Youth Library Associate (Part-Time) in SMITHFIELD, Rhode Island at East Smithfield Public Library

Are you enthusiastic, community-minded, and passionate about helping young minds explore, learn, and grow? As a Youth Library Associate, you are more than just a staff member — you are a vital guide to our community's youngest patrons. You will help set the tone for a positive library experience, keeping our spaces inspiring and ensuring everyone feels welcome.

This is a part-time role with a set schedule:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 4 pm to 8 pm with alternate Saturdays added starting in September, from 10 am - 3 pm. This schedule is non-negotiable and candidates who cannot commit to these hours will not be considered.

Major Areas of Responsibility:

• Be the Ultimate Guide: Act as a friendly, proactive first point of contact for a diverse community of children, teens, and caregivers.
• Curate & Organize: Keep our youth collections beautifully organized, accurately reshelved, and easy to navigate.
• Maintain an Inspiring Space: Support a clean, safe, and highly organized environment where youth can learn and play.
• Care for our Collections: Keep materials in tip-top shape by inspecting for damage, repairing, cleaning, or safely updating items as needed.
• Help Bring Events to Life: Occasionally jump in to help set up, prep, and clean up for exciting youth programs and Friends of the Library events.
• Uphold Professional Integrity: Follow Ocean State Libraries (OSL) best practices and maintain strict confidentiality to protect our patrons' privacy.

• Reliable & Punctual: You take pride in being dependable and showing up for your team and community.
• A Natural Communicator: You possess warm, inclusive communication skills and genuinely enjoy engaging with diverse groups, especially kids.
• Resourceful Problem Solver: You bring creative thinking to the table and possess the active learning mindset to say, "Let me find out!" instead of "I don't know.".
• Library-Savvy (or Ready to Learn): You have a familiarity with library classification systems (like the Dewey Decimal System) and a solid grasp of youth department functions and computers.
• Tech-Forward: You have an ever-growing comfort with or hands-on knowledge of library systems, apps, and everyday tech tools (e.g., Koha/Aspen/Libcal, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Canva, Libby, and Hoopla).

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• The ability to stand for extended periods, walk frequently, and handle repetitive motions like processing books and typing.
• Comfort with physical tasks including bending, reaching, stooping, lifting/carrying items up to 40 pounds, and maneuvering loaded book carts or heavy book drops.
• Manual dexterity and good vision to read small spine labels, handle materials, and navigate computer screens.
• Comfort working around dust, standard cleaning products, fluorescent lighting, and the lively noise of a bustling youth department.