Part Time Public Services Library Assistant - Plainsboro Public Library

Job Description:

Love Books? Love People? This Is Your Job.

Part-Time Public Services Library Assistant

The Plainsboro Public Library is looking for someone special—someone who lights up when helping a kid find the perfect graphic novel, who genuinely enjoys troubleshooting a printer jam, and who believes libraries are one of the last truly democratic spaces in America.

We’re a busy, vibrant library serving 24,000 residents in a diverse community where 40+ languages are spoken. Our 44,000 square foot facility is a gathering place, a study hall, a makerspace, a quiet refuge, and occasionally, a place where toddlers have meltdowns (we’re a judgment-free zone).

The Role

You’ll be the welcoming face at our Information and Youth Services desks—the person patrons turn to when they need a reader’s advisory recommendation, help navigating databases, or just a friendly point in the right direction. One moment you’re recommending the next great thriller to a book club member; the next you’re helping a teen find a fantasy series that hits like Fourth Wing. If you geek out about reader’s advisory and love connecting people with their next great read, you’ll thrive here.

What You’ll Actually Do

• Provide reader’s advisory to adults and teens—matching readers with books they’ll love based on mood, interest, and reading history
• Stay current on popular fiction, nonfiction, and emerging authors so you can make great recommendations
• Answer reference questions big and small—from “Where’s the bathroom?” to “Can you help me research my family’s immigration history?”
• Help patrons navigate technology—library databases, e-readers, public computers, and yes, the copy machine
• Process interlibrary loans so our patrons can access materials from across New Jersey
• Provide Notary Public services (we’ll train you if needed)
• Keep our collection fresh—shelving, creating eye-catching displays, weeding, and curating book lists for adult and teen readers
• Register people for programs and occasionally herd them to the right meeting room
• Supervise library pages and volunteers

Who You Are

• A people person who stays calm when the line is long and the Wi-Fi is down
• Comfortable with technology and willing to learn more (we use Polaris ILS, Jersey Cat, and a variety of digital platforms)
• Well-read in adult and teen fiction and nonfiction—or eager to dive in and build your knowledge
• Someone who takes initiative and uses good judgment
• A clear communicator who can explain things without condescension
• High school diploma required; previous library or customer service experience is a plus, but we’ll train the right person

The Details

Schedule: Wednesdays 4:30–8:30 PM and Sundays 9:30 AM–5:00 PM. Flexibility to cover additional shifts is appreciated.

Pay: $18.08/hour

Location: Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro, NJ

Sound Like You?

Send your cover letter and resume to jobs@plainsborolibrary.org with “Part-Time Public Services Library Assistant” in the subject line.

No phone calls, please. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Employment is contingent on background and reference checks and includes a six-month probationary period.

Plainsboro Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Applicants must comply with the NJ First Act.

[01/2026]

Application link or email address: jobs@plainsborolibrary.org

Salary range or hourly wage: $18.08

MLS required: No, an MLS is not required.

Job focus: Public/Adult Service

Work schedule: Part-Time