Weekend Access Services Associate, Amherst College, (Amherst, MA)

Posted August 1, 2023

Grade AO-3

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the Weekend Access Services Associate position. The Weekend Access Services Associate is a part-time (20 hours per week), academic-year position, starting at $21.35 per hour. Given Amherst’s distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.

Oversees the weekend evening operations of the Robert Frost Library, including full responsibility for the library during some periods ensuring equitable access to academic material to support student learning. Supervises weekend Access Services student assistants, who are performing a wide array of tasks. Supports print and electronic reserve services during peak times. Participates fully as a member of the Access Services department and serves regularly scheduled hours at the front desk.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Student Training and Supervision

On Friday and Saturday evenings, serves as student supervisor on duty, ensuring consistent desk staffing
Assists in training student assistants, ensuring that they understand and carry out library policies and procedures

Scheduled hours at the Frost Front Desk

Provides services and assistance to library users, including charging/discharging materials, maintaining borrower accounts, explaining policies and procedures, answering questions and referring patrons to other departments within the library or on campus as appropriate
Maintains working knowledge of library policies and procedures. Engages in departmental discussions about best practices and policy changes
Supports student desk attendants in resolving customer service issues in a user-focused, equitable way

Supports reserves operations during peak times

Processes print reserve material, adding items to course lists, adjusting online records, and labeling physical items
Performs link checking to ensure quality control for eReserves

Stack and Equipment Maintenance

Participates in ensuring shelving accuracy by newly trained stack maintenance students
Maintains stock of circulating equipment, ensuring functionality and adequate supply
Arranges access to thesis lockers, communicating with borrowers and desk staff, changing locks annually, and coordinating renewals
Organizes charging and finishing stations, maintaining signage, ensuring supplies and hardware functionality

Patron Record Management

Expires patrons from monthly staff departure lists, following up on checked out library material
Updates unaffiliated patrons

Performs other duties/functions as requested

Attends regular department, library, division, and collegewide meetings
Shares monitoring of and responding to messages in the library circulation email account

Qualifications:

Required

Associate’s degree, or 3-5 years of experience in lieu of degree
Demonstrated exceptional customer service, including creative problem-solving and a commitment to equitable access
Demonstrated close attention to detail
Proficiency with MS Office and/or Google Suite and ability to learn new technologies and incorporate them into existing operations
Ability to work independently and collaboratively
Strong verbal and written communication skills, listening skills, organizational skills, and the ability to work closely and problem-solve with colleagues from all library departments
Demonstrated commitment to effectively supporting a broadly diverse and intentionally inclusive community

Preferred

Bachelor’s degree
Experience working in an academic or research library

Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement.

Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for Benefits Information.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs. Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Career icon from their Workday home screen)Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

To find information about job group and level (JGL) follow this link.