Sonoma County Library
Announces an Employment Opportunity
LIBRARY SPECIALIST – COLLECTION SERVICES-CATALOGING
ROHNERT PARK HEADQUARTERS - 40 HOURS PER WEEK – FULL TIME
We are seeking a customer service driven professional to perform routine library work in materials support for Collection Services at Rohnert Park Headquarters.
THE POSITION:
Please see the attached job specifications for full details about this position.
TYPICAL DUTIES include, but are not limited to:
- Accurately performs copy cataloging; searches for and verifies the correct catalog entry; edits catalog records according to local procedures; verifies call numbers according to established standards and guidelines.
- Reviews vendor-provided MARC records for accuracy; makes corrections as needed; maintains accurate bibliographic records and call numbers.
- Sorts and distributes incoming materials to the appropriate department.
- Prepares material from special collections for mending, binding, archival housing, and processing based on current standards and techniques for preservation and conservation; operates bindery machine.
- Monitors Cataloging email account for change requests, corrections, inquiries, and potential projects; makes changes and corrections; updates information when making reassignments and changes in the ILS; interfaces with all branches and levels of staff regarding cataloging changes.
- Participates and assists with one-time special projects such as retrospective call number changes, relabeling projects, and preparing, linking and uploading records for digital collections.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade and two (2) years of library, customer service, clerical or office support work experience. An Associate’s degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university can substitute for the required experience.
DESIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Close attention to detail
- Ability to work independently while following established procedures
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Incumbent will perform repetitive arm/hand movements using a keyboard and mouse, and will grasp/handle materials that weigh up to and occasionally more than 25 pounds. Incumbent will push wheeled carts weighing up to or occasionally more than 100 pounds.
SALARY RANGE: $23.51/hour to $29.37/hour
CLOSING DATE: 5:00 pm, Friday, November 27, 2020
Assessments tentatively scheduled for the weeks of 11/30 or 12/7, and interviews the week of 12/14.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Please go to https://www.calopps.org/sonoma-county-library
to apply. Applications must be complete and submitted by the final filing date in order to be considered. Resumes will not substitute for a completed application.
The application process may contain one or more of the following steps: a supplemental application, written test(s), skills assessment(s), and/or oral examination(s).
RECRUITING PROTOCOL IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS COVID-19:
Pursuant to California Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20 issued on March 17, 2020, and all applicable COVID 19 Shelter in Place Orders issued by the Sonoma County Health Officer, the recruiting process including interviews, testing, etc. will be held via teleconference or online, if possible, unless changes occur in the state and/or county health order.
REQUEST FOR ACCOMMODATION: Sonoma County Library will make reasonable accommodations in the recruitment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If you are invited to participate in an examination or interview and have a disability for which you require an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department at (707) 545-0831 extension 1591 or dkatzung@sonomalibrary.org as soon as possible to make arrangements for your accommodation. Requesting accommodations at least 3 working/business days before the scheduled event will help to ensure availability. For further information regarding disability accommodations provided by the Library and related matters, see the Library’s website at https://sonomalibrary.org/accessibility.
Sonoma County Library values diversity, empowerment, community, unity, kindness, connection, and equity. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in the recruiting and hiring of staff.
OCTOBER 2015
Revised: JULY 2019
FLSA: NON-EXEMPT
LIBRARY SPECIALIST
Represented
Definition
Provides excellent customer service, performs a variety of clerical and technical library work related to materials support, circulation activities, and direct customer service within the Public Services Division; performs basic activities in acquisitions and processing, cataloging, and/or inter-library loan within the Collection Services Division according to defined procedures; and performs related work as required.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
This class works under general supervision, by a Supervising Library Specialist, Branch Manager, or other Librarian classification, wherein the assigned duties require the exercise of judgment or choice among pre-established actions, sometimes without clear precedents, but with concern for the consequences of the action. The employee may or may not work in close proximity to his/her supervisor. At the Public Services level, the employee may provide branch specific assistance to volunteers, Library Aides, and other inexperienced staff. At the Collection Services level, the employee may provide work direction and assistance to volunteers, Library Aides and other inexperienced staff in specific area of function.
