About Queen's University
Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.
We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.
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Job Summary
Applying knowledge of basic library techniques, the Information Services Technician plans their own work and priorities to support the efficient and high-quality delivery of library services. In accordance with established policies and procedures, the incumbent performs a diverse range of duties associated with the operation of Information Services. Responsibilities include completing tasks related to the fulfillment of library resources including supporting Course Reserves and Inter-library Loan, providing technology and equipment support, providing service point support, participating in regular collection maintenance projects and initiatives, supporting and directing the work of Library Technicians 2, casual, and student assistants, as required, performing clerical and administrative tasks, and completing other Information Services operational support as required. The incumbent is expected to be an active participant in a teams-based approach to continuous service improvement, creative problem-solving, and innovation. Duties are usually performed at Joseph S. Stauffer Library and Douglas Library, but duties may extend to other library locations and service points as required.
Job Description
TYPICAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: (Effort & Responsibility)
Service Point/Desk Duties
- Supports the library’s Ask Us services:
o Assists patrons, answers questions in all formats (e.g., in-person and online) regarding location or general use of the library and all its resources in all formats, answers basic and facilitative inquiries and referral for when an answer cannot be readily found.
o Assists patrons with searching, downloading and printing, refers unusual or complex problems to appropriate staff member or specialized department.
- Responsible for opening, closing, and the regular operation of service points, including adherence to security protocols.
- Performs desk operations including, but not limited to, exercising judgement in issuing library cards, loan, return, and renew resources in all formats, answering facilitative and basic user questions for which an immediate, definitive answer can be found, refers complex and research-based queries to the appropriate library staff or specialized department, as required.
- Provides users guidance and basic troubleshooting assistance in the use of library software (e.g., printing driver), technology, and equipment.
- Maintains familiarity with the basic functions offered at public workstations.
- Recommends and implements changes in policies and procedures and updates procedure manuals, as required.
Fulfillment and Circulation
- Charges, discharges, and renews circulating materials in all formats.
- Create/updates records as required, and according to established authorization.
- Processing fines and fees, referring complex scenarios to senior staff or supervisor, as appropriate.
- Processes document delivery requests received from patrons.
- Performs stacks maintenance and collection care including retrieving, shelf-reading, searching for missing library materials, sorting and shelving library materials, shifting, and inventory projects. Generates basic reports (e.g., using Alma widgets) for statistics retrieval and assessment, as required.
- Participates in storage retrieval and retrieval requests from other campus libraries.
- Participates in the assessment and referral of items for conservation/repair treatment.
- As required, retrieves materials required for Interlibrary Loans or the Course Reserves collection.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Support
- Processes incoming and outgoing ILL materials, including receiving, discharging, and resolving routine issues, refers complex cases to senior staff or specialized departments as needed.
- Reviews and fulfills ILL requests by retrieving materials, verifying bibliographic details, and ensuring digitization accuracy and quality when required.
- Prepares and routes items for delivery in accordance with established procedures.
- Prepares and distributes incoming loaned items and manages their timely return to lending institutions.
- Communicates with partner libraries to confirm availability, resolve request issues, and coordinate loan logistics, when required.
- Ensures the fulfillment of library resources comply with the university’s copyright policies and fair dealing guidelines.
Course Reserves Support
- Works with the Copyright Office which manages copyright clearance and compliance for all reserve materials.
- Retrieves or orders materials, prepares items for circulation, and removes items from the Course Reserves collection, as required.
- Recalls, places general holds, updates loan period, and/or location of heavily used items in demand to be put on reserve.
- Processes faculty requests for physical and electronic course materials, ensuring timely availability.
- Maintains accurate records in the library’s course reserve management system and updates reserve statuses each term.
- Assists patrons with locating and using course reserve materials.
- Interprets library policies and resolves problems for faculty members in the absence of senior staff, referring difficult problems to the Course Reserves Coordinator or designate.
Equipment Support
- Ensures that all digitization and self-serve library equipment are in good working order. Troubleshoots equipment and refers problems to senior staff and specialized departments, as required.
- Reviews web pages for accuracy and currency, and in consultation with supervisor or web page author(s), uses the library’s content management system to update web content as required.
- Issues refunds for students including using the online printing system, troubleshoot and respond to any issues in a timely manner.
Clerical and Administrative Duties
- Orders supplies through the university’s eProcurement system.
- Opens, sorts, and delivers mail.
- Monitors library facilities and recommends repairs to library Facilities, as required. Places calls to Fix-It or other appropriate contacts as needed or at the request of staff or users.
- Performs physical item processing including affixing book plates, spine labels, barcodes, and tattle-tape for library items in all formats, as required.
- Maintains records and uses statistics.
INTERACTIONS AND EQUIPMENT:
The incumbent regularly works with, or comes into contact with students, university and library staff, faculty, and community members in-person, by telephone, or electronically.
The incumbent will regularly use the following software and equipment:
- Standard office and library hardware and software.
- Integrated library system software and related applications.
- Specialized print/copy/scan equipment.
- Specialized digitization equipment.
- Self-checkout hardware and software.
- Other hardware and software that is introduced to library and service points.
QUALIFICATIONS: (Skill)
Education & Experience:
1. 16 points
2. Secondary School Graduate Diploma or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
3. Minimum 1 year library or related experience.
4. Computer and office skills, basic demonstrated working knowledge of Windows based software, especially spreadsheet and word-processing applications, web literacy, information literacy, basic working knowledge of integrated library systems, academic search tools, and library classification systems, ability to identify, use, and demonstrate library resources and databases at a basic level and make referrals as appropriate, and, ability to use and demonstrate standard multimedia, print/scan/copy, digitization, and other library technology and equipment.
Special Skills, Knowledge or Ability:
Ability to work under pressure and to maintain both efficiency and accuracy are essential, must have basic working knowledge of library integrated library systems, academic search tools, and library classification systems, ability to follow detailed instructions accurately, ability to follow a task through to completion following established policies and regulations, ability to perform routine troubleshooting of equipment, ability to complete tasks independently, ability to work in a team-based environment, highly developed public service skills, commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
DECISION MAKING: (Responsibility)
The incumbent will exercise independent judgment in the daily planning of own work and application of library techniques within established policies, procedures and regulations. The incumbent will determine when to refer difficult problems and policy matters to more senior staff in the area.
Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized persons, Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ persons. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to those who are legally eligible to work in Canada.
The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at [email protected].
