UCL LIBRARY SERVICES
Information for applicants for the post of Library Assistant – Issue Desk 2 positions: 1 Full time (36.5 hours per weeK) and 1 Part time (0.5 FTE, 18.25 hours per week) (ref: 37/07/08)
UCL – a university, a community, a world-class reputation… UCL is one of the UK’s leading universities; a world-class multidisciplinary research and teaching institution, whose staff and former students have included 19 Nobel Prize winners. Founded in 1826, UCL was the first university in England to admit students regardless of race, religion or gender. It continues to thrive on the creativity and diversity of its community which today comprises 8,000 staff, and 12,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate students from 130 countries across the globe. Constitutionally part of the federal University of London, UCL is in practice an independent university, with an annual turnover of over £450 million. Its 70 departments span arts and humanities, social and historical sciences, law, architecture and the built environment, engineering sciences, mathematical and physical sciences, life and clinical sciences, and medicine. UCL includes academi Mon - Fri afternoons from 1.00 to 4.30.c units as diverse as the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies and the UCL Institute of Child Health, which is associated with Great Ormond Street Hospital. 75% of UCL’s departments received ratings of ‘excellent’ in national teaching quality reviews carried out between 1993 and 2001 and 60 departments achieved top (grade 5 and 5*) ratings in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise. As a result of its track record, UCL receives substantial funding from government and charities, and more than £250 million is currently being invested in state-of-the-art facilities for cutting-edge research and teaching. Situated at the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities, UCL’s historic central campus in Bloomsbury is within easy reach of several rail and underground stations, the Eurostar terminal and Heathrow airport.
Paul Ayris, MA, PhD Director of UCL Library Services & Copyright Officer UCL Library Services University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 7834 Fax: +44 (0)20 7679 7373 E-mail: p.ayris@ucl.ac.uk
UCL Library Services UCL Library Services has almost 2 million items and subscribes to over 12,000 journals in a combination of print and electronic format covering the sixty or so subjects which are taught in the College. UCL Library Services consists of: the UCL Main Library the UCL Science Library the UCL Cruciform Library the UCL Environmental Studies Library the UCL Human Communication Science Library UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies Library and Information Services the UCL Institute of Archaeology Library the UCL Institute of Laryngology and Otology and RNID Library the UCL Institute of Orthopaedics Library the Joint Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology Library the UCL Institute of Child Health Library the UCL Institute of Neurology, Rockefeller Medical Library Royal Free Hospital Medical Library, UCL Library Services the UCL Eastman Dental Institute Library UCL Special Collections UCL Library Services Store, Belnor House, Wickford
UCL Library Services is also a partner in the Archway Healthcare Library. The role of UCL Library Services is to support learning, teaching and research in the global university that is UCL. Members of staff in UCL Library Services support this outreach through their professionalism and their dedication to offering information services of the highest quality. The combined staff in UCL Library Services totals around 250.
Conditions of service Holidays: Full time staff are entitled to 27 days paid annual leave and leave for part time staff is granted on a pro rata basis. UCL also closes for a period at Christmas and Easter, at which times staff benefit from a total of 6 ‘closure days’ in addition to Bank Holidays. Hours of work: Hours of work for full-time members of staff are 36.5 per week excluding lunch breaks. Increments: After passing probation members of staff will receive one increment on the appropriate scale on 1 August each year until the top point on the scale is reached. Pension: Staff on grades 1-6 are eligible to join SAUL, which is a final salary scheme with a current employee contribution rate of 6% and an employer rate of 13% of salary. Staff on grades 7 and above are eligible to join USS, which is a final salary scheme with a current employee contribution rate of 6.35% and an employer contribution rate of 14% of salary. Probation: Appointments are subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and a probationary period of 6 months (for staff on grades 1-6) and 9 months (for staff on grades 7 and above). Benefits Campus Facilities The main UCL campus has subsidised cafeterias/bars and shops, gym and a travel agent. UCL staff can also benefit from corporate membership at a Tottenham Court Road gym. Flexi-time: UCL Library Services operates a generous flexi-time scheme on some of its sites which is available to all full-time staff working on those sites and some part-time staff. Season Ticket Loans: A season ticket loan is available to staff who have successfully completed their probationary period with the facility to repay through a monthly deduction from salary. How to apply To apply, please submit a completed application form. Please note that only information contained in the application form will be considered by the shortlisting panel therefore covering letters and CVs are not required, and if included will be detached from the application before it is sent for shortlisting. Your application should provide details of at least two referees, one of whom must be your present or most recent employer or course tutor if currently a student. Your references should cover the past three years up to the present date and your referees should have direct experience of your work, education or training Applications should be addressed to: The Office Assistant (quoting ref: 37/07/08) UCL Library Services UCL (University College London) Gower Street London WC1E 6BT or emailed to: library-jobs@ucl.ac.uk
or faxed to: +44(0) 20 7679 7373
Please indicate clearly on your application form whether you are applying for the full time post or part time post The closing date for receipt of applications is 23 June 2008 at 5.30pm Receipt of an application can only be confirmed if a candidate specifically requests such acknowledgement, and in the case of postal applications, encloses a stamped self-addressed envelope for this purpose.
