services Desk.  Supervise and train Library Student Assistants.

 

The Library Assistant provides Interlibrary Loan services by preparing materials for patron use. Provide services to faculty, staff, students, and community borrowers using the Library Management System.  Assist in the use of library collections, equipment, and technology. Provide reference service to the patrons, assist with social media postings, resolve patron complaints, provide clerical support to library staff, prepare reports and correspondence.  The library recognizes and values diversity in its faculty, staff, and students.  We seek a colleague who shares the library's commitment to diversity and who will be a dedicated staff member and mentor for students with diverse backgrounds and career goals. This position may travel.

 

This position does have the opportunity for a flexible work schedule but does require a strong on-campus presence.

 

Pay:

  • $15.00/hour

 

Schedule:

  • Monday - Friday with 1 - 2 weekends during the fall and spring semester

 

Duties and Responsibilities of Library Assistant

  • Assist faculty, staff, students and community borrowers in the use of the library services, equipment and technology needs
  • Provide reference assistance to the patrons with research and class assignment questions
  • Assists the university archivist on special projects
  • Supervise, train, provide feedback for evaluations and give direct supervision to library student assistants on all areas of the library
  • Process Interlibrary Loans using current OCLC systems to lend and borrow items from various institutions for faculty, staff and students to determine appropriate methods to submit requests
  • Work with OCLC support to resolve any service issues
  • Assist in statistical record-keeping and tracking of Interlibrary Loan and document delivery transactions
  • Assist with emergency procedures when evacuation is required
  • Serve as back up for reserves and billing process requests
  • Participates in professional development activities including conferences, seminars, and workshops
  • Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of the University Library

Benefits of Library Assistant

  • Full benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Retirement, Life Insurance and more
  • Ten paid vacation days first year of employment
  • Ten paid holidays
  • University paid and matching contribution to retirement
  • University contribution to Health Savings Account –
    • Plus, a chance to earn more through participating in University Wellness Initiatives
  • Employee Wellness Programs
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Tuition remission for you, your spouse and dependent children at any Purdue campus 

For more information on our excellent benefit package, please visit: https://www.pnw.edu/human-resources/benefits/

Education of Library Assistant

  • Requires a high school diploma/GED

Experience of Library Assistant

  • Three years of experience providing customer service in direct contact with clients, in an office setting
  • University and/or library experience preferred

Core Competencies of Library Assistant

  • Must be able to work rotating shifts and weekends occasionally
  • Have the ability to use good judgement, multitask, and meet deadlines
  • Provide good verbal and written communication and organizational skills
  • The ability to take initiative and work at times with little direction and under minimal supervision
  • The ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively with diverse groups of individuals
  • The ability to navigate databases and other computer programs
  • Basic knowledge of library classification systems preferred
  • Provide excellent customer service to internal and external customers and ability to interpret and communicate University policies and procedure
  • Able to adapt well to changes and willing to learn new things
  • The ability to conduct oneself in a positive and professional manner
  • Supervise student workers. Must be able to travel between campuses

Additional Information

Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position 
 

Professional references will be verified prior to any offer of employment. Employment is contingent upon completion of successful background check along with a motor vehicle records check if applicable. 
 

Purdue University Northwest is an equal opportunity/equal access university. 
 

 Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a student-centered university that transforms lives through innovative education, impactful research and community engagement. Located in Northwest Indiana in the greater Chicago area and near the Indiana Dunes National Park, PNW serves approximately 9,000 students, including 6,000 core students, in a wide range of academic programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and applied doctoral levels.  
 

Purdue Northwest employs more than 1,000 faculty and staff members for operations at its main campus in Hammond, Ind., and its branch campus in Westville, Ind., plus additional sites in Northwest Indiana including the Gabis Arboretum near Valparaiso, Ind. PNW’s values reflect the university’s commitment to respect, innovation, a student-centric university, and excellence.  
 

PNW is consistently ranked among the best public regional universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges report and is recognized as a First Scholars institution as well an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. With its vision to cultivate leaders, inspire excellence, and impact our world, PNW advances the socioeconomic mobility of its students and positively impacts regional development.

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt
Posting Start Date:  5/29/26