MATERIALS ASSISTANT TPT

St. Louis Public Library’s Julia Davis Branch (currently undergoing restoration!) has an exciting part-time opening for Materials Assistant at the Julia Davis Branch.  This location has recently undergone substantial renovation as a result of the May 16, 2025 tornado.  The refreshed regional library will bring recording studios, a digital maker’s space, and digital literacy training to this busy urban service community.   Our ideal candidates are comfortable working with the public and are enthusiastic, patient, and committed to providing excellent customer service.  

In this role you will:

• Shelve all Library materials in the proper location according to priority.

• Straighten materials on the shelves to ensure consistency and attractiveness.

• Review material placement to identify potential shelving errors.

• Search for abandoned materials to add to the book truck or proper location.

• Assist customers with location questions.

• Maintain assigned sections through regular shelf-reading and shifting.

• Complete pull item lists and retrieve materials as assigned.

• Assist in processing holds and incoming deliveries.

• Communicate areas of concern to supervisors for further maintenance.

• Package items into envelopes and/or bins for outgoing delivery.

• Monitor book drop area for material returns.

You will need to be:

• Able to arrange items in a certain order according to a specific set of rules.

• Work independently with minimal supervision.

• Knowledgeable about the Dewey Decimal Classification System.

• Skilled to recognize differences in detail. 

• Able to learn Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Gmail)

You will need to have:

No prior experience or training, however, previous library volunteer experience is a plus.

You will get:

• Competitive starting pay of $15.00 per hour.  

Hours for this position are:

12 hours per week, schedule subject to change.

About SLPL:

St. Louis Public Library is a true urban library, representing the historic center of the St. Louis region: the City of St. Louis.  With its roots in the mid-1800s, St. Louis Public Library has a long history of innovation and service, a large and historic collection including rare books and extensive special collections, and a diverse and dedicated staff.  Our technology is a major resource throughout the City and beyond, and the Library makes an enormous investment in technology annually to keep them state of the art. We operate 17 locations in a relatively small city of 61 square miles.  These range from our magnificent Central Library – one of the world’s great public libraries – to regional and neighborhood libraries that vary in size and design but are centerpieces in their communities.  St. Louis was an early, passionate supporter of library services to children, and that remains a core value and mission.  Outreach into our varied communities, marketing the Library’s remarkable strengths, and working with civic and cultural partners to benefit St. Louisans are all closely held values and goals at the Library.  

Julia Davis Library:

• Originally opened in 1974 at 4666 Natural Bridge Avenue.  The branch was relocated to a brand new facility at its present location in September 1991.  

• The Library broke with tradition by dedicating the branch in 1991 in honor of a living person, local educator and activist Dr. Julia Davis. 

• 15,000 square foot facility with 2 meeting spaces (one auditorium & one computer lab)

• Collection size approximation is 50,000 (includes juvenile, adult, and audio-visual materials)

• Branch will house the Library’s next Creative Experience technology center in the fall of 2022.

About the neighborhood:

The Julia Davis Branch is located north and slightly west of Downtown St. Louis City on Natural Bridge Avenue, a major thoroughfare in North St. Louis.  The library is within the Penrose neighborhood.  The Julia Davis Branch has a special connection to the community it serves.  In 1961, local educator and activist Dr. Julia Davis donated funds for the creation of the Julia Davis African American Collection.  This collection explores the unique contributions of African American literature, history, and culture.  Her initial contributions have been carried on by the St. Louis Public Library and today feature more than 3,000 items, including biographies, literature, music, and films. 

To apply:

If you are interested in this opportunity, please visit slpl.org and click on the Careers link, and submit both your cover letter and your resume with your application. Thank you!