User Services Specialist

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, private college of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academic environment. Small classroom settings where students collaborate with professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering their passion. A beautiful residential campus that offers students hands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources of Los Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation and divergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28 countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in one the country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy students routinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidental also is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grant recipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attend college

Title: User Services Specialist

Department: Library Materials

Duration: Indefinite

Employment Status: Non-Exempt, Full Time, 40 hours per week

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director, Library Administration and User Services, the User Services Specialist delivers responsive, user-centered public service to students, faculty, staff, and visitors through the Library’s Information Desk and related User Services operations. The User Services Specialist provides day-to-day work direction and support for student assistants, with significant responsibility for scheduling, training, mentoring, and coordinating routine service work. The User Services Specialist supports established and emerging approaches to access services, including circulation and Information Desk services, wayfinding, tours and orientations, stacks maintenance, physical collections access and maintenance, technology lending, selected maker services, and creative technology support. The User Services Specialist contributes to effective operations in the Academic Commons by coordinating with Facilities Management on building issues and supporting programs, events, and activities that enhance learning, research, and community engagement. The User Services Specialist contributes to communications, assessment, documentation, and ongoing improvements to public-facing library services.

The User Services Specialist manages the “Second Shift” at the Information Desk during semesters, from 4:00 p.m.–12:30 a.m., Monday–Thursday, and 2:00 p.m.–10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and shares responsibilities for the Information Desk with the “First Shift” supervisor during intersessions.

This position is represented for purposes of collective bargaining by SEIU.

Job Duties

• 20% - Coordinates day-to-day Information Desk operations during assigned shifts, including regular opening and closing responsibilities, frontline public service, circulation support, basic troubleshooting, directional assistance, and referrals to other library staff when needed. - (Essential)
• 20% - Provides day-to-day work direction and support to student assistants assigned to Information Desk and User Services operations, including scheduling, onboarding, training, mentoring, assigning routine tasks, answering questions, monitoring service quality, and communicating staffing or performance concerns to the User Services supervisor. - (Essential)
• 15% - Supports and coordinates circulation workflows for books, journals, media, technology, and other loanable items, including staff-assisted and self-service check-in and check-out, item replacements, and patron account support. - (Essential)
• 15% - Supports technology lending, selected maker services, and creative technology support as part of shared User Services operations, including the circulation of loanable equipment, basic user assistance, routine troubleshooting, documentation, and inventory support. - (Essential)
• 15% - Coordinates programs, events, and activities in the building by maintaining the Academic Commons shared calendar; processing and responding to space reservation requests; routing inquiries to appropriate staff or campus partners; coordinating building access and event readiness; communicating with Facilities Management regarding maintenance, setup, and public space issues; ordering supplies, food, beverages, and other event materials; supporting event setup, troubleshooting, and follow-up; and helping keep public spaces functional, welcoming, and ready for use. - (Essential)
• 10% - Contributes to assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement across User Services by developing, documenting, maintaining, and refining access services workflows, data collection practices, procedures, and best practices. - (Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field to position duties or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of experience in an academic library, higher education, or a similar public-facing service environment.
• Strong user-centered public service orientation in supporting students, faculty, staff, and visitors
• Working knowledge of discovery and integrated library systems, such as Ex Libris’ Alma/Primo and Leganto or equivalent.
• Familiarity with academic library web sites, catalogs, circulation workflows, and online searching
• Ability to schedule, train, mentor, and provide day-to-day work direction for student assistants in a busy service environment.
• Ability to provide basic user and technical support for loanable library technology, maker services, and creative technology tools.
• Ability to coordinate routine event logistics, building access needs, and communication with Facilities Management and other campus partners.
• Ability to learn, document, assess, and improve access services workflows, data-collection practices, procedures, and best practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editing, and social media applications or any combination of productivity programs applicable to position responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Strong commitment to a quality work product.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically. Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability to collaborate with a variety of constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity.
• Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities. Effective organizational, logistical, time management and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functions of an office in a timely manner.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and to work effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines, levels, and with diverse groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with academic library access services, especially circulation, Information Desk operations, building operations, event support, technology lending, maker services, or creative technology support.

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $20.19/hr-$23.00/hr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.