Library Assistant 4 - Digital Strategies Liaison, Course Reserves, & Assessment

Case Western Reserve University, United States

Updated: 8 days ago
Location: Campus, ILLINOIS
Job Type: FullTime

POSITION OBJECTIVE

Working under occasional supervision, the Library Assistant 4 operates as a library specialist within the Knowledge and Creativity Commons. Work is subject to review within guidelines. Advanced knowledge of functional area policies and procedures is expected at this level with the ability to take responsibility for the unit in the absence of more senior staff. The library assistant manages workflows and oversees technical processing for interlibrary loan services; hires, schedules, and trains staff and temporary employees; and may supervise students.

This role requires availability during evenings and weekends, specifically from Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 am to 8:00 pm, and Saturday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Must be flexible to adjust the work schedule to accommodate changes in operational hours, including over university breaks, summers, and holidays and to fulfill staffing requirements.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Knowledge and Creativity Commons: Provide first-contact customer service at all physical and online service points within the Commons to include training and maintenance of equipment, knowledge of collections and access within the physical stacks and the online catalog, general reference assistance, knowledge of the Freedman Center equipment and digital services, oversight of spaces, referrals, and directional assistance. Oversee major circulation activities, including staffing supervision, first line customer service support, problem resolution, payment management, stacks access and facility and safety issues. Respond to a variety of overnight issues and confirm resolution or effective referral within and beyond the team, as needed. Responsible for a library unit in the absence of more senior level staff. (34%)
  • Fulfillment: Serve as a system circulation liaison to coordinate with the Technologies and Digital Strategies Librarian throughout the Ex Libris’ Alma migration and for fulfillment/circulation operations workflows and policies, supporting patron experiences, troubleshooting problems, reporting errors, and providing training and support to library staff (25%).
  • Course Reserves. Adjust services and workflows to a new library services platform for course reserves. Develop collaborative relationships with faculty and staff, respond to inquiries, review course syllabi, assist faculty through course reserves requests, and assist students to access materials. Confirm requesting mechanisms, update catalog records, process loans, including prioritizing items and determining loan periods that allow for maximum campus availability. Submit and follow the online purchase requests to coordinate acquisitions with various library areas. Promote service and connect users to services and resources (10%)
  • Assessment. Responsible for records and statistics for the library unit; using appropriate technology prepare a variety of statistical reports, analyze complex data to compile, prepare and submit necessary data statistics for reporting; respond to on-demand data requests using higher-level spreadsheet and database formulas, gather and compile statistics for reporting to professional associations; perform tasks in the ILS/LMS to track materials, resolve records issues, update bibliographic and related records and solve complex bibliographic and metadata problems, and make data based decisions (10%)
  • Student Employees.  Oversee the work of student employees for area; provide training; assign work; monitor and deliver feedback about work performance to the supervisor, (7%)
  • Professional development and engagement, including service on committees and working groups and attending learning sessions, maintaining awareness of current trends and developments in the field (6%)
  • Contributes to and maintains a work culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging. Recommend, implement, evaluate, and ensure adherence to customer services operating policies and procedures, adjust, as needed, to ensure effective and efficient operations; maintain written record of same (6%)

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    NONESSENTIAL FUNCITONS

    Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)

     

    CONTACTS

    Department: Frequent contact with library staff in all KSL teams to maintain workflow.

    University: Frequent contact with faculty and staff and/or staff of other campus libraries primarily in reference to cataloging queries and other customer services.

    External: Frequent contact with vendors in resolving departmental specific issues.

    Students: Frequent and direct contact both with student staff and student patrons to address concerns/ problems and/or use and interpret established procedures.

     

    SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

    Will monitor the performance of student employees and assist with the direct training of students.

     

    QUALIFICAITONS

    Education/Experience: High school education with 4 years of relevant experience; OR Associate’s

    degree and 1 year of relevant experience

     

    REQUIRED SKILLS

  • Ability to learn in detail a wide variety of constantly evolving policies concerning information resources at Case Western Reserve University libraries.
  • Technical skills.  Familiarity with interlibrary loan services, automated library systems and management software, library bibliographic systems and library catalogs, computers (Windows or Mac, including basic software applications such as Word), and, email, internet navigation/search skills.
  • Ability to handle details and multiple projects in an organized manner.
  • Ability to bend, stoop, reach, lift library materials.
  • Strong interpersonal skills required to communicate in a culturally diverse environment.
  • Ability to convey policies or technical concepts to laypersons of varying skill levels under academic pressures.
  • Ability to create process training and write policy documentation.
  • Willingness to assume responsibility.
  • Ability to exercise good judgment in situations that warrant individual interpretation of policies and procedures.
  • Ability to prioritize and assign priority tasks, and delegate portions as needed.
  • Ability to effectively collaborate with other staff members to achieve optimum service levels.
  • Ability to supervise students.
  • Ability to be pro-active and creative in promoting change and development.
  • Awareness of information tools, changes, and improvements preferred.
  • Ability to work independently balanced with an ability to take direction from others.
  • Supervisory and customer service experience desirable.
  • Ability to meet consistent attendance.
  • Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers.
  • Ability to work in and contribute to an environment of inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging.

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    WORKING CONDITIONS

    Typical office/library environment. The employee will perform repetitive motion using a computer mouse and keyboard to type. Nights and weekends may be required. Must be flexible to adjust the work schedule to accommodate changes in operational hours, including over university breaks, summers, and holidays and to meet staffing needs.

    In employment, as in education, Case Western Reserve University is committed to Equal Opportunity and Diversity.  Women, veterans, members of underrepresented minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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    Case Western Reserve University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.  Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation.  Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicant will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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