Senior Library Specialist for Complex Ordering and Management

Senior Library Specialist for Complex Ordering and Management

Acquisitions & Cataloging Services

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

FUNCTION: The position's primary responsibility is completing complex domestic and European firm orders for special collections including rare books, manuscripts, maps, art and architecture materials, the Illinois History & Lincoln Collection, and music, in a wide variety of formats including media, and receiving music approval orders.

DUTIES AND REPONISBILITIES

Complex Acquisitions Ordering and Management

• Oversees all purchases for special collections, including rare books, manuscripts, maps, art and architecture materials, and the Illinois History & Lincoln Collection.
• Oversees all firm music orders.
• Manages bulk spreadsheet orders for a wide variety of materials received through the New List Order form.
• Processes orders with a P-card, compliant with university procurement rules and purchasing policies.
• Manages European firm orders.
• Firm orders two Gobi subaccounts.
• Receives approval music materials.
• Daily practices skillful coordination with both vendors and subject selectors and analyzes funds to ensure appropriate fiscal stewardship.
• Works with the Office of Collections to secure books selected by promotional tenure awardees for the annual bookplate event.
• Manages payment of custom fees.Media Ordering and Request Management
• Manages media firm order requests received through the Media Purchase Request online order form and selector emails.
• Performs a high level of independent judgment skills to choose appropriate vendors and payment methods for physical media orders.Receiving, Copy Cataloging, and Documentation
• Receives materials from various vendors, as assigned.
• Performs copy cataloging.
• Assists with maintaining workflow documentation.Performs other related unit duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma or equivalent.Any combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the following categories:

o work experience in a library or equivalent setting.

o College course work in any field as measured by the following conversion table

§ 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)

§ Associate's degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)

§ 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)

§ Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)

A total of two (2) years (24 months) work experience in a library or equivalent setting performing progressively more responsible work consistent with the next lower level of this series.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• This position requires:
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written communication skills.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Experience in academic library cataloging.
• Ability to exercise judgment and make independent decisions regarding complex ordering and cataloging questions.
• Ability to manage workflows, maintain quality control and recommend workflow enhancements and policy revisions to unit management.
• Working knowledge of MS Office products.Also, the incumbent must engage, understand, and critically apply bibliographic information using the following acquisition and cataloging tools of standards to perform this job:
• Library of Congress Classification Web
• Cataloger's Desktop
• Library of Congress Subject Headings
• AACR2 and RDA Toolkit
• OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards
• Alma
• OCLC ConnexionDifficulty:

The goals of the Technical Services Division are to ensure the timely access to materials added to the collection and to ensure quality bibliographic control for the Library's online catalog, Primo. The employee's complex skills utilized in this position are directly linked to the patron's ability to discover materials that reflect their content, format, location, and availability.

Excellent independent decision-making skills are mandatory for this position. Attention to detail, accuracy, and completeness are important in order to create accurate purchase orders for special collection materials. The ability to interpret information and apply concepts from standard acquisition and bibliographic tools are both necessary to receive and copy catalog and/or enhance records for a large volume of materials and maintain accurate bibliographic fields and holding records.

Personal Relationships:

The position requires excellent verbal and writing skills. The employee works within a unit environment having daily contact with acquisitions team members, departmental librarians and staff selectors, members of the library shipping facility, and members of other Technical Services Division Units. Staff interaction includes peer training and the sharing of information per established policies and workflows for problem-solving and issue planning. Ordering assignment, queries, and resolution occur with other UIUC Library staff, especially for ordering policies and claim or cancellation discrepancies. Beyond the UIUC Library, this position requires professional and nuanced communication with vendors and publishers, the ability to apply work experience for vendor selection, and to aptly express the wishes of selectors while being mindful of fund balances.

Environmental Demands:

Physical requirements: Work requires computer keyboarding skills and frequently moving boxes weighing more than 20 lbs. from a book cart to a processing table. There is a requirement to handle a high volume of books and move these books to different locations, per workflow demands.

Work environment: Work is performed in an office setting with minimal risks or discomfort. The ability to work in a sometimes-hectic environment with a medium level of noise in an efficient and quiet manner is required.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service Traditional Non-Exempt, Senior Library Specialist position, appointed on a permanent basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. The budgeted salary for the position is $55,243.50.

Sponsorship for Work Authorization Not Available.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on January 20, 2025, to ensure full consideration. Please create your candidate profile, upload a cover letter, your curriculum vitae or resume, and the names and email addresses of four professional references by the close date. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Amy Dannowitz at [email protected]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected].

Requisition ID: 1028739

Job Category: Administrative Support

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The administration, faculty and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.