Local History and Genealogy Assistant (Part-Time; 25 hours per week)

Description

Job Summary: The Local History and Genealogy Assistant provides support for all aspects of local history and genealogy services, exhibits, programming, projects, and customer research. Provides additional support including record keeping, maintaining supplies, general collection maintenance, and assisting with a variety of library services, programs, and outreach. 

Essential Job Duties:

1. Works at the Indiana Room reference desk and assists customers with researching local history or genealogy records. Provides customer instruction on using various print and digital record resources during the research process. Provides customer assistance in-person and remotely.
2. Assists customers in using the integrated library system [ILS], computers, digital databases and technology, and other library equipment.
3. Creates, plans, and facilitates diverse and dynamic local history and genealogy programming for adults at the library and off-site locations. Participates in other special events and community activities to represent and promote the library’s resources and services.
4. Performs collection maintenance for Indiana Room collections under the direction of the Local History and Genealogy Coordinator. This includes conducting shelf-readings, creating finding aids and indexes, and organizing materials to ensure access and preservation.
5. Assists the Local History and Genealogy Coordinator with digitization initiatives including scanning, organizing digital files, and helping prepare content for digital collections.
6. Assists in creating and planning displays and exhibits of materials and historical items to engage customers.
7. Participates in community activities, providing a positive image of the library. 
8. Fills in at Adult Services desk to provide general reference assistance, reader’s advisory, and technology assistance as needed.
9. Assists with data entry, record maintenance, statistics reporting, and other general clerical tasks for the Adult Services department as needed.
10. Attends in-person and remote professional development training, webinars, and conferences relevant to public library service.
11.  Complies with Anderson Public Library’s policies, procedures, rules, guidelines, requirements, standards, principles, and practices applicable to the job, including [but not limited to] work scheduling and attendance, customer service, use of Library property and equipment, personal and professional conduct, and confidentiality.
12. . Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Job Education and Experience:

• Education: High School diploma is required.
• Certifications or licensure: None
• Years of relevant experience: 2 to 5 years is preferred. 
• Years of experience supervising: None. 
• A valid driver's license, automobile insurance, and reliable personal transportation is required. 

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of local history and established genealogical research methods, processes, and reference sources.  
2. Skill in performing detailed internet and information database searches.
3. Skill in using varied digital technologies, equipment, and platforms, including Microsoft Word and Excel software.
4. Skill in customer service. 
5. Skill in attention to detail.
6. Skill in public speaking and effective communication.
7. Ability to gain a working understanding of digitization best practices for scanning and digitization of historical documents.
8. Ability to gain a working understanding of current and developing trends and technologies as they relate to public library operations, materials, programs, and services. 
9. Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with a diverse community of staff, the public, professional peers, and community partners. 
10. Ability to adapt and maintain flexibility in rapidly changing social and technological environments. 

Work Environment:

Typically performs work sitting in an office that requires frequent walking, light lifting, carrying, bending, grasping, pushing, and other limited physical activities. Requires frequent sustained physical operation of computer, office, and printing equipment, with frequent in-person and phone contacts with customers and library staff.  

Physical Demands:

Specific vision requirements necessary for this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.  

While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:  

• Frequently [over 2/3 of work time] sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.  
• Frequently [1/3 to 2/3 of work time] reach with hands and arms.  
• Occasionally [less than 1/3 of work time], the employee must: stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  
• Frequently [1/3 to 2/3 of work time] exert up to 10 pounds of force to lift or move objects and must occasionally [less than 1/3 of work time] exert up to 50 pounds of force to lift or move objects. 

Equipment Used:

Equipment used includes computers, email/calendar software, internet/intranet browsers, word processing, spreadsheets, database software, and various other software, hardware, and job-specific technology and equipment. 

The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Core Values:

• Good Stewardship 
•  Open Access  
• Community Focus  
• Collaboration  
• Purpose Driven