Order
Unit Librarian
Columbia
University
Columbia
University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of
Order Unit Librarian.
Reporting
to the Head, Monographs Acquisitions Services, the Order Unit Librarian
oversees and administers the management of the Order and Receiving Unit. The
Order Unit Librarian directly supervises a staff of four and is the point
person for the acquisition of material for classes, students and faculty. The
Order and Receiving Unit has a materials budget of $1m and processes orders for
print monographs, audio-visual material and other formats for Columbia’s
collections.
Primary
Responsibilities Include:
- Managing and coordinating all activities of the Order and Receiving Unit, including placing orders, payment, receiving of material, claiming open orders, vendor correspondence, cancellations, processing credits and resolving issues with regards to orders and payment. Orders include requests for difficult-to-find items requiring a deep knowledge of the book and publishing trade and rush orders requiring quick handling to ensure timely fulfillment for courses and patron requests.
- Assisting the Head, Monographs Acquisitions Services with operations of the department including the opening and closing of fiscal years, preparation and payment of material received on approval, overseeing the receipt of shelf-ready material, applying minimal corrections to vendor-provided bibliographic records and reconciling order and payment issues reflected in quarterly reports.
- Supervising four FTE union staff members, including interviewing, hiring, evaluating performance, setting schedules, monitoring attendance and providing leadership to the Unit relating to office discipline and morale. Assigning work based on changing needs of the department, revising work to ensure quality and consistency with accepted policies.
- Training staff in new procedures and keeping them current as procedures evolve. Collaborate with Department Head and colleagues in Monographs Processing Services Division to draft procedures streamlining workflows and creating greater efficiencies within the Division.
- Developing and maintaining effective relationships with vendors and reviewing vendor performance in areas of service and pricing. Communicating with vendors to resolve issues with regards to orders and payments.
- Communicating and interacting with Columbia’s subject liaisons and members of the Libraries’ cataloging and electronic resources divisions.
- Actively participating in Libraries’ internal committees and groups relating to acquisitions, selection of material for the collection, materials budgets and technical services
- Gathering and consolidating statistics for dissemination to other divisions and Libraries’ administration.
The ideal
candidate should have excellent communication skills, be able to work
effectively in a diverse team environment, be self-motivated, possess a
service-oriented outlook and strong interpersonal skills, have strong problem
solving skills and an in-depth understanding of the book trade and the
publishing industry.
Minimum Qualifications:
- M.L.S. from an ALA accredited institution
- Demonstrated supervisory experience
- Strong computer skills and experience with spreadsheets
- Knowledge of basic accounting principles
- Knowledge of basic cataloging principles
- Working knowledge of at least one Western European language
Highly Desirable Additional Qualifications:
- Basic knowledge of an additional foreign language
- Accounting and financial management experience
- Knowledge of library systems and bibliographic utilities
- Experience with MARC21 format and Library of Congress Classification and cataloging/description standards (RDA, AACR2, LCSH, etc.)
- Strong foreign language skills
- Strong analytical skills and familiarity working with data
- Experience in instruction and training
For immediate
consideration please apply online:
https://academicjobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=63452
Columbia University is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer
and strongly encourages individuals of all backgrounds and cultures to consider
this position.
