Access and Reference Services Associate

Position Summary

The Access & Reference Services Associate provides access services and reference desk support and staffing, supervises student employees, and serves as the lead staff member during evening and weekend hours. This position is responsible for providing basic reference services and making referrals to librarians. As a student supervisor, this role is responsible for hiring, initial and ongoing training, and scheduling of student employees. This position provides essential support functions for outreach and engagement services as well as collection management.

To accomplish this work, this position requires the ability to function within multiple complex systems and understand how manipulation of these systems will impact other operations; and continuing self-directed learning to adapt to changing systems and new technologies. Essential skills for this position include problem solving, the ability to work independently, and excellent communication skills.

Position Responsibilities

1. Provides access and reference services.

• Manages circulation activities:

• Compiles circulation statistics and runs reports as needed for statistical analysis.

• Coordinates check-in procedures and circulation policies and procedures.

• Creates/maintains access-services documentation (desk procedures, student worker manuals, emergency/closing checklists).

• Provides high-quality customer service to library patrons:

• Coordinates service desk procedures and communications to ensure consistent service delivery across shifts.

• Collaborates with Head of Learning, Research, and Engagement Services to provide basic reference support at a single service desk.

• Answers reference and technical support questions (help with citations, software/hardware problems, printing, help with searching and database functionality, help finding books in the stacks, referrals to librarians).

• Completes professional development opportunities and training related to reference services.

• Oversees evening outreach activities as needed.

2. Supervises access services and reference student employees.

• Hires, trains, supervises, and schedules student assistants.
• Completes performance evaluations for student assistants.
• Collaborates with Access and Learning Services Coordinator to ensure effective training on the following stacks maintenance responsibilities: shelving, shifting, and inventory.

3. Supports and executes collections maintenance tasks.

• Completes electronic collection maintenance tasks, including but not limited to, withdrawing items from WMS.
• Completes physical collection maintenance tasks, including but not limited to, shifting, recycling materials.
• Collaborates with Head of Collections Management & Discovery and Head of Learning, Research, and Engagement Services to perform systems maintenance projects, including, but not limited to, LibGuides maintenance.

4. Coordinates and executes billing services.

• Communicates with students about overdue, missing, and lost items.
• Works with the Business Office to invoice students when items are not returned.

5. Supports outreach and engagement services.

• Develops New Book List.
• Assists with library publications and newsletters.
• Serves on library outreach and engagement committees.

6. Completes other duties as assigned.