Employment Status: Permanent part-time (CUPE5348)
Reason for Vacancy: Resignation
Primary Location: Central Library
Hours: 27 hours per week with ability to work all shifts (days, evenings, and weekends)
Rate of Pay: $28.74 - $33.81 hourly
Posting Status: Open to all current OPL employees and external applicants
Oakville Public Library (OPL) is seeking someone who is dedicated to service excellence, demonstrates curiosity and a learning mindset, fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing, and is a passionate advocate for literacy and innovation in public libraries.
Reporting to the Manager, Public Service Design, the Materials Handling Assistant and Courier supports branch services to the public, collection and materials handling workflows, and library operations systemwide.
OPL operates seven branches and four express locations, serving a diverse and growing population of 244,000 Oakville residents.
What you'll do
As a Materials Handling Assistant and Courier, you will:
- Greet customers with enthusiasm and proactively direct customers to appropriate staff for assistance.
- Complete all courier services workflows, including but not limited to using a library vehicle on a regular schedule and route, transporting library materials and equipment between OPL locations (including OPL Express and other offsite locations), loading and unloading courier bins from the library vehicle, mobile processing of library materials, and packing outgoing materials and unpacking incoming materials.
- Complete all daily vehicle care, including but not limited to performing daily vehicle inspections, arranging for vehicle fueling and servicing, monitoring vehicle performance, maintaining clean vehicle conditions, and reporting vehicle operational problems to leadership.
- Complete all materials handling workflows, including but not limited to emptying book drops and sorters, checking in materials using RFID technology, sorting and shelving items, shelf-reading, and maintaining shelf organization and displays. Operate and troubleshoot sorting equipment, OPL Express equipment, process circulation and collection maintenance lists, and identify and report issues with library materials.
- Support branch services and library operations, including but not limited to retrieving specific items on circulation or collection maintenance lists, general branch tidying tasks, and branch opening and closing duties.
- Resolve issues or escalate to designated in-charge staff, or branch or on-call leadership as appropriate.
- Accurately interpret OPL policies, procedures, and key messaging to guide library operations.
- Foster continuous learning by engaging in professional development activities, participating in working groups, and applying new knowledge and skills to enhance job performance.
- Work in compliance with the provisions of the AODA customer service standard, Occupational Health & Safety Act, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, other relevant health and safety legislation, and the OPL’s Health & Safety Program.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Is this a good fit for you?
We're looking for someone who can:
- Provide excellent customer service in dynamic and busy environments, and champion the values of equitable access, curiosity, belonging, lifelong learning, intellectual freedom, and exceptional service.
- Understand OPL's collections, spaces, programs, services, and technologies.
- Proactively engage customers and connect them to staff for assistance, approaching every interaction with enthusiasm and a genuine willingness to help.
- Exercise good judgment to prioritize customer-first service and make values-based decisions.
- Sustain strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and multitask effectively, and perform all work with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to actively listen, follow written instructions, and clearly share information.
- Work independently and as part of a team through effective collaboration and strong interpersonal skills.
- Respond effectively to change, demonstrating curiosity and a learning mindset.
- Handle the regular physical requirements of the job including carrying courier bins, lifting library materials, reaching to place materials on shelves, pushing carts, and frequent standing, walking and bending. Perform physical tasks regularly with objects weighing up to 23kg / 50lbs in a safe manner.
Your experience and educational background:
- Secondary School Diploma.
- Must hold and provide a copy of a valid and unrestricted Ontario Driver’s Licence Class G minimum (standard and automatic transmission) with a driving record that demonstrates responsible and safe driving behaviour. Note: Applicants with six or more points are ineligible for consideration. The successful applicant, who is a new hire, will be required to provide OPL with a current drivers abstract (no older than 30 days) and pass a Town administered road test as a condition of employment.
- Previous experience driving a large vehicle (e.g. cube van), including knowledge of vehicle operations and maintenance.
- Driver Instructor Training Course certification is considered an asset.
- Working knowledge and experience with computer applications, including Microsoft Office.
- Experience with an integrated library system (ILS), RFID technology, and library technologies and equipment is considered an asset.
Who are we?
Oakville Public Library strives to fulfill our mission of bringing together people, information, and ideas to enrich lives and build healthy communities. We are focused on exceptional customer service to meet the needs of the children, youth, adults, and seniors utilizing our physical or online services. We continue to be agile in our mandate to meet the needs of the residents of Oakville.
What's it like to work at Oakville Public Library?
It's challenging, stimulating, and hugely rewarding. Our positions offer tremendous diversity and excellent opportunities for professional growth. Every day, we commit to providing access to tangible resources and programs that inspire, encourage, and provoke thought for the residents of Oakville.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted online at www.opl.on.ca in the current opportunities section no later than midnight on June 10, 2026.
Oakville Public Library uses the Town of Oakville’s recruitment software. The Town’s recruitment software includes elements of artificial intelligence to assist in the screening and short-listing of qualified candidates.
The Oakville Public Library is an equal opportunity employer and is pleased to accommodate individual needs in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) within our recruitment process upon request. If you require accommodation at any time throughout the recruitment process please contact Human Resources at [email protected]
A Security Clearance Check will be required for all employees and volunteers of the Oakville Public Library. Successful applicants must submit the Security Check (dated within the last six months) prior to or on the first day of employment.
The Oakville Public Library endeavours to provide a safe environment for all its employees. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.
