Library Assistant

Have at least a couple of quotes from co-workers. Tell about the previous job colleague's quotes about you and your work.

You should have put thought into this prior to the interview. It is a question that is asked often so be ready. Of course you need to be sincere.

Now's your chance to sell yourself. Tell the interviewer how you are an excellent match with the needs of the company.

If you can't answer this calmly and with enthusiasm you are off to a rocky start. Highlight your skills and accomplishments that relate to the position and give yourself a plug.

Provide short interesting success stories from your background. Explain the way you manage your work-time to cope with high work load. You can also tell about the techniques you use to overcome stressful situations and difficulties.

Speak about your past good experiences working in a team with good examples of project implementation. If you led a team in the past or were a key member that has a potential of leading a team, then talk about that.

It is important to be able to perform some book repair and maintenance activities. It is also important to ensure cleanliness of bookshelves which involves dusting and arranging and rearranging books and resources in the library.

It is important to be able to work with library-specific cataloging systems. Library assistants have to work with spreadsheets so knowledge of Microsoft Excel is also important. Since working as a library assistant means that one has to assist patrons in looking for online information or through library records, it is important to be technically savvy as well.

It is very important for library assistants to possess good interpersonal skills. This is because they are constantly in touch with library patrons and often need to exercise tact. One also has to be patient and tolerant of patron's interests and tastes so that no one is offended.

There are basic responsibilities like:

★ Showing up for work on time and putting in expected hours.

★ Making appropriate choices such as how you dress and how you interact with others.

★ Being reliable to your boss, the people you work with and clients should be able to rely on you on a daily basis, especially during peak or urgent periods.

This answer to this question may vary based on the technology available, but here's a sample answer.

I will teach students to use the online library catalog to find books in our library. We will also learn how to efficiently and effectively find information online using online encyclopedias and search engines. I will regularly model the ethical use of information to students and teachers. I also plan to attend conferences and professional development events to stay up-to-date on the latest advances in educational technology.

A building or room containing collections of books, periodicals and sometimes films and recorded music for use or borrowing by the public or the members of an institution.

I regularly survey students and teachers to find out the types of books they would like to read. I also seek out professional reviews from publications like School Library Journal and book list and read recommendations on collection development tools like Follett Titlewave. I try to regularly read children's books for consideration. I also regularly weed the library's collection to make room for the most recent and relevant information.