Career Opportunity: Access and User Services Librarian

Posted on: October 22, 2014

Access and User Services Librarian

The Access and User Services Librarian leads two complementary units within the library that focus on: Borrower Services (circulation, reserves, stacks maintenance, small equipment loans) and Reference Services (face-to-face, synchronous and asynchronous). The Access and User Services Librarian will lead a team of 6 circulation staff, 13 reference staff, and 4 student shelvers in borrower and reference service areas. This key position requires the incumbent to lead an experienced and diverse staff in a collegial fashion and to rethink traditional practices and priorities. The successful candidate will bring a strong commitment to a user-focused service model driven by evolving user needs using data-driven decision-making initiatives and based on emerging best practices. This position starts December 1, 2014 and continues to December 31, 2015.

Reporting to the University Librarian, duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

General

Manages and maintains the highest standards of customer service at library service points.
Continues the library’s exploration and implementation of new approaches to access and reference services.
Works closely with and meets regularly with department colleagues and works collaboratively as a team with them in their daily work, professional development, and interaction with users.
Keeps current on trends related to emerging services and processes and recommends new practices including innovative uses of technology in pedagogy and small equipment sharing.
Explores and implements ongoing technological and programmatic advances in access and public services.
Collaborates with library staff to evaluate, recommend, and implement processes and procedures, as well as to measure and assess the effectiveness of library-wide activities.
Designs surveys and uses the data to make informed decisions and to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and targeting of library programs and services; takes the lead in effectively promoting assessment efforts and data-informed decision-making to identify and implement improvements in access and user services.
Serves on the Library’s senior management team and participates in strategic planning.

Borrower Services

Provides proactive leadership for circulation, print and electronic reserves, and stacks maintenance.
Works closely with and supervises circulation staff.
Develops and updates circulation policy and procedure manual.
Resolves user problems and handles sensitive departmental communications and student/faculty information.
Develops and implements strategies for improving the functionality of course reserves and circulation of materials by partnering with teaching faculty, educational technology centers, Instruction and Outreach Librarian, Systems Librarian, and liaison librarians.
Oversees planning for collection organization, growth, and distribution and transfer of print material between general access shelving, library branches, and campuses.

Reference and Instruction

Leads in the development of establishing and implementing a vision for innovative academic information service for all areas of reference: face-to-face, synchronous, and asynchronous.
Ensures the effectiveness of reference services through training and mentorship; develops and fosters staff proficiencies in providing outstanding service.
Fosters an environment that promotes exploration and implementation of new approaches to reference, as well as services delivered through social networking tools, Web 2.0 applications, and mobile computing platforms.
Oversees reference services and general reference collection development.
Directs the work of and mentors librarians, library technicians, and library clerks responsible for reference services.
Develops and updates reference policy and procedure manual.
As a hands-on leader of the department, provides reference services to users and participates in teaching library instruction classes and workshops.
Locates and creates digital content to support academic instruction; explores, evaluates, and encourages deployment of emergent technologies into library programs and services.

In addition to specific jobs responsibilities, the Access and User Services Librarian will:

Participate in the faculty liaison program in order to promote and sustain a cooperative and consultative relationship between the library and academic departments. Participates in information literacy instruction for affiliated liaison departments, as well as other areas as assigned.
Work cooperatively and in partnership with the Collections Services Librarian and faculty in assigned departments to develop the collection.
Assist in public programming.
Participate with the University Librarian and others in the development of library policies.
Keep abreast of new developments related to areas of responsibility.
Participate in library faculty governance.
As members of the Thompson Rivers University faculty, participate in University governance and/or serve the University in other ways as appropriate.
Perform other duties as necessary.
May include evening and weekend work.

Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Library Science/Information Science from an American Library Association accredited program.
Knowledge of current technologies for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Knowledge of emerging technologies, including social media, and their application in a research library environment.
Knowledge of current trends and best practices in reference, research, and instructional services.
Three years minimum experience with reference and access services; a minimum of two years of recent and exemplary supervisory experience that demonstrates strategic thinking, managing, motivating, and leading teams of paraprofessional and professional staff.
Management and current supervisory experience in access services, circulation, and/or reference services.
Successful leadership style that includes a commitment to transparency and inclusiveness.
Demonstrated ability to cultivate the growth and potential of staff and to foster a collegial work environment.
Excellent interpersonal, oral, written, and presentation skills for communicating in multiple formats with a wide range of constituencies.
Demonstrated ability to plan, document, and complete projects on time.
Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining productive and collegial relationships with a broad base of user communities.
An understanding of BC Privacy legislation and Canadian copyright law.
A record of professional contribution and engagement.
Strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
Ability to work independently and in teams.