Class Characteristics
This is the journey-level materials support and customer service class in the clerical and technical library support series, assigned responsibility for the full range of circulation or collection services activities, including direct patron support and routine ordering, receiving, cataloging, and processing tasks. Incumbents advise patrons of library policies, procedures, and services, resolve customer issues within established policies, and provide basic technological and reference support to customers. Responsibilities also include assisting and training patrons on self-service equipment, answering routine directional and informational questions, and referring the more difficult technical or involved questions to appropriate paraprofessional or professional library staff.
At this level, incumbents work independently within identified parameters and resolve problems of diverse scope where analysis requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Maintaining confidentiality and security of patron accounts is an important part of the position. Performance expectations include the application of broad job knowledge in performance of the full range of responsibilities within the classification. This classification also performs shelving work and incumbents may provide general administrative and clerical support as needed.
Examples of typical JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only)
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.
All Assigned Areas:
- Maintains accurate and detailed records, verifies accuracy of information, researches discrepancies, and records information.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Public Services Assignments:
- Uses a computer to enter and retrieve information, locate library materials, and charge and discharge materials.
- Registers patrons, enters patron information into library database, and issues new and replacement library cards; updates patron records and accounts.
- Answers patron questions about library accounts; resolves patron account issues and circulation problems such as partial returns, claims returned, and damaged and lost items
- Informs patron of and advises patrons on library policies, procedures, operations and services in person and over the telephone; interprets circulation policies and procedures to the public
- Demonstrates and provides basic assistance in using library technology equipment including self-service checkout machines, public computers, copy machines and microfilm readers; refers more technically advanced questions and demonstrations to appropriate staff
- Provides assistance to patrons by answering basic questions about the location of general sections of the library collection; refers patrons to the appropriate library staff, desks and departments
- May provide basic reference (i.e. informational and directional) in person or on the telephone using the online catalog, library databases, and other immediately available resources to assist in the location of specific items
- Levies and collects fines and payments for lost, damaged and overdue materials; may waive fines and fees to a certain amount, and refers fine waiver questions and requests for larger amounts to a supervisor or manager.
- Carries out hold list responsibilities, fills hold requests; searches shelves for holds, scans items into the automated computer system and prints hold slips; maintains hold shelves.
- Carries out other responsibilities pertinent to computer generated reports and searches, including searches for trace, missing and lost items.
- Balances cash drawers and vending machine monies, and prepares deposits for the Budget and Finance Department.
- Retrieves, gathers, checks in, and organizes, sorts, routes and shelves materials
- May collect, receive, and process returned materials using a sorting machine.
- Ensures library material is in proper order and appearance (e.g. shelf facing).
- Sorts book and media delivered from other locations according to their branch stickers or patron hold/request slips; prepares materials for delivery to other branches and library systems.
- Keeps library premises clean and in good order, collects loose books and materials, and performs item counting and sorting.
- Keeps magazines, periodicals, newspapers, telephone books, and other materials current and available for the public
- Refers more professionally advanced reference questions to appropriate library staff.
- Searches for and corrects sorting errors on bookshelves; relocates library materials as required
- Notifies management and/or security of issues related to public and/or safety.
- Cleans, mends, and repairs library materials according to effective conservation techniques within branch parameters; replaces bar codes, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and other identification as necessary.
- Orders supplies, distributes mail and prepares outgoing mail.
- May perform minor and routine maintenance on copy machines or computers.
- Maintains and processes various files, records, and reports; may perform other clerical and general office support tasks.
Collection Services Assignments – All:
- Uses a computer and the Integrated Library System (ILS) to enter and retrieve information, record statistics, perform basic circulation functions, to locate library materials and/or to route processed materials to appropriate branches.
- Applies and encodes radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.
- Accurately prints and applies bibliographic labels and spine labels.
- Processes new and current books, materials, periodicals, and gifts.
- Prepares materials for placement into circulation by covering books, applying appropriate labels, stickers, and other identifying materials.
- May be assigned to staff the Reception Desk at Library Headquarters; greets and directs visitors, monitors the public entrance of Headquarters; answers and transfers incoming phone calls to administration.
