Book stacks are your best friends, and you’ve got a knack for computers and technology. Mesmerize your readers with the help of this library assistant cover letter sample.
As a job hunter, you need to work super hard to captivate and then keep the hiring manager’s attention.
But don’t worry. This library assistant cover letter guide will serve as an Almanac for you, where you’ll find the best tips, tricks and strategies of writing a cover letter for library assistant jobs that will change your life… Just like a good book.
In this article:
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If you're looking for a different cover letter sample, here are several guides you may want to get familiarized with:
First, let’s see what a professional cover letter looks like by examining two great cover letter samples:
Say ‘Hi’ to Joanne, an ambitious 29-year-old, who has 3 years of experience working as an assistant at a local high school library. Joanne is applying for a library assistant position at the Davenport Public Library that’s calling for someone with previous library experience, as well as strong technical and problem-solving skills.
Luckily, in the past, she’s proven excellent customer service as well as organizational and computer skills, which she flawlessly highlights in her cover letter.
Let’s take a look:
Joanne Ramsey
Library Assistant
670 Pin Oak Drive
Davenport, IA 52803
563-326-2979
j.ramsey8@gmail.com
August 18, 2021
Frederick Netto
Director
Davenport Public Library - Eastern Avenue Branch
6000 Eastern Ave,
Davenport, IA 52807
Dear Mr. Netto,
I was pleased to learn about the available Library Assistant II position at the Davenport Public Library. In addition to my Bachelor in English and Master’s in Library and Information Studies, I have 3 years of experience working as a high school library assistant, where I assisted in developing 2 forward-thinking library projects that represented a focus on humanities and science.
Your ad on Snag a Job mentions knowledge of library practices and procedures, excellent customer service skills, knowledge of Koha ILS software, and exceptional attention to detail. I believe I'm ready to work for you, based on the following:
With my experience in project handling, and proven customer service achievements, I’m confident I can help meet Davenport Public Library’s goals.
I’m excited to share my ideas with you. Could we schedule a meeting to discuss the matter in further detail?
Kind regards,
Joanne Ramsey
563-326-2979
j.ramsey87@gmail.com
Now this cover letter gets a 5-star rating! It ticks all the boxes and stands out in a sea of applications... (we’ll get into the box-ticking concept in the next chapter, so you know exactly what to look for).
But there’s one more cover letter we should take a look at… one written by a candidate that has no previous experience as a library assistant.
Writing a cover letter with no experience can be challenging, but there is nothing to be afraid of. Let’s look at Anne’s letter. Anne is a recent English major graduate holding a Bachelor’s degree. She has no professional experience, because she was focusing on her studies, but she did volunteer work, which demonstrated her strengths and abilities.
Let’s see:
Anne Hopkins
Library Assistant
1876 Elk City Road
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-917-4437
anne.hopkins20@yahoo.com
Indianapolis, August 17, 2021
Michael Sheppard
Library Director
Indianapolis Public Library - Spades Park Branch
1801 Nowland Ave,
Indianapolis, IN 46201
Dear Mr. Sheppard,
I'm excited to be applying for the chance to become a Library Assistant at Indianapolis Public Library. As a recent graduate who is highly focused and attentive to details, I thrive on delivering comprehensive, excellent service that builds relationships and that achieves goals. I'm thrilled at the chance to utilize my talents and communication skills as part of Indianapolis Public Library’s team.
As a senior at UCLA in the English department, I volunteered at the University Library, making copies and completing small tasks. I was responsible for coordinating with the library director to keep bookshelves organized and clean for public student use. My duties included: staffing a service desk that circulated approximately 15,000 items monthly, assisting with collection development, using Biblioboard digital asset management software to create an online collection for Archives (over 10,000 digitized items). Additionally, I evaluated, organized, and processed over 500 donated titles.
Even though I planned on pursuing a teaching career, this volunteering opportunity made me realize I much more enjoy helping locate materials, as well as providing technical assistance and organizing various materials.
Your advertisement says you are seeking a candidate who will perform assigned duties independently, reliably, and expertly with minimum supervision, as well as someone with excellent computer skills and knowledge of computer software programs and automated library system. With my skill set and experience, I am confident I can support your team’s effectiveness.
When would be a good time to discuss the opportunity in further detail?
Sincerely,
Anne Hopkins
317-917-4437
anne.hopkins20@yahoo.com
It’s pretty straightforward, as long as you know what to include in your cover letter. So, now that you’ve seen two killer cover letter examples, let’s move to learning how to write a cover letter that will turn recruiters’ heads.
