User Services & Experience Specialist

Department: Library

Classification: Library Specialist 2

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible; one day of telework per week, and the rest of the days on campus

Schedule: 4pm-12:30am from Sundays to Thursdays

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience; no less than $48,000

About the Department:

The Access & Resource Management (ARM) division works across the Libraries to support the university’s strategic goals and plan by acquiring, managing, and providing access to scholarly resources that enhance curricular and research needs. The division manages the lifecycle of the University Libraries’ scholarly collection from budget development to point of ordering to provision of access and all associated maintenance and assessment. The division is comprised of seven departments: Resource Acquisition (acquisitions, payments, subscription and e-resource management), Resource Licensing & Delivery (licensing and interlibrary loan/resource sharing), Collections Strategy (collections development and analysis), Metadata Services (metadata, cataloging, processing and binding), Database Integrity & Analysis (data collection and analysis, reports, and database cleanup), Preservation Services (physical preservation, stacks, shifts, disaster preparedness and response), and Access Services (Fenwick Information Desk, circulation, consortial loan service, and reserves).

Within ARM, Access Services is responsible for the Fairfax Campus’s main library service point – the Fenwick Library Information Desk – where students and faculty receive assistance with their myriad information and resource needs. The department manages course reserves, circulation, consortium loan services, student spaces and rooms, and point-of-service information needs. Access Services collaborates internally and externally on building maintenance and security issues.

George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of all-inclusive diversity among its students, faculty, and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will support this commitment.

About the Position:

The User Services & Experience Specialist serves as an evening lead for the Information Desk and student assistants. This position provides direct support to the User Services & Experience Coordinator to manage, train, schedule, and supervise up to 30 student assistants. The position supports the circulation and user services functions of the information desk; participates in the development, recommendation, implementation and administration of Access Services policies, procedures and processes; and participates in committees and/or workgroups as required to share knowledge, develop best practices, and advance the work of the Libraries.

Responsibilities:

Evening/Weekend Lead Support

• Supports User Services & Experience Coordinator serving as a lead staff member on-site during the weekend and evening hours and escalates issues appropriately in case of emergency;
• Assists the User Services & Experience Coordinator in advertising/recruiting, interviewing, hiring, scheduling, and training of up to 30 student assistants;
• Assists in the work assessment of student assistants and leads; and
• Helps monitor students in all aspects of customer service.

User Services & Engagement 

• Provides customer service at the Fenwick Library service desk on the Fairfax campus, including circulation services and basic reference service;
• Maintains knowledge of circulation operations, policies and procedures in order to provide courteous service assistance to patrons;
• Explains and enforces library and departmental guidelines, policies, and procedures to provide accurate and satisfactory service and/or information to patrons;
• Responds to and resolves routine and progressively complex inquiries regarding library services, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Uses discretion and independent judgment to help resolve issues and provide exceptional service;
• Serves as the lead in charge of library facilities and services when staff in library administration and/or supervisor are not available, and opens or closes Fenwick Library and/or works weekends as assigned; and
• Contributes to the devel