Member Services Assistant (CDD, 20 hours/week)

Position available: Member Services Assistant

Start date: ASAP
End date: Tuesday 13 July 2027
Weekly hours: 20 hours (part-time CDD)

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so interested candidates should apply quickly.

About the American Library in Paris

Founded in 1920, the American Library in Paris is the largest English-language lending library on the European continent. A welcoming home for the thoughtful and curious, the Library brings together readers, writers, and thinkers of all ages through its collections and cultural programming. At its core, it is a place of encounter—where ideas are exchanged, community is fostered, and lifelong learning takes root. 

Position schedule

The Member Services Assistant is a temporary part-time position (contrat à durée déterminée) that includes a weekend (Sunday) shift.

Regular Operating Hours:

• Wednesday, 10h00–19h00 (with a 1-hour meal break)

• Thursday, 12h00–19h00 (with a 1-hour meal break)

• Sunday, 13h00–19h00

Key responsibilities

As part of the Library Services team, under the supervision of the Member Services Manager: 

• Fulfill Member Services responsibilities to ensure the smooth operation of its functions. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Opening and closing the Library as scheduled

  • Staffing the front entrance, Member Services desk, and Welcome desk

  • Responding to email, phone, and in-person queries

  • Creating, renewing, and revising membership accounts in multiple databases

  • Familiarizing new members with the Library and the use of its services

  • Processing fines, fees, and lost items

  • Using cash register and debit/credit card machine

  • Managing printing and copying services

  • Booking study rooms, reservable spaces, and public computers

  • Assisting members in accessing online resources

  • Ensuring users’ comfort, health, safety, and enjoyment of the facilities, including compliance with all internal and governmental regulations

  • Technical processing of magazines, newspapers, and books

  • Assisting with shelving, book displays, and stacks maintenance

  • Gathering and maintaining statistical data

  • Assisting with exam proctoring

• Fulfill other duties as needed:

  • Assisting with training and supervision of volunteers and interns

  • Assisting in the support of the Library’s facility and technology infrastructure, including responding to mechanical dysfunctions (eg. elevator, security doors, heating)

  • Working on special projects, assisting in other departments, and performing additional duties as assigned

Member Services Assistants are part of the Library Services team. Library Services comprises Member Services, Adult Services, and Children’s and Teens’ Services. Library Services is focused primarily on customer service, Engagement programming for all ages, and the Library’s print and digital collection for all ages. Members of the Library Services team are cross-trained to staff all the aforementioned service points, to help maintain the general and juvenile collections, and to assist in the planning and execution of Engagement programming for children and adults.

Qualifications & profile

The American Library in Paris prides itself on outstanding patron service, and the Library Services team highly values collegiality and collaboration. Candidates should bring a record of experience in libraries and/or customer service. Proven organizational skills and attention to detail and process are essential, as are patience, good listening skills, and discretion.

Candidates should have an appreciation for English-language literature and culture. Strong written and spoken English skills are essential; spoken French is highly desirable. Experience working with the public is a plus.

The successful candidate will also have:

• Valid European working papers

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (students currently working towards a degree will also be considered for this position)

• Excellent communication skills

• Extremely strong interpersonal skills

• An appetite for hard work and the ability to prioritize and multitask in a close-knit and busy organizational environment

• A willingness to receive and give constructive feedback, and a proactive attitude

• A commitment to data integrity and quality of work

• Pride in contributing to the cultural heritage of a century-old institution that is dedicated to literature and

• community

• The ability to push full book carts, shelve books on high and low shelves, and carry boxes

Our workplace values, compensation, and benefits

At the American Library in Paris, we value being professional, productive, positive, patient, adaptable, inclusive, and team-focused. The American Library in Paris is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we strive to create a welcoming environment for all. We seek applicants who will embody and strengthen these values.

Candidates should bear in mind that, as a nonprofit institution, the American Library in Paris operates within a compensation framework that differs from that of the private sector, while offering a distinctive professional environment shaped by its history, mission, and international reach.

The Library provides a thoughtfully designed benefits package that includes a minimum of five weeks of annual paid vacation; ongoing professional development; subsidized meal vouchers; partial reimbursement of public transportation or bicycle-related expenses; and fully employer-funded top-tier health, vision, and dental coverage for employees and their families.

How to apply

We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply by uploading a letter of motivation and curriculum vitae. In your cover letter, please explain how your experience is relevant to the position and what you would bring to the institution. Your attention to detail can be demonstrated by mentioning one of your most recommended books in the letter.

Please note that valid European working papers are required for this position. Please indicate in your cover letter or CV that you are legally permitted to work in France through nationality, or specify the type of visa/work permit you possess and its expiry date. Candidates without valid French working papers will not be considered for this position. The Library is unable to sponsor applicants who do not currently hold either a European passport or an unexpired French work permit.

We thank all candidates for their interest in the position. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview, and may be asked for professional references. 

Join Paris’s home for the thoughtful and curious, and help carry a century-old institution into its next hundred years.