Collections Support Assistant

Main Duties/Responsibilities 
1. Ongoing physical library collection management work: 
a. Sorting and re-shelving material, ensuring items are replaced into sequence accurately, reliably and to required deadlines/service standards, so that others can locate materials. 
b. Retrieving items from the shelves and searching for missing items 
c. Undertaking routine tasks relating to stock management (for example stock moves) 
d. Conducting accurate measurements and counts of physical stock 
e. Printing out and affixing new spine labels 
f. Undertaking clerical tasks (eg updating Excel spreadsheets to indicate if items have been found or not, inputting data into pre-set Access forms) 
g. Providing directional information to, and handling enquiries from, Library Services colleagues in relation to the Research Reserve collections, using experience to resolve simple problems or referring more complex issues onto appropriate colleagues. 
h. Checking work carried out by casual staff relevant to the duties of this post, and providing guidance where required. 

2. Maintenance of accurate records on the library catalogue: 
a. Using specialist library systems, performing searches and making amendments to item records in accordance with supplied instructions. 
b. Identifying possible inaccuracies on the catalogue, using experience to resolve simple problems or referring more complex issues onto appropriate colleagues. 

3. Team working: 
a. The post holder may be expected to support and cover for other Collection Management and Development colleagues by performing tasks commensurate with their grade including but not restricted to: 
i. Scanning materials according to set standards, uploading scans to the Resource List Management system and communicating with end users to clarify requests and resolve queries to provide a timely and effective service, deciding when to refer more complex issues onto an appropriate colleague. 
ii. Accurately unpacking, sorting and labelling incoming library materials and using the book sortation unit, identifying, resolving and where necessary referring problems onwards. 
iii. Updating holding records on specialist library systems. 
iv. Undertake other duties as required, commensurate with the grading of the post to support the delivery of Library Services. 

3. Self-sufficient and proactive: 
a. The post holder is required to work self-sufficiently and proactively, identifying priorities within their own work to ensure services are delivered accurately, reliably, efficiently to required standards, procedures, workflow and deadlines. 
4. Other: 
a. The postholder requires at least a years' experience in the job to be fully competent. 
b. The responsibilities of the post may change as the needs of the service develop.

Person Specification

Qualifications 
• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (at Grade A-C) including English and Maths or equivalent qualifications 

Skills and experience: 
• Ability to arrange activities to ensure work is completed to time and required standards. 
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills 
• Ability to understand and apply procedures and rules and if applicable legislation (for example on digitisation) 
• Experience of providing a friendly customer orientated service in a front line role, or experience of providing technical support with the ability and willingness to adopt a friendly customer orientated approach 
• Ability and willingness to work both independently and as part of a team. 
• Ability to carry out a variety of Library service activities and be knowledgeable in at least one and often more service areas (including Collection Management). 
• Good numeracy, literacy, classification and alphabetical skills. 
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail 
• Good methodical and organisational skills 
• Track record of reliability and flexibility at work 
• Basic to intermediate IT skills with printing, wifi, email, PCs, including the ability to use Microsoft Office packages, apps and on line systems, and digitisation equipment. 

Knowledge 
• Good IT Literacy with Microsoft Office, Adobe, printing, wifi, emails, PCs, apps and on line systems, and an ability to provide assistance with first line IT enquiries. In addition, the ability and willingness to further develop skills in this area and learn and adapt to new technologies. 
• Knowledge of and ability to handle activities that involve operating intermediate equipment, software, processes, routines and systems (e.g. Library Management System, library classification systems such as Library of Congress/ Dewey Decimal). This might be gained through work experience (typically at least 6 months) and library/office skills qualifications or more substantial work experience.