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Job Description:

JOB SUMMARY

• This is a specialized paraprofessional position assisting in the daily operations of the Lancaster County Law Library.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

• This position reports directly to the Law Librarian.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• 30% File replacement pages, pocket parts and other updates in books in the Law Library, prepares materials for binding, reads specialized call numbers and works with complex pagination.

• 10% Check-in and check-out library books and materials that circulate; re-shelve books that have been returned to the library; send out overdue notices; collect fines for overdue books; record fines collected in an appropriate ledger.

• 20% Assist in the sorting of library mail and the checking-in and processing of new materials; assist in the management of the collection through assisting in weeding old and superseded publications and shifting/rearranging books on the shelves, performs basic / routine acquisition including receiving, making claims and other routine communication with publishers, and refers complex issues or problems to the Law Librarian.

• 30% Answer basic reference questions from attorneys, judges, court staff  and the public about location of materials and resources within the library; interpret legal cites and abbreviations; assist patrons in the use of online legal reference services, the online catalog, and the online database of local judges' opinons; refer individuals to the librarian for further reference assistance; explain library policies and procedures; assist patrons in locating other Court offices.

• 10% Perform various clerical tasks as required; answer telephone; type labels and other miscellaneous items; enter, edit and retrieve data in the library's online catalog and judicial opinion database; send and receive e-mails as necessary; create signs and other documents in Word and Excel; send and receive messages on the fax machine; make change for the copier and for payment of overdue fines; collect money for copies made from online services; operate and maintain photocopier.

OTHER SPECIFIC TASKS OR DUTIES

• Perform various additional tasks in the absence of the Law Librarian.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Education equivalent to completion of high school and some course work related to libraries and/or the law.

• Three to five years of paraprofessional experience in a judicial or law-related setting OR three to five years of paraprofessional experience in a specialized library setting, preferably a law library.

• Or any combination of acceptable education and experience which has provided the knowledge, skills and abilities cited below.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Working knowledge of the U.S. and Pennsylvania legal systems and relevant legal terminology

• Working knowledge of library methods, practices and procedures including a basic understanding of MARC coding and library classification systems.

• Ability to file replacement pages in looseleaf materials and otherwise manually update library materials in the Law Library.

• Ability to manually sort check-out cards for library circulation system, calculate fines for overdue books and handle cash payments for fines.

• Ability to work independently and complete tasks as assigned with minimal supervision.

• Ability to reach and bend in order to retrieve books from and replace books on library shelves.

• Ability to effectively use a computer for word processing, data entry, etc.

• Ability to effectively conduct online legal research using both Boolean and full-text type searches.

• Ability to interact with library users, including attorneys, judges, court staff and the public.

• Ability to answer the telephone and relay messages, type and use various other pieces of office machinery such as a fax machine, photocopier, etc.

• Ability to assist the librarian in various projects as they arise.

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS/CLEARANCES

• This position requires a pre-employment background check as required by policy to perform the duties.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee may be required to sit for long periods of time.

• The employee must regularly lift and/or move files and books weighing up to 10 pounds. Occasionally there may be some lifting involving boxes with library materials.

• This position requires the ability to operate a laptop or PC and/or other general office equipment.

• The employee must be able to communicate with Court and non-court personnel and needs to be able to go from one location to another, i.e., to another Court or non-court office.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate (office with typewriters/printers and light traffic.)

The County of Lancaster offers comprehensive benefits to our employees.  Read more about our benefits here.

Lancaster County Government provides Equal Employment Opportunity for all persons regardless of race, religion, age, sex, national origin, genetic information or disability. The County also observes all applicable laws regarding Veterans status. The County reflects this action in all areas of employment and compensation practices and policies. Employment with the County is based upon the ability to perform the job as well as dependability and reliability once an individual is hired.