Resource Sharing Operations Coordinator

20-Mar-2024

Harvard Library

65228BR

Job Summary

Access Services is dedicated to advancing the mission of the Harvard Library by providing exceptional service, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports academic research and inquiry, and carefully stewarding the university's collection. We seamlessly connect the academic community to our extensive array of library resources, ensuring equitable access for users with diverse abilities. By collaborating with students, scholars, and professionals, we actively support the teaching and scholarly pursuits of the University, extending our impact to the Harvard community and beyond.

Position Description

Reporting to the Resource Sharing Manager as part of the Resource Sharing team based in Widener Library, this position is responsible for the hiring, training, and supervision of student workers to provide clerical assistance to daily Resource Sharing operations, as well as independently planning and prioritizing the daily workflows of interlibrary loan, a key function of the Harvard Libraries’ Resource Sharing services, while supporting the full scope of work in Resource Sharing. The position provides daily leadership to student workers and trainers and requires independent work and the ability to manage complex systems with minimal supervision.   The hours for this position are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, with potential for some remote work dependent on manager approval.

Student worker supervision:

• Provides day-to-day leadership for a pool of 15-20 student workers and/or temporary employees. 

• Creates job postings, interviews, hires, and trains student workers and/or temporary employees. 

• Schedules, assigns, and reviews work of student workers and/or temporary employees.

• Provides feedback and corrective direction to student workers and/or temporary employees.

Resource Sharing Processing:

• Supports Interlibrary Loan operations for the borrowing of materials for the Harvard community.

• Creates, establishes, updates, and adjusts workflows and procedures that govern interlibrary loan borrowing and lending processing.

• Develops training documentation for interlibrary loan processing workflows for student workers, temporary employees and support staff both within and outside of the Resource Sharing team.

• Provides initial and ongoing training for student workers, temporary employees and support staff both within and outside of the Resource Sharing team.

• Participates in and coordinates activities relating to special projects.

• Prepares reports related to resource sharing processes.

• Makes recommendations for operational changes within Resource Sharing.

• Provides high level of customer service to patrons by telephone, and through email and other electronic media; 

• Responds to inquiries regarding interlibrary loan services from outside libraries, universities, and other institutions by telephone, and through email and other electronic media.

• Uses a variety of tools, including database, spreadsheet, presentation, and reporting applications, to gather data and prepare reports as directed by the Resource Sharing Manager; collect, record, and report information about library usage, workflows, and processes.

• Uses various electronic or manual methods to verify citations and locate difficult items.

• Creates, updates, and maintains borrowing requests in resource sharing software (ILLiad); Oversees the processing of materials for Harvard patrons.

• Creates and updates library records in the circulation subsystem (ALMA). Charges and renews materials in ALMA.

• Actively participates in Resource Sharing and other Access Services initiatives and working groups university-wide; May participate in unit-wide planning and workflow implementation of new policies and procedures.

• Serves as primary backup for the Resource Sharing Specialist for Borrow Direct.

Other:  

• Resolves problems for users through the exercise of sound judgment and the interpretation of established guidelines.

• Works cooperatively with other library departments on projects and to coordinate routine workflows.

• Other tasks and duties as assigned.

• Demonstrates an attitude of respect and inclusion toward all staff, and a positive approach in carrying out duties and responsibilities. 

• Works according to changing daily priorities, demonstrates flexibility and ability to shift between multiple tasks effectively. 

Basic Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• 3 years library or equivalent work experience.

• Demonstrated experience hiring, training, scheduling, and distributing work to student or temporary staff.

• Demonstrated experience with creating workflow instructions and documentation.

• Demonstrated experience showing attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and collaborative tools (e.g. Google Suite, Microsoft Teams, etc.).

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• College degree or college-level coursework preferred.

• Demonstrated experience with a library management system (especially Ex Libris’ ALMA) preferred.

• Experience with ILLIAD and other Resource Sharing tools.

• Ability to respond positively to fluctuating workflows, workplace needs, and changes in routine.

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and antiracism.

• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with coworkers and patrons, successfully deliver excellent customer service and prioritize service needs in a busy, dynamic public service environment.

• Demonstrated experience taking initiative and actively seeking out opportunities to improve services and help colleagues. Ability to work with diverse audiences from across the University and peer institutions.

• Ability to solve problems effectively and exercise discerning judgment.

• Ability to perform repetitive work accurately with attention to detail for sustained periods in a high-volume, production-oriented environment; ability to prioritize workflow with minimal supervision.

• Demonstrated experience showing attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.

Physical Requirements

• This position involves frequent use of computer keyboard and mouse. 

• Must be able to lift and move up to 40 lbs.

• Must be able to push and maneuver a loaded book truck weighing up to 80lbs. 

• Ability to bend, stoop, sit and stand for long periods required. 

Working Conditions

• The work is performed in a library/office setting. There may be exposure to dust. There may be opportunities for some remote work, subject to manager approval.

Work Format Details

This position is based primarily on-campus, in Massachusetts. This may include in-person during emergency situations (if applicable). Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.

• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.

• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.

• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.

• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.

• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.

• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.

• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.

• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

403076 Library Assistant VII

Department

Access Services Department

Annual Salary Range

$59,027 to $93,064

Union

55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers

Pre-Employment Screening

Criminal, Education, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Across the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success.

We invite individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members. Our work with faculty, students and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world’s most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society.

Harvard Library inspires collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and discovery connecting users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. The Library engages users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support.  Today, Harvard Library’s holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding access to digital resources. Harvard Library provides the University's faculty, students, and researchers—now and in the future—with exceptional experiences and comprehensive access to these materials.

Learn more about our contributions to the academic enterprise by visiting us at http://library.harvard.edu  and about the Harvard University community at http://hr.harvard.edu/why-harvard .

The Harvard Library is a proud member of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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