Student Employment

Student employment is available in several areas of the library. During the school year, the library is open until 12 am midnight Sunday through Thursday, and until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Different areas in the library require students to work at different times, including these late closings. As part of the application , you will be asked to indicate your availability - please consider when the library is open as you note your availability.  Please make sure you have your class schedule before starting the application. 

Questions regarding library student assistant positions can be directed to Katy Ritter, 309-556-3172.

Below is a job description for all of the student jobs in The Ames Library.

Library Service Desk Student Assistant

Library Services Desk student assistants provide excellent customer service by: checking in/out materials and equipment, utilizing phone skills, answering directional questions and making appropriate referrals; maintaining services centers including filling paper, ink, staples, and tape; special projects as assigned, which may include helping other library departments. Attention to detail is critical for this position. Must be available to work all open library hours, including evenings and weekends. (approx. 20 students employed at a time)  

Acquisitions/Cataloging Student Assistant

Duties include processing of all new and reclassified library materials, including books, periodicals, DVDs, etc.; processing and maintaining records for our awards collection; processing and filing invoices; periodically preparing books for shipping.  This position also helps with special projects as assigned, which may include helping other library departments.  Attention to detail is critical for this position. The hours for this job fall within 7:30 am - 3:30 pm, M-F. (1 student employed at a time)

Archives and Special Collections Student Assistant

Archives Assistants must possess good customer service skills and work carefully with historical materials and rare or fragile books. This work often includes using scanning equipment and maintaining websites, databases and spreadsheets. Assistants must be willing to articulate the limits of their own understanding, to stay focused during tedious tasks and to exercise confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or private information. The archives is open Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm. (approx. 1-2 students employed at a time)

Interlibrary Loan & Stacks Maintenance Student Assistant

Retrieving and processing of incoming and outgoing interlibrary loan materials, digitizing materials for copy requests, extensive use of interlibrary loan software, delivering loan materials on campus in all types of weather, lifting heavy bags. Maintaining the library stacks by shelving library materials, shelf reading and physically shifting the collection. This position also provides digitization support for Assistive Services and Reserves.  Attention to detail is critical for this position. The hours for this job are M-F 8 am - 4 pm. (approx. 1-2 students employed at a time)

Reserves & Digital Projects Assistant

Processes and scans requests for traditional and electronic reserves; assists in researching publisher policies for faculty publications, scanning and uploading in support of digital collections work in the library. The hours for this job are M-F 8 am - 3 pm. (approx. 2 students employed at a time)