A library clerk, also known as a library technician, library aide, or library assistant, is in charge of assisting library visitors in finding the information or services they require. A school, community, or even a private library may hire a clerk. Usually, library clerks aren’t on their own; a team of library workers, led the head librarian, is in charge of assisting visitors in finding what they’re looking for.
To make materials more accessible to patrons, libraries are frequently divided into sections. Reference books, periodicals, fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books are all examples of these types of books. All of these departments, as well as their subsections, are expected to be familiar to a library clerk. A clerk may specialize in one area of reading materials in very large libraries.
A library clerk’s primary responsibility is to assist patrons in locating the information they seek. He or she is frequently found seated at the library entrance, greeting and assisting patrons as they enter. If a visitor is unfamiliar with how a library operates, the librarian will usually give them a tour. The clerk will then usually direct the visitor to a card catalog or computer where they will be shown how to search for the information they seek.
The reference section is typically where a library clerk provides the most assistance. Because most books in this section, unlike most books in a typical library, cannot be taken off the premises, the library clerk is usually in charge of keeping track of the reference selections and ensuring that they are promptly returned to the desk after use.
A library clerk’s other important job is entering new books into the system. He or she will almost always be expected to know how to catalog and code books into a card or computer system. This necessitates the input of a variety of data points, including the publisher, author, page count, genre, and reprint history, as well as the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification codes. Depending on the library section, the clerk may be required to properly shelve the incoming books with similar books and in alphabetical order title or author after they have been processed.
A library clerk is frequently expected to help keep the library clean and tidy, as well as maintain a quiet and subdued environment conducive to reading and studying, in addition to assisting visitors and checking in books. He or she may also be required to keep the periodicals current removing outdated materials and distributing them elsewhere. In some libraries, the clerk is also responsible for tracking down and recovering overdue books.
This job typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. For applicants for the position of library clerk, coursework in library science is generally considered a plus. For aspiring library clerks, good organizational skills and a computer background are generally desirable.