TBR | The College System of Tennessee

We have an opening for a part-time (27 hrs/week) Library Assistant (Evenings and Weekends – Public Services) at our Chattanooga State campus!

Our Purpose - We support and empower everyone in our community to learn without limits.

Our Values: 

We cultivate a welcome and supportive environment.

We care about the well-being of each other.

We instill trust through integrity and transparency.

We encourage fearless innovation and resilience.

We collaborate to build a better future.

Our Mission - We are Chattanooga State, a dedicated team that delivers accessible, innovative learning opportunities that surpass expectations.  Together, we enrich the lives of students, and their families; develop a talented workforce; and partner with our community to lead boldly into the future.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Lead Public Services Librarian, the Library Assistant provides frontline customer service and general library support to students, faculty, staff, and community members during evening and weekend hours. This position plays a key role in ensuring the library remains a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment while assisting patrons with access to campus and library wayfinding, resources, and services.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong customer service skills, reliability, and the ability to supervise and support student workers during assigned shifts.

Position Objectives

Holistic Student Support

• Assists students in effectively accessing and using campus and library resources, services, and technologies. Refers advanced or in-depth research questions to a librarian as appropriate.
• Provides multifaceted assistance at the Library Service Desk including routine circulation desk activities (material check-in/out, renewals, holds), customer service interactions, library catalog searches, campus inquiries, and new patron registration using the Library Service Platform.
• Assists with training, scheduling support, and day-to-day supervision of work-study students during evening and weekend hours.
• Fosters a welcoming learning environment where students feel supported.

Program Innovation

• Maintains accurate and up-to-date service desk documentation and internal guides to support consistent service delivery.
• Assists with promoting library services, programs, and events.
• Monitors the library facility during assigned shifts and reports maintenance, safety, or security concerns as needed.
• Collaborates with the Lead Public Services Librarian to evaluate, improve, and promote library services and related programming. 

Fiscal Stewardship

• Demonstrates responsible stewardship of library resources by ensuring efficient use of supplies, equipment, and public service spaces during evening and weekend operations.
• Monitors and reports facility, technology, and collection needs to help maintain cost-effective operations and support informed budget decisions.
• Promotes accountability in the use of library resources by following established procedures, safeguarding assets, and identifying opportunities for operational efficiencies.

Organizational Culture and Practices

• Provides a welcoming and supportive environment for all library users.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships in a collaborative environment.
• Supports student recruitment and retention efforts through positive service interactions and engagement.

Teaching Excellence

• Supports student learning by providing high-quality assistance that promotes student success.
• Assists in training and supervision of work-study students, with particular emphasis on service desk procedures and expectations.

Required Qualifications

• Customer service experience in libraries, higher education, and/or high-demand customer-focused environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency with computers, printers, and other library technology; software applications; and troubleshooting common technical issues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills crucial to providing services to the public, including flexibility, enthusiasm, confidentiality, and open-mindedness.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment during evening and weekend hours.

Preferred Qualifications

All the above, plus any or all of the following:

• Working knowledge of Library Service Platforms and other systems that support patron services.
• Demonstrated proficiency with printing systems, course management software, and relevant information technology applications.
• Working knowledge of standard office productivity applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge:
• Knowledge of computer technology, common hardware and software troubleshooting techniques, online databases, the Internet, and basic office software.
• General knowledge of library service operations and customer service practices.

Skills:
• Customer service skills that demonstrate professionalism, patience, and approachability.
• Skills in oral and written communication consistent with providing both reference and technology support services.
• Interpersonal skills consistent with providing services to the public, including flexibility, enthusiasm, confidentiality, and open-mindedness.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

Abilities:
• Ability to assist patrons with general questions and refer more complex inquiries to librarians.
• Ability to learn new systems and procedures.

• Commitment and ability to work well in a team environment internal to the library and across campus.
• Ability to supervise student workers effectively and professionally.

• Ability to provide outstanding customer service while serving as a reliable public services resource for library users.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while also managing responsibilities independently during assigned shifts.

Physical and Mental Demands: 

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands 
Work is performed in a library/office environment and also on site for various events. While performing the duties of this position, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone, use hands repetitively to operate standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms.  Employees must be able to lift books onto carts and overhead to shelve books that are returned. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. 

Mental Demands 
While performing the duties of this position, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve non-routine and complex office administrative problems; use math and mathematical reasoning; observe and interpret situations; learn and apply new information or skills; perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks.  

Projected Pay: $15.59 - $18.32 per hour (27 hours/week)