Title of Position: Public Services Assistant
Department/School: Scholes Library
Title of Supervisor: Director of Public Services
Part II: Position Summary
The Public Services Assistant coordinates all activities of the Circulation/Reserves Desk and oversees library collection maintenance; staffs the Circulation/Reserves Desk when student workers are not present. Consults with librarians to establish and implement user policies and procedures. Interviews, hires, trains and supervises approximately 40 to 50 student assistants annually.
Part III: Requirements
Formal Education: Associate’s Degree or equivalent required; Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
Experience Preferred: Library experience, supervisory experience.
Additional Knowledge/Skills: Poise in dealing with the public, including the ability to exercise independent judgment, and a strong service orientation. Proficiency with computers and technology required, including word processing, database management, scanning and familiarity with Internet searching helpful. Good oral and written communication skills required including accurate spelling and comprehension of college-level vocabulary. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail required.
Part IV: Job Responsibilities
1. Coordinate circulation of library materials to patrons:
* Learns, implements, and upgrades new technology (both hardware and software) for electronic reserves, the automated library system, and other Public Services functions.
* Confers with library faculty and staff to determine or modify circulation policies and procedures.
* Develops and revises patron registration forms and other circulation forms.
* Produces circulation reports in the automated library system and compiles annual circulation report.
* Creates and maintains confidential patron database on the automated library system and reviews patron accounts.
* Uses BannerWeb to locate needed patron information and to check student status.
* Deletes patron records of users no longer affiliated with Alfred University.
* Uses automated system to place holds on and to recall materials when they are needed by other patrons.
* Initiates search procedures for materials that cannot be located by patrons. Changes book status to missing and lost.
* Manages overdue and intent to bill patron notices.
* Sends electronic transmittals to the Business Office using BannerWeb software to bill student accounts for materials not returned. Sends reversals for materials returned.
2. Interview, hire, schedule, train and supervise Public Services Department student workers:
* Creates student worker schedules at the beginning of each semester, for fall and winter breaks and exam periods.
* Monitors and revises student worker schedules throughout the semester hiring and training new students as needed.
* Writes and updates student worker library policy and procedure manual and guides.
* Provides group and individual orientation and training for Public Services Department student workers.
* Trains student workers in the Library of Congress classification system.
* Trains student workers how to use the automated library system to check books in and out, create user records, issue library cards, record items used in the library and how to do basic information searches for library materials.
* Trains workers to answer the phone, perform basic maintenance on the public copier and printers, assist patrons using copier and printers and answer directional questions.
* Trains student workers about policies and appropriate usage of guest Fiat Bux cards and the Public Services’ cash box and the cash box for coffee and thumb drive sales.
* Maintains a message notebook to inform student workers of new procedures, new tasks or potential issues and to review basic circulation procedures.
* Maintains a student worker email list to communicate important information to workers. Student workers request substitutes for work shifts through the list.
* Monitors and evaluates student worker performance.
* Develops materials to test student workers’ comprehension of circulation policies and procedures.
* Reviews and approves online student worker timesheets in BannerWeb.
* Evening and weekend hours may occasionally be required for student training sessions.
3. Oversee maintenance of library collection
* Assigns student workers to shelf read library collection: to put books and other materials in correct Library of Congress order.
* Coordinates shelf reading of all collections.
* Monitors order and condition of the collections, Circulation/Reserves Desk and public and Special Collections areas.
* Sends materials to the appropriate library department for repair, labeling or cataloging.
* Oversees inventory of library collections; trains student workers to assist in the process. Initiates search procedures for missing items.
* Reports to subject librarians lost, missing or damaged materials.
* Assists with evaluation and deaccession of library materials..
* Helps coordinate and supervise shifting and relocating materials to utilize space efficiently in public and work areas. Helps plan large shifts calculating shelf space.
4. Create and maintain electronic and traditional reserve collections:
* Helps create and customize electronic reserve forms and distributes them to faculty.
* Coordinates faculty requests to place items on reserve and checks for copyright compliance. Removes items and courses no longer needed by faculty.
* Enters faculty and course information into the ERes electronic reserve system.
* Assigns and changes passwords for electronic reserve courses every semester.
* Scans and edits reserve materials converting them to proper format on the ERes system.
* Trains and supervises student workers to scan and edit materials for electronic reserves.
* Places books, articles, media and other items on traditional reserve. Creates and updates records in the online catalog for reserve items.
* Maintains online reserve database and print reserves notebooks for patron use.
* Updates reserves collection each semester after communication with faculty.
5. Supervise collection maintenance of the Special Collections Room
* Trains students to properly handle and shelve rare books, artists’ books and other unique materials housed in the Special Collections Room.
* Oversees shelf reading, shifting of materials and searching for missing or lost items.
* Assumes stack maintenance duties when students are not available.
6. Oversee the library’s public photocopier:
* Acts as point of contact for vendor and maintenance personnel for the public copier in the library.
* Maintains a cashbox to make change for patrons using the library’s guest copy cards.
* Counts and records guest card usage and money collected.
* Trains student workers to fill paper trays, clean glass surfaces, clear jams and how to assist patrons with photocopying.
* Troubleshoots problems student workers cannot solve.
* Orders copier supplies.
7. Other:
* Oversees “lost and found,” including items of considerable value (wallets, cell phones, electronic devices and identification cards). If possible, determines ownership and makes contact via email or telephone.
* Participates in safety training and complies with safety rules, regulations and protocols.
* Performs additional duties and assists with special projects as assigned.