Here are the pro-tips for writing a library assistant cover letter:
As a bookworm, you know how important organization is, so make sure your cover letter proves that. Make it legible, organized and easy to skim.
Follow these cover letter formatting rules, and you’ll be on the right track:
Now that’s you’ve set up your formatting, you’re ready for the good stuff!
When applying for jobs, you want your name to be known, so imagine your cover letter heading is the front page of a bestselling book. Make it eye-catching and informative.
Start your cover letter with a header that includes your full name, job title, and contact information. You can add an address, as well. Make sure to format the cover letter heading in the same style as your resume heading.
It should look something like this:
[ Your Full Name]
[ Your Job Title ] (Optional)
[ Phone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ LinkedIn Profile ]
[ City and Date ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Full Name ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Position, e.g. Customer Service Team Leader ]
[ Company Name ]
[ Company Street Address ]
[ City and Zip Code ]
Make sure to address the cover letter to a specific person. You can most likely find out the name by looking at the job posting or looking up the institution website. No luck?
Simply call the library and ask for that information—they should be able to give it offhand.
Expert Hint: If you’re having trouble finding out the name of the hiring manager, you can start with “Dear Hiring Manager”. Stay away from “To Whom It May Concern”, as well as “Dear Sir or Madam”, as they make your cover letter seem generic.
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‘Once upon a time, there was a library assistant looking for a job…’ We all know these stories.
They all have a similar structure, similar characters, a plot twist, yada, yada, yada. But this is real life, and here you have only 6 seconds to impress the recruiter. So the only way to hook them and hold them is to begin with a George-Orwell-worthy opening line…
In your first paragraph, politely introduce yourself, state the position you’re applying for, and briefly touch up on your most relevant accomplishment to make them want to read more. Trust us, this will surely guarantee you a happy ending.
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
As an accomplished library assistant with [X]+ years of experience [Your Area of Expertise], I was excited to see your ad for a library at [Target Institution Name]. I know from the job posting on your website that you’re looking for a candidate with [Skills and Requirements From the Job Ad]. I think you’ll find my resume a good fit based on the highlights below:
Don’t beat around the bush. Get them hooked from the very beginning by showing them that you know exactly what they’re looking for and offering just that.
The next portion of your library assistant cover letter should be tailored to the job description.
Remember how you targeted your resume by finding specific resume keywords to pluck in your application?
Well good news. If you’ve done that, you’ll have no trouble writing the body paragraph of your cover letter.
Take those keywords and achievements from your resume and strategically place them in your cover letter’s middle paragraph to show that your skills, experience and professional background are a match for the job.
Here’s a library assistant cover letter template that you can use:
The job listing mentions that you’re seeking a library assistant with experience in [Library Assistant Job Responsibilities From Advertisement]. As a [Previous or Current Job Title] with [Name of Previous or Current Institution], I became quite skilled with [Give Several of Your Proudest and Most Relevant Projects, With Numbers, If Possible, to Show Results]. I know that I’d be able to achieve similar success were I to be hired at [Target Institution Name].
Expert Hint: If you’re writing a career change cover letter, make sure to include transferable skills and achievements that will make you a valuable asset to the employer.
Whether writing a cover letter for an internship or one for a senior position, always make sure they feel special by explaining why you want to work for that particular company or institution.
Of course, they’re more interested in your competences and qualifications, but they also want to make sure that once you’re hired, you won’t bail after a month or two.
Take some time to find out what makes this particular institution distinctive. Throw in a complement or two and watch that phone ring off the hook.
Feel free to use this template:
Joining [Target Institution] would be not only a perfect opportunity for me to grow by benefiting from your know-how and [what they do], but also a seamless culture-fit that would benefit everyone as [something you found out about them] is something that is important to me personally.
‘Ask and ye shall receive.’
That’s what one of the most influential books of all time says. So go with that, too. Your call to action should look something like this:
Could we schedule a meeting to discuss how my skills can help [Target Institution] succeed and meet its long-term goals?
Kind regards,
[Full Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
When ending your cover letter, remember to stand out in a good way by offering exactly what the employer is looking for. Don’t want to sign-off with a plain old Sincerely?
Here are some ideas of how to close a cover letter:
Extra Hint: Don’t be too friendly by ending with Cheers, Ciao or Take Care. These closing lines are unprofessional and improper.
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Here’s a recap on how to write the perfect library assistant cover letter:
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Aleksandra is a career expert with a solid professional background in various industries. At ResumeLab, she shares her knowledge, insights and expertise with all applicants looking to make a career move with a perfect resume and cover letter that guarantee recognition and success.
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