Genealogy Assistant

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne is seeking a part-time Genealogy Assistant to help support one of the largest genealogical research facilities in the United States.

Located at the Allen County Public Library's Main Library, the Genealogy Center provides free access to more than 1.2 million physical items and over 6 million digital resources. Researchers from around the world visit the Center to explore records and materials specializing in American, British, Irish, and German genealogy.

This position supports the day-to-day organization and accessibility of the collection while assisting visitors with equipment and basic services that help them move forward in their research.

What You'll Do

As a Genealogy Assistant, you'll help maintain the Genealogy Center's extensive collection and assist patrons using the space and its equipment. Responsibilities include:

• Shelving books, periodicals, and other genealogy materials and keeping the collection organized

• Performing routine shelf reading to ensure materials are in the correct location

• Clearing and organizing tables and work areas to maintain an orderly research environment

• Retrieving court ledgers and other materials from closed-stack or storage areas for patrons

• Inspecting materials for damage and referring concerns to a genealogy librarian or supervisor

• Assisting patrons with photocopiers, scanners, computers, and similar equipment

• Helping patrons log onto public computers and navigate basic technology needs

• Assisting with the processing of new materials and large donations

• Supporting collection development projects, including scanning, printing, and preparing materials for binding

• Fulfilling patron requests for pages from books, articles from periodicals, and obituary lookups

• Referring complex research questions or unusual situations to a genealogy librarian

What We're Looking For

Successful candidates typically bring:

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

• Comfort working with large collections of books and archival materials

• A helpful and patient approach when assisting patrons

• Savvy computer and technology skills

• Ability to follow procedures carefully and work both independently and as part of a team

• Interest in history, genealogy, or research is helpful but not required

Benefits and Compensation

You will have benefits such as Flexible Spending Account, Paid Time Off with three weeks of vacation accrual and one week of sick accrual, Employee Discounts, Employee Assistance Program, and Voluntary Insurance options.

The pay starts at $14.05 per hour and up based on experience.

Desired Schedule

There are two positions available. Both are 20 hours per week
Schedule 1
Mondays 12pm - 9pm
Tuesdays 5pm - 9pm
Saturdays 9am - 6pm

or

Schedule 2
Mondays 9am - 6pm
Wednesdays 9am - 1pm
Fridays 9am - 6pm

Why Work at ACPL?

The Allen County Public Library is home to one of the most respected genealogy research collections in the country. Staff play an important role in helping visitors from across the nation and around the world explore family history and historical records.