Ottawa Public Library

This was a great job for someone looking for a start in the library field. You get to see what working in a library is like, and figure out how much more to it there is than just putting books on the shelf and checking them out to patrons. For pages, a lot of it does involve shelving books, making sure the shelves are maintained and in proper order, and pulling books that are on hold for patrons. 
The staff were all very friendly and helpful, and did their best to work together and help each other with tasks. They were always willing to refresh my memory about how to do a certain task or teach me a new way to do it.
You do need to be able to pay attention to details, so that you aren't misreading a label and shelving items in the wrong place. It can also get frustrating when you have to keep going back to reorganize sections every other day, because things get misshelved. So you need a lot of patience sometimes.

I have always wanted work in a library. As a casual Page, I have had the opportunity to work a few different branches of the Ottawa Public Library & have found reasons to love each one. The staff overall has been helpful & friendly to work with and learn from, which I greatly appreciate, since I move around a lot. There is lots of training provided and on an on-going basis, so you are well prepared for your duties & expectations. There are lots of opportunities whether you need flexible hours (casual), part, or full-time as well as opportunities to move up or around within the system. The only major drawback is that certain information & programs are only accessible onsite, so it limits access and ability to do some things (ex. online training, or job opportunities & applications) if you are not at a library daily/regularly.

.	Shelve, shelf-read and shift items in the collections, according to alphabetical, Dewey Decimal or other prescribed sequence and established procedures.
.	Assist in non-public circulation duties by: 
o	carrying out non-public check-in and check-out of materials;
o	emptying book drops;
o	retrieving items from library list (i.e. hold list);
o	packing and unpacking materials from delivery boxes;
o	performing routine tasks related to collection maintenance, e.g. changing item status for withdrawal, processing daily newspapers.

.	Tidy and straighten up designated areas within the library.

The job is govern and control by feminist, in the sense the executive level will only hire people who are not straight and females only for management positions (even assistant). If you are part of the exception, you have to be extremely careful.

The typical day at work is; scan books, organize books, find books, place books on the shelves and help customers with day to day questions by transitioning questions: if unable to answer.

the staff is amazing, however it sometimes feels like managers aren't listening. Customers are getting more difficult and we don't get as much support. The pressure on french speaking staff is a lot. However, they pay very well in my opinion and the work is rewarding. Most people with some exceptions value your service. 

It is a good place to work. I drive a Bookmobile Bus and 3 ton stock truck and deal with the public. On the Bookmobile I take book returns and charge out books to our Patrons. When I drive the 3 ton stock truck I deliver and pick up books at the Libraries in the Ottawa area.

A typical day at work can see slow foot traffic with almost nothing to do for someone who isn't a regular, or a rush of people coming in and out to borrow material and solve account inquiries. Either way, working at the library is a fun experience and I'm entirely grateful for the opportunity.

Not sure if everyone is on the same page in terms of reaching Library's goals. Classist (ie too  much emphasis on intellectual freedom, last year's Library month theme was "Your library, your democracy" - how boring... alot of the fun stuff is no longer. Also, addressing issues that affect productivity takes months !

Routine tasks, friendly co-workers, requires occasional heavy lifting, combination of standing/crouching/walking for long periods, access to various media types, shifts include evenings and weekends.

I love volunteering at the Ottawa Public Library because I love everything about reading and writing. During the summer I participated in a puppet show for children, and it taught me a lot about group work and community.

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