Position: Access Services Assistant
Location: George Mason University Law Library

Full vacancy announcement is available on the CUA SLIS blog.

The Law Library at George Mason University invites applications for a reliable and customer service oriented person to be our Access Services Assistant. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Law Library:

The Law Library supports a robust Law School, with a student population over 500 and more than fifty full-time teaching faculty. The Law School and Library support a daytime and evening JD program, an LLM program, and a JM program. The Law Library also serves as a resource to attorneys and GMU alumni in the Washington, D.C. region. The circulation desk is the entryway to the Library and a point of resources—books, equipment, information, and more.

About the Position:

The Access Services Assistant is responsible for assisting the Head of Access Services with managing the daily operations of a busy circulation desk of a large law library. The position has primary responsibility for opening the Law Library on weekday mornings. The position also has an important role in maintaining the Library’s print collection on a daily basis at the desk and throughout the Library, and processing and handling all interlibrary loan requests and materials, both incoming (from other libraries) and outgoing (from GMU law patrons).

Responsibilities:

Assist the Head of Access Services with managing all operations of the circulation desk during shift hours, including actual coverage of the desk, especially during early morning hours. Assist with hiring, training, and scheduling student and wage employees. Assign tasks and assess performance of wage and work-study workers; monitor work levels, and ensure appropriate coverage. Serve as the point of contact for and manage any community volunteers in the circulation department;
Respond to basic information needs at the circulation desk in a polite and professional manner. This includes answering directional and ready reference questions, maintaining knowledge of the Reserve collection and answering questions about and providing Reserve materials to patrons, providing other check-out materials including books, study rooms and equipment, and effectively checking-in materials. Explain and enforce circulation and library policies, including checking IDs of all incoming patrons Maintain the online reservation system for Study Room checkout. Collect fees & fines;
Collection maintenance in the library, which includes shelving new books and returned books and materials, straightening and shifting projects, shelf reading to find mis-shelved or lost items, and supervising wage and work-study workers to do the same. Re-printing of faded book (spine) labels. Maintain accurate record of Reserve materials, including interfacing with Faculty and their Liaison Librarians regarding placement and return of course Reserve Materials;
Serve as a member and contributor to relevant University Libraries committees, ILL working groups, etc., as needed. Learn and periodically run reports using the analytics function of the Library catalog;
Provide interlibrary loan services to faculty and students by borrowing materials from other libraries. Respond to and fulfill loan requests from other libraries. Periodically run reports and provide statistics about ILL services.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Must have working knowledge of the general support activities of library operations;
• Must have knowledge of library catalog and reference tools, specific to circulation;
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, train and review the work of wage and work-study student workers;
• Demonstrated customer service capability; demonstrated ability to follow, interpret, and apply organizational policies and procedures;
• Must have willingness to learn new software applications relevant to the job;
• Demonstrated circulation or general public services experience in an academic library or similar information setting (one to two years preferred);
• Working knowledge of or demonstrated ability to learn automated and online systems specific to circulation and provision of circulation and ready reference.

Position: Supervisory Reference Librarian (Research Center)
Location: Library of Congress
Salary: $103,690 to $134,798 per year

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary
This position is located in the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound, Library Services.

The position description number for this position is 307706.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.

This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement

Responsibilities
The Research Center supervisor reports directly to the Recorded Sound Section Head, MBRS Division in Library Services. The primary duty is to provide administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the Recorded Sound and Moving Image Research Centers.

Serves as on-site supervisor for a group of employees performing work at the GS-12. Provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the research center. Performs the administrative and human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. Develops guidelines and performance expectations for staff members, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers’ performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests and tracks time and attendance.

Ensures subordinates are trained and fully comply with safety regulations. Coordinates the documentation of time and attendance of research center staff. Coordinates the collection and reporting of research center statistics. Serves as the Packard Campus for Audio Visual representative at Capitol Hill meetings as requested by the Section Heads. Responsible for furthering the goals of equal employment opportunity (EEO) by taking positive steps to assure the accomplishment of diversity objectives and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices in regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability. Initiates nondiscriminatory practices for the area under his/her supervision in the following: ( 1) merit promotion of employees and recruitment and hiring of applicants; (2) fair treatment of all; (3) encouragement and recognition of employee achievements; ( 4) career development of employees; and (5) full utilization of their skills.

Position: Research Assistant (Domestic Social Policy)
Location: Library of Congress
Salary: $49,157 to $63,906 per year

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) Domestic Social Policy (DSP) Division seeks Research Assistants to support research tasks across a broad range of domestic social policy issues and program areas.

