City of Palo Alto

  • Library Clerk (Multiple Positions)

  • City of Palo Alto
  • Palo Alto, California United States View Map

Job Description

Description

Grow Your Library Career | Join the City of Palo Alto Library

The City of Palo Alto Library is looking for dependable, service-oriented individuals to join our team as Library Clerks - Hourly at the Downtown and Rinconada libraries plus additional positions.

This is an excellent opportunity for people with library or customer-service experience who are ready to take the next step in their careers. You’ll expand your responsibilities, gain valuable front-desk experience, and help create a welcoming and positive library experience for every customer.

If you’re passionate about public libraries, enjoy helping people, and are ready to grow your skills in a community-centered environment, we encourage you to apply.

Multiple Library Clerk - Hourly positions will be filled through this recruitment.

Available Schedules

Downtown Library
  • Friday: 12:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9:15 a.m.-6:15 p.m.
  • Preference is for both days all day as budget allows

Rinconada Library
  • Friday: 2:15 p.m.- 6:15 p.m.
  • Sunday: 9:15 a.m.-6:15 p.m.
  • Preference is for both days all day as budget allows

At least one additional position in Support Services or Public Service is expected to become available.

Public service positions require a regularly scheduled weekend day and may include evening hours based on operational needs.

The Opportunity

Library Clerks are an important part of the customer experience and daily operations at each library branch.

As a Library Clerk, you will:
  • Welcome customers and assist them with questions, accounts, fines, and library services.
  • Help customers use library computers and other technology.
  • Shelve and organize library materials so customers can find what they need.
  • Maintain accurate information in the library’s computer system.
  • Support daily branch operations and help maintain an organized, accessible, and welcoming environment.
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues to provide responsive and reliable public service.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re seeking individuals who are excited to grow their library experience and take on greater customer-service responsibilities.

The ideal candidate enjoys helping people, communicates clearly, and brings patience and professionalism to every interaction. They are dependable, attentive to detail, comfortable learning new technology, and able to balance independent responsibilities with the needs of a collaborative team.

Previous library or customer-service experience will help you thrive in this role.

Why the City of Palo Alto Library?

The City of Palo Alto Library is recognized for its innovative approach to public service and its commitment to creating welcoming spaces where people can discover, learn, and connect.

Our five libraries serve a community that values lifelong learning, intellectual curiosity, and equitable access to information. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to build your skills while working alongside talented colleagues who are passionate about exceptional library service.

Why You’ll Love Working Here
  • Build valuable customer-service and front-desk experience.
  • Expand your knowledge of library services and branch operations.
  • Strengthen your communication, technology, and problem-solving skills.
  • Take on increased responsibility within a supportive and collaborative team.
  • Help create welcoming spaces where community members can learn, discover, and connect.
  • Gain experience that can help prepare you for future opportunities in libraries and public service.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re excited to grow your skills and help provide an outstanding library experience for our community, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and take the next step in your career with the City of Palo Alto Library.

Essential Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• May answer customers' questions.

• Checks in/out items; performs standard, holds, special handling and sorts; issues library cards.

• Works at the Accounts Desk; handles customer accounts and fines; provides computer assistance; performs shelving.

• May assist customers with library technology.

• Maintains computer files for library materials; adds, deletes and updates information.

• Data entry of bibliographic data into the online library system.

• Communicates with vendors to request approved items or to ask questions; refers further communications to the supervisor.

• Accepts and unpacks deliveries and shipments of library materials; checks for accuracy; returns incorrect or damaged materials to vendors.

• Receives and invoices materials into the library's computer system.

• Performs RFID tagging Performs shelf reading.

• Assists in the setup of programs; performs program cleanup.

• Processes LINK+ items and locates items listed on hold for the library branch or on reserve for LINK+.

• Assists with special projects and programs.

• May perform mail delivery.

• Provides basic assistance to customers.

• Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:

• High school diploma or equivalent and 6 months experience working in a library

City of Palo Alto offers the following benefits to those in a SEIU Hourly position:

Medical Stipend
$3.80 effective the pay period including July 1, 2024.

Sick Leave
Earn .03 hour of sick leave for each hour worked.

Retirement
City of Palo Alto PST (Part-time, Seasonal & Temporary Employees) Retirement Plan

Please note: The City does not participate in CA State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Social Security.

Closing Date/Time: 10/5/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
City of Palo Alto

City of Palo Alto

650-329-2376

The Community


The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-News

City Government

Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.

Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.

Join an Award Winning Team 

Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.

Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."

Contact Us

Phone: 650-329-2376   

Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov   

Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map

 

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