CTR FOR ADV RESEARCH - Collections Associate for Periodicals

Job Classification

  Hourly Full-time (35-40)

Position summary

Responsible for the Center for Adventist Research periodical collection and assisting Center administration and staff with collection management projects.

Qualifications summary

Attention to detail and accuracy are vital components.

Fully comfortable searching the Internet, downloading, saving, and moving digital files.

Problem-solving.

Working knowledge of Seventh-day Adventist history, culture, and church structure.

Enjoy interacting with researchers.


Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Duties and responsibilities

Responsible for all aspects of the Center’s extensive periodical work.  This includes, but is not limited to receiving, checking-in, shelving, handling requests for new titles, claiming missing issues, and binding.

Maintains, updates, and adds new records for all Center periodical titles using the online library catalog system.  This includes creating new records and augmenting and enhancing existing records by providing updated or additional data. 

Checks in and otherwise maintains the in-flow of over 1,400 titles in paper and digital formats in English and various world languages.  A portion of this work is checking completeness, claiming missing issues, and binding paper issues.

Checks Internet sites regularly for new periodical issues available in print or digital formats, arrange for the Center to receive past and future issues, and download any available digital issues.

Shares with other Adventist research centers periodicals no longer needed.

Manages the Center’s “born-digital” periodical collection.

Leads in organizing and preservation functions of the Center’s periodicals.

Supervision of student workers.

Responsible for meeting patrons and conducting the interface with them during assigned times to work at the Center's Reception Desk as a Reference Specialist.  Sunday and some evening work may be required.

Serves as retrieval assistant as needed.

Performs other tasks assigned by Center administration.

Supervisory responsibilities

Supervises one or more student assistants in cooperation with Center administration.

Qualifications

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred.

Experience/Skills: 

• Accurate and proficient keyboardist.


• Ability to quickly find your way around the Internet and perform typical computer functions such as searching, downloading files from the Internet, and moving digital files within a network.


• Ability to problem solve on the job.


• Able to give attention to details.


• Basic working knowledge of Seventh-day Adventist history, teachings, and church structure is very helpful.


• Familiarity with Seventh-day Adventist fundamental beliefs is helpful.


• Ability to interact comfortably with patrons who come to or call the Center asking for research help.

Library Knowledge: 

• Some library training or experience is desirable.


• Familiarity with the James White Library’s [or another library system] online computer system is desirable though not necessary.

Language: 

• Ability to communicate well in oral and written English.


• Ability to read and write second or more commonly used modern Western language is desirable.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Technical competencies

N/A

Interpersonal interactions

Will spend some time each week serving researchers who come to the Center and who call the Center.  Need to do well meeting and serving people.

Work with other Center staff on various projects.

Work closely with one or more student workers to accomplish assigned tasks.

Physical demands

Lift 40 pound box from the floor to a seven foot high shelf with the aid of a step stool.

Bend to reach the floor and reach up to access seven foot high shelf.

Able to push a library book truck.

Able to see file folders in the top drawer of a five drawer file cabinet and access them.

Able to sit or stand at a computer for long periods of time.

Able to walk while carrying an armload of paper periodicals.

Work environment

Typical office environment.

Time spent also in library stack area.