Candidates should note that interviews are expected to take place on 17 July 2008 Please note that applicants who have not been contacted within one month of the interview date should assume that their application has been unsuccessful.
UCL Library Services
Job title: Grade: Salary: Period of appointment: Number of posts: Reports to: Library Assistant – Issue Desk 5 £18,180 - £21,072 plus £2,649 London Allowance per annum pro rata for part time post Permanent There are 2 posts, one at 1 FTE (full time) and one at 0.5 FTE Issue Desk Head and Issue Desk Supervisor (UCL Science Library) UCL Science Library, Gower Street campus 1 FTE: This post is for 36.5 hours per week, working daytime hours Monday to Friday 0.5 FTE: This post is for 18 hours 15 minutes per week, working daytime hours Monday - Friday afternoons from 1.00pm to 4.30pm.
Location: Hours of work:
Main responsibilities: Issue Desk work is team-based and customer-facing. The work falls into three main areas: 1. Issue Desk service delivery and customer communication 2. Problem-solving and analysis necessary to support the loans service 3. Handling enquiries from customers relating directly to the loan service, plus others as appropriate 1. Issue Desk service delivery and customer communication Registration of new customers on the library database, according to documented procedures and standards Delivering a high standard of issue desk services to both UCL and external customers: Issuing, returning, renewing books on the specialised library database Communicating effectively – in person, by telephone, post and by email - with customers regarding the service; acting upon customer requests, answering enquiries, explaining sometimes complex procedures and resolving problems or disputes Handling other potentially complex enquiries about Library Services and the use of printed and electronic resources; referral on to other UCL and external sources of help and information as required. (See also below.) Issuing, returning and renewing items using system backup and/or manual methods as necessary Encouraging and assisting customers to self-issue/renew/return (applicable to those Libraries using self-issue technology)
2. Problem-solving and analysis necessary to support the loans service Raising invoices for lost books, in line with UCL procedures for defaulting students Dealing with enquiries and disputes arising from the above; communicating effectively with customers and with colleagues elsewhere in UCL (e.g. Registrar’s Division, Departmental Adminsistrators) regarding the above Carrying out detailed checks for missing books Managing books and associated records – on paper and electronically – that transfer between UCL libraries in response to customer requests Maintaining good filing order in sequences of books and other records necessary for delivering requested books Managing supplies of stationery and other office consumables Cash management: taking cash for fines and fees, issuing receipts paying in the cash Database amendments relating to lists of members’ records received from elsewhere in Library Services or within UCL (e.g. Registrars’ Division, Departmental Adminsitrators) Assisting customers with problems related to self-issue/renew/return technology (applicable to those Libraries using self-issue technology) 3. Handling enquiries from customers Enquiries are broadly of two sorts: those relating directly to the loan service other more complex enquiries as appropriate Handling potentially complex enquiries about Library Services and the use of printed and electronic resources; referral on to other UCL and external sources of help and information as required Handling membership queries, such as questions of eligibility to use UCL’s libraries, according to documented procedures and standards Identifying customers in need of assistance with all aspects of Library and related IT use Other duties: The postholder is expected to follow UCL policies, including Equal Opportunities and Race Equality policies and to maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health & Safety regulations. To carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the Director of UCL Library Services or the Group Manager, Reader Services or the Line Managers. Duties and responsibilities may need to change over time, so this job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the postholder.
Person Specification Where indicated below, candidates must provide clear evidence in their application forms (with examples), to show how they meet each element of the essential criteria (and desirable criteria if appropriate). Please note, candidates who do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for this post are unlikely to be shortlisted for interview. Criteria Essential 5 A*-C GCSE’s or equivalent Ability and willingness to acquire new skills as required for service delivery in a changing environment Excellent verbal communication skills: able to convey potentially complex information intelligibly to customers, including many from outside UCL and those whose first language is not English. Able to give basic factual information about services in a timely and accurate manner. Accuracy and attention to detail IT skills – in particular word processing and email Ability to work under pressure: to make decisions on priorities; to use available time and resources in an appropriate manner Initiative and problem-solving: able to resolve problems and to identify solutions, sometimes without immediate supervision Ability to work independently when required: post-holders will develop experience and will be expected to carry out service-related tasks without always being supervised. Willingness to work on repetitive but important and sometimes complex tasks; able to appreciate the importance of these routines in library work Numeracy: required for dealing with refunds, internal financial transfers, Excel data etc. Experience of libraries as a customer Experience of dealing with the public Ability to work as part of a team: able to work towards common goals and to take on, share and relinquish tasks as appropriate and necessary. Able to motivate fellow team-members by displaying a positive attitude to work Good people skills: able to relate to, communicate with and co-operate with a wide range of colleagues and customers Committed to Equal Opportunities Desirable Experience of working in a library/information environment Test by application form X X X Test by formal interview
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