Part-Time Senior Substitute

We seek cheerful, enthusiastic, and flexible individuals who possess a strong attention to detail and who want to join a team committed to providing excellent library services to patrons of all ages.

• Staffs public service desks in Reference, Children’s, Teen, and Circulation departments at the Central Library and at the branches as needed
• Offers reference and readers’ advisory services
• Assists patrons with using public computers, printers, copier/scanner, and fax machine
• Assists library staff with programs and outreach initiatives
• Interacts with the public cheerfully and with tact
• Other duties as assigned

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

• Excellent reference and customer service skills, and ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing are required
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions accurately and thoroughly
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public library operations
• Must be available evenings and weekends, up to 19 hours per week
• Must be flexible, particularly concerning schedule
• Multilingual ability preferred

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employees will be required to work nights and weekends, as the library is a public building open in the evenings and on weekends.

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books and office equipment, as well as pushing book carts.

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job requires minimal motor skills for activities such as moving books, using a personal computer, telephone, and/or most other office equipment.

Visual demands require constantly reading both a computer screen and printed documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)