University of Massachusetts Amherst

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Course Reserves Specialist receives and processes reserve requests, communicates with faculty to clarify and resolve issues around requests, orders materials, assists patrons, maintains Reserves collections, and trains and supervises Reserves student assistants. Uses library and third-party systems and software to provide students with access to reserve materials. Provides excellent customer service to both faculty and student patrons.

Essential Functions

• Advises and assists faculty with requests for library-supplied course materials. Responds to user inquiries regarding course reserve and digital course materials. Interprets policies as appropriate and provides support, maintenance, link validation, and authentication for digital and physical materials. Verifies that reserve materials meet accessibility standards and uses tools such as captioning and screen-reading software to do so.
• Interviews, schedules, trains, supervises, and evaluates student assistants. Collaborates with the Digital Reserves Administrative Specialist to establish daily work priorities and supervise the work of Reserves student employees engaged in the conversion, formatting, and processing of reserve materials, including uploading or linking content to the UMass Learning Management System. Provides related training, assistance, and support as needed to ensure student assistants successfully execute their duties. Documents, streamlines, and updates workflow procedures. Monitors student timekeeping system to make sure that student time and payroll is complete and accurate.
• Verifies accuracy of and updates instructor-supplied bibliographic citations as required and interprets copyright and fair use law and policies to access copyright status. Updates metadata records for library-owned materials being placed on reserve as needed and catalogs faculty-owned materials placed on reserve.
• Resolves complex problems associated with requests from university instructors in collaboration with the Coordinator of Digital Curriculum, Reserve and Media and the Digital Reserves Administrative Specialist
• Ensures timely retrieval and processing of physical and digital course reserve materials. Initiates requests for the purchase of materials not available in the UMass collection.
• Troubleshoots problems with reserves software and technological tools, collaborating with the Coordinator of Digital Curriculum, Reserve and Media, the Digital Reserves Administrative Specialist, Library Technology Services, and outside vendors as appropriate.
• Perform and document data checking and transactional testing in library systems as directed. Record and report testing outcomes.
• Acts as representative of Reserves in Libraries and consortial service planning efforts as needed. Seeks departmental input and relates back to committees and/or sub-groups the information gathered through meetings and direct staff feedback. Recommends procedural and policy changes as appropriate.
• Provides information services to Library patrons and staff as needed, including borrowing and lending assistance, information regarding library and campus services, interpreting records in the discovery systems, and creating community user accounts. Monitor and responds to the departmental communication platforms in accordance with established turnaround time and service standards. Uses a high degree of independent judgment in responding thoroughly and accurately to questions arriving in person, by phone, and online. Consults with other Library departments and staff and refers questions as appropriate.
• Follows information shared through various library and university communication channels. Contribute to unit, department, and library-wide information sharing as appropriate. Serve on internal library committees as needed.
• Participate in the Libraries’ assessment program by collecting, maintaining, and recording usage statistics for reports as needed.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively in support of the Libraries’ values to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness within the Libraries and the campus.
• Attend professional development activities and training as assigned or required to meet departmental goals and objectives.
• Fosters a positive, proactive culture for both internal and external patrons.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High school diploma plus two years of experience in a library or equivalent setting involving library research, database and bibliographic searching, and use of reference materials.
• One year experience supervising students, interns, or permanent staff involving training, oversight, organization and assignment of work.
• Experience organizing and documenting workflows and materials.
• Successful prior experience in a position requiring excellent interpersonal, customer service skills, tactfulness, and the ability to overcome obstacles and provide creative solutions.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• During the academic semester: Sunday 9:30am-5:30pm; Monday - Thursday 9:00am – 5:00pm.
• During summer and winter terms: Monday - Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm.
• Work some evening, weekend, and holiday hours, as assigned.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the University Staff Association, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the University Staff Association collective bargaining agreement, therefore

Salary Information

Grade 14

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information of three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.