149-Library clerks

Job Title: 

Library clerks

Job Description: 

Library clerks provide technical and paraprofessional support to librarians and library users.

Summary: 

Library clerks issue and receive library materials, sort and shelve books, sound and vision recordings, periodicals, journals, magazines and newspapers and provide general library information to library users. Library clerks provide technical support by performing a wide variety of tasks providing direct services to the public and indirect technical services such as materials acquisition, copy cataloguing, support of automated systems, or other similar work in support of library or related information programs and operations. The work requires a practical knowledge of library or related information services, tools, and methods and procedures.

Tasks: 

Job activities and tasks include:

  • issuing and receiving library books and other materials
  • placing books and other library materials on shelves
  • performing clerical activities such as manual and electronic filing, word processing and occasional typing
  • maintaining journal subscriptions
  • assisting library users in accessing basic library materials and making interlibrary loans
  • maintaining library records relating to the acquisition, issue and return of books and other materials
Knowledge: 

Knowledge of basic and well-established library procedures related to routine and repetitive aspects of such functions as circulation, acquisition, and disposal of library materials, and collection maintenance and preservation

  • Knowledge of a body of standardized library rules, procedures, and operations related to one or more library functions such as those used to maintain the collection, locate information, process library materials, or assist clientele with routine inquiries
  • Knowledge that is in-depth and broad of a body of library regulations, procedures, and policies related to one or more library functions or specializations
  • Knowledge of standard, professionally accepted techniques and methods of a library, library system, or of a specialty area to perform complex support work, or to carry out limited projects that involve the use of a variety of specialized technical methods and procedures
  • Knowledge of laws of the UAE and specific Emirates related to library services and more general subjects including political and cultural systems
  • Skills in providing acquisition services under general professional supervision for a library system serving a large and varied clientele including attorneys, paralegals, and economists
  • Skill in searching, inputting and updating large in-house data bases for duplicates of newly accessioned books and materials/journals
  • Skills in using standard cataloguing rules, foreign language guides, subject guides, and Romanization tables to do original descriptive cataloguing of monographic materials in Arabic language and several foreign languages
  • Skills in providing ready reference services for scientists in a research facility by using manual and automated reference tools, and by searching internal and external data bases to resolve difficult identification problems
  • Skills in serving and maintaining an extensive cartographic collection, maintaining automated circulation records, answering inquiries about maps in the collection, locating misfiled maps and atlases and refiling them according to the specialized classification system
  • Skills in assisting librarians in preparing finding aids, in publicizing new acquisitions, and in giving tours to groups of schoolchildren
  • Skills in assisting in undertaking preliminary cataloguing of rare books by first identifying the language used and, based on knowledge of the bibliographic conventions of the time and region, by determining the title, author, and place of origin
  • Skills in assisting in the operation of a small, physically separate branch library of a large specialized library system, where acquisitions and cataloguing are done centrally including circulation, interlibrary loan, shelving and collection maintenance, and publicity, and where required limited reference searches
  • Good analytical skills
  • Very good mathematical skills
  • Good negotiating skills
  • Excellent communications and customer services skills
    • Work Context: 

    Work involves everyday risks or discomforts typically associated with libraries, offices, and meeting and training rooms. Work areas are adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated. Work regular hours, and in some cases shift work. It may include evening and weekend to meet library opening and closing schedules. They may travel locally, nationally or internationally to visit or meet peer professionals and to undertake specific research projects. They may also attend conferences and seminars.

    Education: 

    Diploma in library information service or related field, higher qualification or equivalent.

    Required Work Experience: 

    2 years and above

    Probable Employers: 

    Public and private school libraries, public libraries, university libraries, institutional libraries!!

    Occupational Size: 
    Less than 5,000
    Expected Earnings: 

    Above the industry average

    Projected Growth: 
    Very good
    Alternate Titles: 

    Examples of job titles:
    Library clerk - Library filer
    Examples of some related occupations:
    Library assistant - Library technician

    UAE Industry Groups: 
    Arts, entertainment, multimedia and ITC applications
    International Careers(ISCO): 
    Similar O*NET Careers (USA) : 
    Source Of Info: 
    Occupations and Careers Handbook for UAE Nationals(Copyright NQA ). Referenced from New York University, Abu Dhabhi