What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Services Assistant position at University of Delaware?
Context Of The Job
The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press inspires the intellectual, scholarly and creative achievement of our community. We are strongly committed to fostering safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces and opportunities where everyone has an equal opportunity to learn, create, and grow. We collaborate with strategic campus partners to achieve these priorities, as well as with national professional organizations.
The extensive holdings within Special Collections encompass both printed materials and archival collections spanning the 15th century into the present day, with particular emphasis on topics including the fine, decorative and applied arts; English, Irish and American literature; history and Delawareana, with a concentration in the greater regions of Delmarva and the Delaware Valley; the history of the book and technology around printing and papermaking; horticulture; and the history of science and technology, with a specific focus on the history of chemistry and engineering. Materials are open and available for use in the Reading Room year-round, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and a select, growing number of digitized collections are accessible online through the Library, Museums and Press’s digital collections portal .
The Special Collections department also maintains a dynamic slate of free exhibitions and programming designed to engage students, faculty and the general public with distinctive historical resources and regularly partners with faculty members to design class sessions tailored to specific teaching needs. Additional information about Special Collections is available at library.udel.edu/special/.
Under the general supervision of the Manager for Research Services, the Research Services Assistant will oversee daily operations of the Reading Room, supervise student employees, and provide in-person and virtual services to a diverse community of patrons. The incumbent will coordinate scheduling staff, including student employees, to work on the Reading Room desk, respond in a timely manner to research inquiries, and maintain training materials and relevant statistics as part of annual data collection and assessment work. The position must be able to work independently and as part of a group; may supervise students, volunteers, or interns; and may serve on campus and Library, Museums, and Press committees.
Major Responsibilities
The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press inspires the intellectual, scholarly and creative achievement of our community. We are strongly committed to fostering safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces and opportunities where everyone has an equal opportunity to learn, create, and grow. We collaborate with strategic campus partners to achieve these priorities, as well as with national professional organizations.
The extensive holdings within Special Collections encompass both printed materials and archival collections spanning the 15th century into the present day, with particular emphasis on topics including the fine, decorative and applied arts; English, Irish and American literature; history and Delawareana, with a concentration in the greater regions of Delmarva and the Delaware Valley; the history of the book and technology around printing and papermaking; horticulture; and the history of science and technology, with a specific focus on the history of chemistry and engineering. Materials are open and available for use in the Reading Room year-round, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and a select, growing number of digitized collections are accessible online through the Library, Museums and Press’s digital collections portal .
The Special Collections department also maintains a dynamic slate of free exhibitions and programming designed to engage students, faculty and the general public with distinctive historical resources and regularly partners with faculty members to design class sessions tailored to specific teaching needs. Additional information about Special Collections is available at library.udel.edu/special/.
Under the general supervision of the Manager for Research Services, the Research Services Assistant will oversee daily operations of the Reading Room, supervise student employees, and provide in-person and virtual services to a diverse community of patrons. The incumbent will coordinate scheduling staff, including student employees, to work on the Reading Room desk, respond in a timely manner to research inquiries, and maintain training materials and relevant statistics as part of annual data collection and assessment work. The position must be able to work independently and as part of a group; may supervise students, volunteers, or interns; and may serve on campus and Library, Museums, and Press committees.
Major Responsibilities
- Supervise student employees and facilitate experiential learning activities to facilitate their growth and development. Hire, train, and provide feedback to student employees. Maintain staffing schedule for research services desk. Manage student employee payroll and monitor budget.
- Facilitate researchers’ use of collections, including scheduling appointments, preparing materials for use, reshelving materials, and filling reproduction requests
- As a member of the Research Services team, provide reference assistance, respond to select researcher questions within a reasonable timeframe, and serve on Reading Room desk as needed.
- Manage the unit’s usage-related paperwork and contribute to assessment and annual statistics data collection
- Process print items before and after cataloging and shelve print items and archival collections
- In consultation with the Manager for Archival Processing, assist with initial receipt of new acquisitions and performs basic collections management tasks, including rehousing and initial description
- Order and maintain department office supplies
- High school diploma or GED and three to five years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- Experience or interest in hiring, training, and supervision of student employees, interns, or other staff with varying levels of experience
- Interest in research libraries, museums or cultural/historical institutions and handling of special materials and related records
- Experience in providing reference services or customer service, preferably in a learning environment
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to interact well with people of all ages and backgrounds
- Ability to learn and use technologies to perform daily work including but not limited to word processing, spreadsheet, database and Web-based application.
- Interest in or experience contributing to assessment and data collection tasks
- Commitment to providing support to researchers from all backgrounds and with varying levels of expertise
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment where responsibilities may shift based on organizational needs
- Ability to push and maneuver library carts and lift boxes weighing up to 40 lbs