Responsibilities
The Research Assistant (RA) provides research support tasks across a broad range of domestic policy and social program issues including: (1) Children and Families issues, especially as related to low-income populations; (2) Domestic Security and Immigration, including crime policy and border security; (3) Education and Labor, including training and the workforce; (4) Health Insurance and Financing, including Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and private health insurance; (5) Health Services, including, the health care workforce, and public health; and (6) Income Security, including Social Security, pensions, disability and unemployment

The RA will join a team of RAs supporting objective, authoritative public policy analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members and staff by assisting CRS analysts and specialists preparing objective, non-partisan analytical studies and descriptive reports on nationally significant public policy issues; assisting CRS analysts and specialists providing personal assistance to Members and staff on public policy issues throughout the legislative process; and participating in multi-disciplinary research projects and seminars

Candidates should have knowledge of one or more DSP issues or program areas, familiarity with the research process, and knowledge of the research materials and tools used in social science research. Candidates must be able to work as part of a collaborative team and must exhibit the intellectual flexibility and broad research skills set that facilitate effective work across a wide spectrum of domestic social policy issues. Illustrative programs of study include economics, demography, sociology and other social sciences and public policy. Candidates with computer programming and data analysis skills, as applied to social science or public policy research are especially encouraged to apply

Research assistant duties include:

• Reviewing and evaluating professional journal articles, agency documents, and other analyses for authoritativeness, relevance, and currency. Preparing abstracts of these descriptive and/or analytical materials, summarizing their key findings, methodologies employed, and other relevant information
• Participating in group efforts on research projects as a member of a collaborative team and undertaking research and data analytical tasks in support of the development of an array of analytical and descriptive products or components. Illustrative tasks might include: tracking congressional hearings and bills in specific areas; culling, synthesizing, and tracking state policies; fact checking and other quality control; building and maintaining a database of (specific) program authorizations and appropriations; and, for active legislation, developing and managing a database of amendments and conference documents
• Preparing materials for use at consultations, briefings, and seminars for congressional clients. Attending consultations, briefings, seminars, and outreach activities to gain familiarity with CRS’s information and analytic capabilities, recording questions, gauging audience engagement, and capturing audience suggestions for future sessions
• Formatting a range of tables, graphs, images, and other insertions to CRS products, reviewing and verifying this content for accuracy and completeness. Updating statistics in CRS reports or other general distribution products. Recommending quality control procedures and making suggestions to improve and enhance these insertions to CRS products
• Locating, extracting, collecting, and/or compiling quantitative data and other information; evaluating data for accuracy, relevance, authoritativeness, and usefulness; in some cases, cleaning and manipulating quantitative data using Excel or via programming using software such as Stata, SAS and R.

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for more than a century

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation’s best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees

The position description number for this position is 308062

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position

The tour of duty for this position is full-time.

The incumbent of this position may elect to work a flexitime or compflex work schedule.

Position: Librarian (Braille Music)
Location: Library of Congress
Salary: $103,690 to $134,798

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary
This position is located in the Music Section, Patron & Network Engagement Division, National Library Services Blind/Print Disabled Directorate, Library Collections and Services Group.

The position description number for this position is 137754.

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

Responsibilities
Processing and quality assurance of braille music scores; advising patrons teachers, parents, and other persons on material and other matters related to braille music reading; responding to telephone inquiries to the Music Section; assisting with the planning and production of new instructional music recordings; assisting with the compilation of
Music Section magazines.

Participates in and assists in conducting limited user evaluations of existing and emerging music technology resources. Gathers and processes data on usage and cost. Coordinates computer workstation installations that utilize assistive technology.

Develops personal contacts to establish and maintain cooperative work relationships in order to provide or exchange information and professional knowledge. May serve as a liaison in arranging appointments for visitors to the Music Section and its music library. Explains information to groups and individuals with varying levels of understanding music and music braille. Attends workshops, conferences, seminars, or meetings in music librarianship, music braille and other relevant fields for the purpose of professional development. Orients visitors and conducts tours.

Organizes and analyzes specialized information that pertains to music braille, especially digital music braille, Evaluates, selects. and adapts procedures to meet specialized information requirements. Applies the standard practices of other fields and disciplines as they relate to the subject specialty of music. Evaluates and prioritizes work. Assesses new or unusual circumstances and develops variations in approach, or solutions for incomplete or conflicting information. Identifies, examines, and evaluates major publications and trends in music and music braille. May initiate, assist with, or be responsible for organizing reports and studies. Prepares reports, analyses, and other documents related to information and research efforts.

Prepares written materials, including the writing and/or editing of documents and reports, relating especially to music and music braille. Produces material by gathering and verifying facts, writing and editing reports, and developing and presenting information that is clear and meaningful to the intended audience. Analyzes, prepares, and organizes complex projects applying the appropriate established procedures and practices. Searches automated databases and modifies and edits online records.

Communicates with a wide variety of patrons with non-routine questions on borrowing privileges, use of general collections, and the location of material. Provides services that are of limited technical complexity, or easily acquired. Exercises good public relations practices in soliciting information, is called on to deal with difficult patrons or callers. Demonstrates an understanding of the demands and attitudes of various interested and affected groups.

Manages patron accounts; notifies them of overdue materials, determines replacement cost of lost items, drafts correspondence explaining account problems, etc.