What are the responsibilities and job description for the Reference Support Specialist position at Bellevue University?
Primary Function: Primarily responsible for assisting students, faculty, and staff in locating appropriate information utilizing all library resources in an informal setting.
Essential Functions:
Reference Services
- Provides general reference services to students, faculty and staff and handles face-to-face, telephone, email, and virtual reference requests in a timely manner.
- Provides assistance in the use of online databases and resources.
- Provides in-depth research assistance with reference projects from faculty or staff.
- Works closely with professional librarians to ensure that reference coverage is available at all times.
- Engages students enrolled in the Personal Librarian Program and evaluates best methods of communication.
- Creates and updates LibGuides.
- Maintains and promotes information literacy online tutorials.
Collection development
- Recommends materials for purchase.
- Helps maintain the reference collection, which includes weeding, withdrawing, and discarding obsolete resources.
Management functions
- Responsible for library operations on Saturday.
- Keeps monthly statistics related to any projects or processes for which they are responsible.
Miscellaneous
- Serves as emergency back-up for library instruction as needed.
- Assists with circulation functions as needed.
- Participates in library displays and programs on a rotating basis.
- Contributes quarterly to the Library’s newsletter “More Than Books”.
- Stays current with the latest trends and developments in the library and information fields.
Marginal Duties:
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Some reference coursework or willing to take reference classes.
- Minimum of two (2) years of previous library experience preferred.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Experience using personal computers and computerized searching
- Supervisory experience helpful.
- Ability to deal with difficult situations while maintaining a businesslike manner.
- Must be flexible to accommodate organizational needs.
- Maintains positive teamwork atmosphere by communicating in a friendly and effective manner with others.
Working Conditions:
- Works in a normal library setting
NOTE: The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work involved for this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of this job. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires institutions participating in federally funded financial aid programs to make information about the institution available to the public, current and prospective students, and current and prospective employees. The Bellevue University Consumer Information webpage, found at www.bellevue.edu/student-support/consumer-information/consumer-information, provides readily accessible information to help consumers make informed decisions about post-secondary education. Bellevue University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASR), found at www.bellevue.edu/student-support/consumer-information/pdfs/annual-safety-report.pdf, provides information about campus crime statistics and institutional security policies and procedures as well as information about student housing fire statistics and fire safety policies. You can obtain a paper copy of these reports from the Bellevue Dean of Students office by calling 402-557-7028. In addition to this, Bellevue University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
