About Plainsboro Public Library. Plainsboro Public Library (PPL) is a vibrant, community-centered library serving one of New Jersey’s most diverse and multilingual communities. Guided by our Strategic Plan 2026–2028 — shaped by input from more than 1,200 residents under the banner “You Spoke. We Listened.” — we are committed to transforming our spaces, advancing literacy in all its forms, building lasting community partnerships, and ensuring our long-term sustainability. Every member of our team plays a role in delivering on that promise.

The Opportunity. PPL seeks an energetic, service-minded Youth Services Library Associate to join our team in a part-time capacity. In this role, you will be one of the friendly, welcoming faces of our Youth Services department — supporting children, teens, and their families as they discover books, programs, and resources that spark a lifelong love of learning. You will primarily work at the Youth Services desk, with occasional coverage at the Information Desk as needed. This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate who enjoys working with young people, takes pride in connecting families with resources, and thrives in a busy, community-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Customer Service

• Welcome children, teens, caregivers, and all patrons warmly and equitably, ensuring every visitor feels respected and valued.

• Assist young readers and their families in selecting age-appropriate books, audiobooks, and digital materials.

• Support patrons in using library resources, public computers, and youth-focused digital tools.

• Register patrons for storytimes, youth programs, and library events; promote upcoming offerings.

• Help maintain a welcoming, inclusive environment in the Youth Services area, including reasonable behavior expectations that support all families.

• Receive and respond to patron compliments, suggestions, and concerns; refer matters to the Head of Youth Services or Assistant Director of Public Services as appropriate.

Information, Literacy & Program Support

• Conduct ready-reference and reader's advisory for children and teens; refer in-depth research questions to appropriate staff.

• Assist with the setup, facilitation, and breakdown of youth programs, storytimes, and family events.

• Support early literacy initiatives and recommend resources that strengthen reading skills at every developmental stage.

• Provide coverage at the Information Desk as needed, assisting patrons of all ages.

• Submit interlibrary loan requests through the JerseyCat system.

• Aswer and route telephone calls professionally.

Collection & Operational Support

• Shelve materials, perform shelf-reading, and search for items from system-generated lists in the youth collection and across the library as needed.

• Participate in collection refresh activities to keep the youth collection current, relevant, and reflective of our community.

• Create displays and develop reading lists that celebrate diverse voices and engage young readers.

• Oversee and direct the work of library pages and volunteers as assigned.

• Follow proper procedures for evacuation of patrons and staff during emergencies and drills.

Professional Growth

• Attend conferences, meetings, workshops, and in-house trainings to keep technological skills current and maintain professional best practices.

• Read professional literature related to library work and emerging trends.

• Participate in ongoing and annual performance evaluations with the Head of Youth Services.

• Perform related tasks as required.

Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities

General knowledge of:

• Library clerical procedures and practices.

• Library software, databases, digital resources, apps, and common computer software such as MS Office.

• Children's and young adult literature, including picture books, early readers, middle grade, graphic novels, and YA.

• Age-appropriate engagement and basic awareness of child and adolescent developmental stages.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Provide excellent customer service to children, teens, families, and our diverse, multilingual community.

• Engage warmly and patiently with young people of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

• Maintain accurate records and statistics, and complete reports.

• Exercise initiative, independent judgment, and discretion.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patrons and colleagues.

• Communicate ideas clearly and respectfully, both orally and in writing.

Education and Experience

General knowledge of:

• Library clerical procedures and practices.

• Library software, databases, digital resources, apps, and common computer software such as MS Office.

• Children's and young adult literature, including picture books, early readers, middle grade, graphic novels, and YA.

• Age-appropriate engagement and basic awareness of child and adolescent developmental stages.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Provide excellent customer service to children, teens, families, and our diverse, multilingual community.

• Engage warmly and patiently with young people of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

• Maintain accurate records and statistics, and complete reports.

• Exercise initiative, independent judgment, and discretion.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patrons and colleagues.

• Communicate ideas clearly and respectfully, both orally and in writing.

Education and Experience

A bachelor's degree (non-MLIS) from an accredited college or university is required, along with some experience working with children, teens, or the public—whether in a library, school, camp, tutoring, programming, or comparable service setting.

An ideal opportunity for: Current MLIS students exploring a career in Youth Services. This role offers hands-on experience at a busy, community-focused public library and direct mentorship from our Head of Youth Services and broader Public Services team.

Preferred (not required): Prior experience working with children or teens in a library, school, camp, tutoring, or program setting; proficiency in a language other than English reflective of our community (e.g., Mandarin, Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Spanish); familiarity with early literacy practices, youth programming, or assistive and emerging technologies

Schedule

Wednesdays: 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Sundays: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Flexibility covering additional shifts when needed is preferred.

Compensation

$23.00 per hour.

How to Apply

To be considered, please send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@plainsborolibrary.org. Include “Part-Time Youth Services Library Associate” in the email subject line. Please, no phone calls. Only candidates selected for interviews will be notified.

Employment offers are conditional upon a successful background and reference check and include a six-month probationary period. Plainsboro Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants must comply with the New Jersey First Act.