Collection Maintenance & Shifting Specialist

Department

Library C & A - Access Serv - Coll Mgmt & Circ - Regenstein Stacks

About the Department

As a center of intense intellectual inquiry, the University of Chicago Library aspires to be the most dynamic research and learning environment in the world, supporting the University’s commitment to research and teaching and to using its intellectual resources to help solve the world’s problems. Even as we continue to focus on building and preserving our renowned collections, the Library is assuming new roles that are vital to research, innovation, and learning at the University. In the process, we are leveraging the deep expertise of Library staff, developing services that support new avenues of research, and expanding access to and preservation of scholarly resources in ways that advance the goals of the University community and the needs of the next generation of scholars.

Job Information

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Collection Management & Circulation Services Librarian and working closely with other Collection Maintenance team members to cultivate an accessible and well-maintained physical collection in the Joseph Regenstein Library bookstacks and reading rooms, the Collection Maintenance & Shifting Specialist works with a high degree of independence to distribute physical collections, maintain shelf order, analyze density and growth, and execute projects to transfer and shift collections in their areas (~1.5 million volumes of ~4.5 million volumes total).

Responsibilities:

• Works with a high degree of independence to address collection maintenance issues in assigned areas, including designing and executing shifting and transfer projects in Regenstein Library, measuring collections and compiling growth data, triaging materials that cannot be shelved, and updating records as needed to transfer materials to other collections.

• Directs and trains student employees in routine collection maintenance tasks, including shifting collections, shelf reading, sorting and shelving books, as well as pickup and check-in of books; performs quality control measures and provides feedback on student employee performance to ensure ongoing accuracy of student work.

• Assists the Daily Operations & Student Staffing Coordinator in directing and prioritizing student employees in daily operations; directs and prioritizes student employees on weekends and other times when the Coordinator is not present.

• Develops and documents detailed knowledge of assigned areas of the print collections and suggests and tests improvements to workflows to ensure collection maintenance and shifting is efficient and responsive to current and evolving priorities.

• Participates in the operational priorities and daily responsibilities of the department, including tasks assigned to students when students are unavailable; resolves or routes problems as needed.

• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Identify priorities in order to recognize and resolve or refer problems.

• Ensure decision quality, accountability and drive results. 

• Exhibit resilience and optimize resources. 

• Foster positive partnerships and collaboration. 

• Display emotional intelligence.

• Work independently and as part of team.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required. 

• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum of one (1) year of work experience in a library or equivalent environment required.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

• Experience with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets required.

• Basic reading knowledge of a foreign language, particularly non-Roman script strongly preferred.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Work schedule: Tuesday - Saturday, 9am-5pm.

• Ability to bend, crouch, or stoop and climb up to a 3’ stepladder.

• Ability to carry or lift loads of 25 to 49 pounds and push/pull loaded book trucks.

• Ability to make repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movements. 

• Ability to see, including color, depth perception, or clarity; must be able to visually focus on print and electronic material for long periods and use comp