Fayetteville Public Library

Community Engagement Assistant - Outreach

Job Description

Exempt:                              No

Department:                      Community Engagement

Reports To:                       Manager, Community Engagement

Location:                           Fayetteville Public Library

Date Revised:                    July 29, 2024

Safety Sensitive:               No

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Proactively greet and establish rapport with patrons, enthusiastically engaging them in conversations about all of our materials and services. Provide exemplary customer service in-person at outreach events and at all locations throughout the library. Answer questions about library programs and services and refer callers and visitors to the appropriate staff member or service desk.

1. Effectively communicate to patrons regarding a variety of topics including, but not limited to, library products and services, policies, responsibilities, and code of conduct. Blend creativity, problem solving, and decision making to positively impact the customer experience, de-escalate any negative situations and resolve customer questions and concerns.

1. Ask open ended questions to assess, understand, and ascertain customer needs, determine how to tailor your approach, and provide recommendations using your institutional knowledge to connect our customer with the right solution. This includes both routine and complex patron inquiries. Provide readers' advisory, technical assistance, and exemplary frontline customer service.

1. Drives Bookmobile and assists with pre-trip inspections, selection and stocking of materials, and on-site programming as scheduled.

1. Assists in keeping the Bookmobile neat and orderly, preparing and evaluating programming, and reporting concerns, challenges and/or feedback to manager as needed.
    
2. Assist with the implementation of specialized outreach programming and library special events that promote library use in the community.
    
3. Oversee and administer one or more specialized Community Engagement work activities, including but not limited to outreach programs, library tours, at-home book deliveries, and/or story times.

1. Update bookmobile scheduling information to bookmobile calendar and communicate changes in scheduling with designated staff, when appropriate.
2. Drives a motor vehicle to attend meetings and visit various work sites.
3. Maintain and cultivate relationships with current and potential volunteers and meet with volunteers and partners as needed.
4. Track and compile key statistics for performance reports as needed.

1. Speak, instruct, and/or perform in front of library and outreach audiences. Represent and promote the library in public, media, and at community events.

1. Pursue professional development, to keep informed of current and emerging library trends, particularly as related to community engagement. Maintain professional and technical knowledge through attendance of educational workshops, seminars, and webinars, review of professional publications, establishment of networks, and participation in professional organizations.

1. Collaborate with supervisor on departmental projects to ensure the smooth operation of the department.

1. Conduct special projects as assigned.

1. Participate in meetings and activities of the department and the library. Assist with library services, programs, events, and outreach opportunities as needed. Represent your department on various library committees as assigned. Staff public service desks as assigned.

1. Help orient new staff, ensuring a smooth acclimation to the library and our culture. Train new staff members as assigned.
2. Display excellent time management skills, attention to detail, problem solving skills, strong organizational skills and the ability to work proactively to balance multiple tasks and prioritize work. Complete work at an appropriate pace with a sense of urgency.

1. Assume personal responsibility for building maintenance and solving minor issues and problems.

1. Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Driver's License

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is frequently required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and routinely required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, talk or hear; consistently required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision; and color vision.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All library positions require customer-focused service to both internal and external customers, flexibility, teamwork, punctual and reliable attendance, and compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. High school diploma and two years of college, plus two years of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write reports, business correspondence, and effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
3. Basic math skills, including the ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

1. High reasoning skills including the ability to solve practical problems and deal with several variables where only limited standardization exists and the ability to communicate this information.

1. Intermediate computer skills including proficiency with office productivity software, volunteer management software, and ability to operate standard office equipment.

Other Skills and Abilities:

1. Ability to work a flexible schedule as assigned that includes evenings, weekends, and holiday shifts is required.

1. Perform both independently and as an effective and valued team member.
2. Strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills.

1. Work under pressure on multiple projects with frequent interruptions and tight deadlines.
2. Must have significant initiative and drive.
3. Must be able to appropriately handle sensitive information.

1. Ability to provide own cell phone.

1. Multilingual skills a plus.

Work Environment:

1. Ability to tolerate moderate noise that comes from an office environment with typical HVAC performance, constant visitors, telephone calls, computers, and printers and light traffic and the ability to tolerate an increased level of noise during programming events.

1. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outdoor weather conditions at offsite outreach events.
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