LIBRARY ASSISTANT

Library Assistant (Public Services)

(Job ID 55331/ JD# JD1054)

The Health Sciences Library, in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University, is welcoming applications for a full-time Library Assistant to join our team!  This is an excellent opportunity to join us in an essential role supporting McMaster faculty, researchers and students.  

About McMaster

At McMaster University, we strive to attract, develop, and retain talented faculty and staff, and to foster inclusive excellence which values the strengths, perspectives, and contributions of each individual. McMaster is one of the Top 70 Universities in the World and is recognized as Canada’s Most Research-Intensive University.  McMaster continues to be recognized as one of the top employers in the Hamilton/Niagara region and one of Canada’s Top Diversity employers.

Our Faculty and Culture of Excellence

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), the largest Faculty within McMaster, is unique as the only Canadian university that combines in one Faculty, schools of medicine (including two regional campuses), nursing, rehabilitation science, and the programs of midwifery, Bachelor of Health Sciences, physician assistant and postgraduate health sciences education within one faculty.  Our pioneering approaches to education and our reputation for world-class research has consistently placed McMaster and the Faculty among the top 50 universities in the world for health and medicine. 

Those who join FHS will find a community of 5,400 talented individuals who are inspired by the faculty’s commitment to our values of interprofessional collaboration, commitment to our communities, accountability, innovation, excellence, integrity, respect, and optimism. 

The Opportunity

The Health Sciences Library is one of McMaster University's four libraries. The library offers information services, resources, and expertise in support of the university's commitment to knowledge-based health care practice and life-long learning.

Working in the Public Services unit, the Library Assistant is responsible for providing a variety of services to users and education programs.

Job Summary

The Library Assistant is responsible for providing a variety of services to users and education programs including research help, circulation and reserve, interlibrary loans, collection maintenance, and the safe keeping of library resources. Requires a thorough knowledge of library policies, procedures, and systems. The Library Assistant will serve in Public Services on the service desk.

Purpose and Key Functions

• Provide interlibrary loans lending service which includes receiving requests from and processing library resources for other libraries.
• Process routine check-in and check-out of library materials and equipment including, but not limited to, scanning and sending documents, packaging items, and attaching book bands.
• Maintain accurate records for all outgoing interlibrary loans materials.
• Manually add labels and protective covers to new print materials and update errata revisions where required.  Identify and repair materials with minor damage.
• Act as the first point of contact for users of all types. Answer or redirect general inquiries in person, by telephone and via email and responds independently to inquiries that are specific in nature and require a thorough knowledge of established policies and procedures.
• Provide in-depth research help by interpreting patron requests for research materials and finding solutions to their research needs by constructing complex search queries of various online systems and networks.
• Advise patrons on how to search, locate, and retrieve information from various library databases.
• Refer requests to appropriate internal and external sources and offer alternatives as required.
• Extract, interpret, and integrate information from a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional resources.
• Search online databases to identify and determine the correct bibliographic entries for research materials.
• Interpret bibliographic references to determine if the library owns the specific materials, where the items are located in the library system or on the internet, and whether or not they are available for loan.
• Provide circulation, reserve, and interlibrary loan services.
• Explain departmental policies and procedures to patrons and enforce them when necessary.
• Update and maintain knowledge of the operational and administrative processes related to the functions of departmental and library-wide policies and procedures.
• Make decisions and recommendations in situations where no established policy or procedure exists but there has been a past-practice or precedent set which can be referred to.
• Apply an understanding of the broader context and philosophy of both the library and the University to serve patron needs.
• Determine eligibility for borrower cards for non-University users based on established policies.
• Collect payments for borrower cards, fines, and replacement charge.
• Shelve library materials, maintain condition of library collections and search for missing items.
• Adapt to incremental changes to library technology and knowledge base.
• Assist patrons with the use of printers and photocopiers in the library and report systems and mechanical problems to the appropriate area
• Write a variety of documents, formal notes and records including, but not limited to, correspondence, procedure manuals and incident reports.
• Assist patrons with problems in accessing resources and report systems problems to the appropriate department.
• Follow standard procedures to assist patrons in difficult situations by referring them to Security Services.
• Follow standard procedures for responding to security alarms at exits.
• Responsible for unlocking and opening the library, and for patrolling the library prior to closing with the assistance of Security Services, when available, to ensure all patrons have exited prior to locking the facility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study.
• 2-year Community College diploma in Library and Information Technology.
• Requires 3 years of relevant experience, including two years for the completion of a diploma in Library and Information Technology.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will have/be able to demonstrate the following:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent computer skills and experience in Excel related to data importing, manipulation, and mathematical formulas
• Proven ability to pay close attention to detail and to work with accuracy
• Knowledge and experience in providing library reference and circulation services in health sciences
• Knowledge and experience in health sciences
• Searching skills relating to health databases and health literature
• One-to-one teaching skills   
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, in a fast paced environment
• Experience working with university/library policies and procedures
• Experience writing, formatting, editing and proofreading a variety of documents, such as correspondence, and reports
• Experience collecting, verifying and inputting data into a variety of spreadsheets and databases

What We Offer

In addition to joining a top ranked university, McMaster offers a very competitive total compensation package that includes but is not limited to:

• Employer Paid benefits such as Extended Health, Dental, Emergency Out-of-Country Travel Coverage & Basic Life Insurance,
• Participation in a Pension Plan,
• Training, coaching and professional development opportunities,
• Employee tuition assistance for continuous development and education,
• Opportunity to be a part of an academic environment working alongside professionals who share a passion for learning, and
• Progressive paid annual vacation plan.

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.