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This Access Services Specialist will oversee closing operations for the library, including the physical building, customer service desk, and the online AskUs services portal. This role will be directly responsible for staffing and supervising these areas of the library, which includes determining staffing needs and managing the full-cycle recruitment and hiring process for student employees. As a student supervisor, this role will manage onboarding, training and schedules, process timesheets, and oversee student performance. The position also supports laptops and other gadgets circulated by the library and helps to advertise and promote these resources.

This position will also provide student-focused IT support, which includes maintaining, installing, and overseeing circulating laptops and other inventory. This position will be responsible for leading/supporting Access Services focused IT projects within the Strauss Health Sciences Library. This includes evaluating student-driven IT requests, tracking issues, and determining IT based solutions. This role will need to compile and analyze data from multiple sources to determine key issues or areas of improvement and research solutions. Prior to providing recommendations to management, this role will need to ensure IT based solutions are within budget and other restrictions.

The Access Services Specialist assists users with library technology and discovery systems to aid patrons in finding and determining appropriate resources. With a focus on strong customer service, this role will provide consultation and support to student, faculty, and academic library researchers on the library’s online AskUs system and from the library’s customer service desk. This requires a strong understanding of library resources and services, providing instruction and guidance in use of resources, and determining gaps in service. The position also provides support to keeping statistics like library’s gate count and assists with collection of user feedback as directed. Takes on special projects and other duties as assigned. Many of the duties of this position are areas where training will be provided as necessary and immediate direct experience across all the duties is not expected. Candidates who are excited about this position but whose experience does not align perfectly with every qualification are encouraged to apply.

Examples of Work Performed:

Information Research Support & Customer Service 20%:

• Supporting and answering questions from library patrons in person at the circulation desk and over the library’s virtual Askus service point.
• Helping customers use the library’s discovery tools including the library catalog and local collections, website, article databases, research guides, and clinical research tools.
• Assisting customers with the use of multimedia in the facility and with equipment/gadgets circulated by the library.

Student Employee Supervision & Library Closing Oversight 35%:

·        Acts as the department’s student employee coordinator and directly supervises student employees (8-10 workers).

·        Manages student full-cycle recruitment, hiring, onboarding, processing timesheets, and performance reviews.

·        Responsible for training of student employees and managing student schedule of weekly shifts to support department needs.

·        Developing training and professional development resources for student employees.

·        Acts as coordinator of library closing performing closing procedures and overseeing closing tasks by student assistants.

Circulation, IT Support, and Other Customer Support Services 35%:

·        This role will lead/support ongoing Access Services IT projects including Drupal content management.

·        Tracks student IT requests, inquiries, and feedback from the Tell Us system.

·        Collects and analyzes user data to determine common issues or areas of improvement; uses data to determine the focus of Access Services IT specific projects.

·        Independently researches IT based solutions; and determines what resources are feasible and necessary.

·        Maintains and updates circulating laptops and other gadgets.

·        Supports inventory control of laptops and other special items circulated such as wellness & fitness gear.

·        Incorporates new circulating technology and devices by making physical space for items, applying barcodes, setting up item records and inventory notes.

·        Supports promotion and advertising of laptop and other gadget circulation programs and services.

·        Sits on IT-Access Services Public Services Technology working group monthly to share information, plan changes, and evolve services.

·        Supports the library conduct policy and engages customers as necessary to maintain an atmosphere conducive to study and research in the library.

·        Assists with other circulation services as directed and supports course reserves as needed.

Other duties as assigned, committees, professional development 10%:

·        Participates on library committees, interdepartmental task forces and working groups, and serves on library search committees to recruit new employees.

·        Participates in the library’s diversity, equity, and inclusion learning opportunities. Supports the diversity values of the University helping to offer a welcoming and respectful environment to all persons.

·        Supports department advertising by writing about services for the library’s blog and campus email announcements.

·        Assists with user surveys.

·        Pursues job-related professional development and continuing education opportunities.

This description is a summary only and is not intended to be all-inclusive. The duties of this position may change from time to time based on business need.

Minimum Qualifications:

·        A bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, business, public administration, health care, educational technology, social science, liberal arts, communications, accounting, finance, library science, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.

o   Substitution: A combination of education and related technical/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree on a year for year basis.

·        Two years of library experience, academic or public.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:

·        Customer service skills from working on a customer service desk, covering phones, or virtual customer services online

·        Experience with circulation services, interlibrary loan, or information reference assistance in a library.

·        Experience with answering questions about library research and helping people to search for information resources.

·        Experience with library catalogs, databases and other information tools for discovery and research.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

·        Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.

·        Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.

·        Outstanding customer service skills.

·        Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.

·        Knowledge of utilizing library search tools to search and retrieve information from electronic databases and computer systems.

·        Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects; meet multiple deadlines; work independently with minimal supervision.