Acquisitions Assignments:
- Places orders for new books and materials in all formats; creates purchase orders in the Integrated Library System (ILS); receives and enters invoices into ILS; files invoices.
- Receives and organizes shipments of library materials; opens boxes and unpacks contents; verifies that contents of shipment match packing slip; inspects condition of materials.
- Communicates with external vendors; reports shortages, damaged items and other discrepancies to the appropriate vendor.
- Places orders for departmental supplies; distributes supplies to vendors and branches as needed.
- Manages Book Club inventory for the system; compiles annual calendar of book discussion group meetings; distributes books to branches.
- Oversees inventory, distribution to branches, and restocking of community resources.
- Opens, organizes and date stamps magazines, newspapers and microfilm received in the mail; review periodicals for damage and requests replacement issues from vendor; checks in periodical issues in the ILS; prints and applies periodical labels and barcodes; makes changes to serial control records and prediction patterns as needed; distributes periodicals to branches.
Cataloging Assignments:
- Accurately performs copy cataloging; searches for and verifies the correct catalog entry; edits catalog records according to local procedures; verifies call numbers according to established standards and guidelines.
- Reviews vendor-provided MARC records for accuracy; makes corrections as needed; maintains accurate bibliographic records and call numbers.
- Sorts and distributes incoming materials to the appropriate department.
- Prepares material from special collections for mending, binding, archival housing, and processing based on current standards and techniques for preservation and conservation; operates bindery machine.
- Monitors Cataloging email account for change requests, corrections, inquiries, and potential projects; makes changes and corrections; updates information when making reassignments and changes in the ILS; interfaces with all branches and levels of staff regarding cataloging changes.
- Participates and assists with one-time special projects such as retrospective call number changes, relabeling projects, and preparing, linking and uploading records for digital collections.
Interlibrary Loan Assignments:
- Processes incoming and outgoing Interlibrary Loan material.
- Receives and opens Interlibrary Loan materials from other library systems in the mail; processes for distribution to branches.
- Processes returns of Interlibrary Loan material from branches and from other library systems
- Processes and packages library materials to mail to other library systems.
- Sorts mail; distributes mail; uses postage machine to print postage and prepare outgoing mail.
Qualifications
Knowledge of:
- Core library operating principles, including confidentiality of customer information, freedom of information, and intellectual freedom.
- Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors and Library staff.
- Alphabetic and numeric systems for classifying and organizing library materials.
- Standard library practices and procedures including circulation.
- Applications of automated library systems.
- Principles, practices, and techniques of effectively dealing with the public and public relations.
- Library classification, cataloging, and bibliographic terminology.
- Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
- Basic record keeping principles and procedures.
- Basic principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
- Basic arithmetic principles and cash handling.
- Modern office practices, methods and computer equipment.
- English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
- Basic training principles.
Ability to:
- Maintain accurate logs, records, and basic written records of work performed.
- Inspect the work of staff and volunteers; maintain established quality control standards; train staff in proper work procedures within defined guidelines.
- Identify and implement effective course of action to complete assigned work.
- Follow department policies and procedures related to assigned duties.
- Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized library services software applications programs.
- Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
- Make sound, independent decisions within established policy and procedural guidelines.
- Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
- Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
- Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Education and Experience:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade and two (2) years of library, customer service, clerical or office support work experience. An Associate’s degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university can substitute for the required experience.
Licenses and Certifications:
None.
Physical Demands
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office and library setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This classification primarily works indoors and requires movement between work areas. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve materials and data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification frequently bend, stoop, kneel, and reach to retrieve and shelve materials. Employees may be required to either sit or stand for prolonged periods of time. Incumbents must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull items, storage containers, and shelving units weighing an average of 20 pounds, and up to 50 pounds of weight, in order to move materials from one place to another, with the aid of lifting/moving equipment.
Environmental Elements
Employees primarily work in an office/library environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures. Employees in assignments providing direct assistance to the public can expect to have rare, occasional, or frequent interaction with abrasive, disruptive, and/or disorderly members of the community.
WORKING CONDITIONS
May be required to work flexible schedules including evenings and weekends.
