Access Administrative Operations Coordinator, Harvard Library, Cambridge, MA
Posted June 6, 2022
Description:
Access Services supports the Harvard Library mission by delivering a high standard of service; cultivating a welcoming environment that is supportive of academic research and inquiry; stewarding the university collection; and connecting the academic community to the vast array of library resources. We support the teaching and scholarly mission of the University through collaborative partnerships with the community of students, scholars and professionals at Harvard and beyond.
Access Services staff members are expected to provide services at the highest level of patron satisfaction while utilizing best practices to meet patron needs. Additionally, Access Services staff members are committed to delivering high-quality customer service and timely access to collections; maintaining the integrity and security of library resources and materials; and accommodating user needs in accordance with the priorities and objectives of the Harvard Library.
Reporting to the Access Services Manager for Circulation and Reading Room Services at Widener Library, this position performs duties of an advanced nature within the Administrative Services department including Student Coordination, Access and Borrowing. This position will also work closely with the Resource Sharing Manager to support the Resource Sharing department with billing processes and patron request processing. Assigned hours are Monday through Friday: 9am – 5pm for the calendar year though flexibility is necessary when coverage needs arise. Work is performed with a high degree of skill, judgment, and latitude. This position has access to confidential information including MIDAS, the Advance Alumni Database, and patron billing information. In the absence of the Access Services Manager for Circulation and Reading Room Services, this position serves as a reference point for patrons and colleagues and strives to provide excellent customer service.
Position Description
- Student Coordination (20%):
- As part of a community of practice, assists in the design and implementation of policy, procedures, and tools for recruiting, hiring, and training student workers throughout Harvard Library
- Coordinates closely with Harvard Library Human Resources, Harvard Library Financial, Central Payroll, the Student Employment Office, and library student hiring supervisors to ensure that University, State and Federal policies are upheld while providing appropriate student staffing to libraries
- Provides information, reports, and guidance to hiring supervisors and managers on policies and procedures regarding student and temporary staff
- Prepares student and temp hiring information in Peoplesoft
- Assists in troubleshooting time reporting/approval issues in Peoplesoft
- Assists hiring supervisors and managers in the set up and use of Shiftboard for student scheduling
- Access and Borrowing (20%):
- Covers Access & Borrowing service desk as needed
- Serves as the primary contact for information pertaining to access and borrowing policies to library patrons, students, faculty, and staff in person, by phone, or via email; referring to manager and/or other offices as appropriate
- Provides information regarding established library access and borrowing procedures for Library and University staff
- Issues access credentials to individuals who apply after determining their eligibility
- Creates, enters, and updates patron data in Alma, C-Cure, Aeon, and Midas
- Composes original (or edit existing) correspondence to Harvard units, faculty, students, visiting scholars or other universities to facilitate the granting of library access
- In absence of the Access Services Manager for Circulation and Reading Room Services, serves as reference point for patrons and colleagues
- Billing (20%):
- Researches complex billing issues, including analyzing multi-year historical data both in Alma and Oracle
- Accepts payment for library fines, bills, and fees; process and reconciles daily Access & Borrowing income
- Processes invoice payments in Buy2Pay system
- Assists with billing procedures for Resource Sharing, including generating invoices for payment by borrowers, paying invoices, and liaising with Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable for billing-related issues.
- Proposes and effects solutions, either independently or in consultation with supervisor, as appropriate
- Consults and communicates with the Accounts Receivable and Student Receivables office regarding patron billing issues
- Works with Accounts Receivable to resolve complicated Alma-to-Accounts Receivable billing problems
- Working with the Associate Director for Access Services Administrative Operations, coordinates quarterly debt reconciliation workflows and communications
- Resource Sharing (40%):
- Reviews, updates, and processes interlibrary loan and scan requests using ILL software (ILLiad)
- Physically processes incoming materials for patrons, or prepares and processes materials to be loaned out to other libraries
- Assists in training and directing the work of student workers
- Serves as Resource Sharing customer service contact and triages departmental email (e.g., LibAnswers)
- Uses the integrated library system (e.g., ALMA) to request library materials for ILL purposes
- Works on special data-processing projects (e.g., data cleanup in ALMA)
- Works with other departments and libraries at Harvard to solve Resource Sharing-related problems
Continued under Additional Information.
Basic Qualifications
- High School Degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience required
- Four or more years of library or directly related progressively responsible experience required with a focus of strong public service orientation
- Minimum four years of customer service experience required
- Experience using standard office software (Microsoft Word and Excel, email, calendaring applications, etc.) required
Additional Qualifications and Skills
- Demonstrated experience showing attention to detail and excellent organizational skills
- Ability to solve problems effectively and exercise discerning judgment
- Experience with a library management system, especially Ex Libris’ Alma system
- Working knowledge of HOLLIS, OCLC, online catalogs, bibliographic databases and resource sharing software and associated tools.
- Prior experience with hiring, training, scheduling, and the distribution of work with student or temporary staff
- Sensitivity to working in a diverse user environment
- Adaptable and able to adjust to changing workplace needs; Strong oral and written communication skills required
- Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work productively in a team environment, with minimal supervision
- Demonstrated experience taking initiative and actively seeking out opportunities to improve services and help colleagues
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racism
How to Apply:
For more information and to apply, visit: