Working in the Library: A Tutorial for WorkStudy Students

1
Working in the Library A Tutorial for Work-Study
Students

• This guide will help to answer many questions
  about the work rules, duties, and procedures of
  the Miller Library.

2
Welcome

• First of all, thank you for your interest in
  working at the Miller Memorial Library.
• Most students enjoy working here and return to
  us as long as they are enrolled at UW-Richland.
• You will learn a number of things about working
  in a library and have fun as well.

3
Student Handbook

• There is a handbook under the time clock.
• You are expected to read it closely and refer to
  it as needed.
• It contains detailed information on
  responsibilities, procedures, emergency
  information, and other training materials.
• Many points mentioned in this tutorial are not in
  the handbook, so become familiar with both
  sources.

4
Rules and Expectations

• Arrive on time. Being late three times in a
  semester will get you fired that semester or at
  least not asked back.

5
Covering your shift

• If you cannot work during your scheduled time, it
  is your responsibility to contact other students
  and find someone to cover for you. If you cant
  find someone or its an emergency, call Lisa at
  647-6186 x 293 immediately to let her know that a
  student employee may not be there during that
  time.
• It is recommended that you keep other students
  numbers in your cell phone.

6
Eating, Drinking, Cell Phones

• The rules of the library apply to student
  employees as well no eating, drinking, or cell
  phone use in the library. If your shift is two
  consecutive hours or longer, you may take a 15
  minute break and eat in the work room (or
  somewhere else outside the library) if you wish.
  Please go out to the vestibule to talk on the
  cell phone if you have been granted permission.

7
The Circ Printer

• The printer at the circ desk is to be used for
  library purposes only. Do not treat it as your
  personal printer. If you are on the wireless
  network, your options are the OPAC printer and
  the black and white or color printer in the
  computer lab.

8
Privacy

• Do not tell ANY PATRONS (students, staff,
  faculty, or community patrons) UNDER ANY
  CIRCUMSTANCES who has an item checked out. This
  is a very important privacy law.
• You may tell the patron when an item is due back.
  

9
A few more things

• Please put jackets and bags in the closet across
  from the circ desk.
• You are expected to be at the circ desk or shelf
  reading most or all of the time you are on duty.
• Do not talk socially with other students for more
  than a few minutes.
• Your library work should be done first and if you
  have remaining time, you may work on homework or
  read.
• Do not read library materials when you should be
  putting them away.

10
Responsibilities

• All of the following duties and responsibilities
  will be explained to you in detail by the
  associate academic librarian
• checking books in and out
• shelving materials according to Library of
  Congress Classification
• shelf reading regularly
• retrieving materials on reserve

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Responsibilities, cont.

• putting out newspapers and periodicals (if you
  are on duty when the mail arrives)
• letting students into the Music Listening and
  Conference Rooms
• putting students names on returned textbooks and
  leaving them for Nancy
• helping students find items in our library,
  request items from other schools, use databases
• and other duties, such as putting more paper in
  printers, helping with displays if asked, etc.

12
Main Duties

• What follows are brief outlines of the four main
  responsibilities of the student library employee

13
Check in, Check out

• Ask for I.D. when checking out (charging) items
  to students.
• Check in (discharge) items as soon as they are
  returned. Be sure to check the return bin under
  the circ desk.
• Re-shelve the items THAT BELONG TO UW-RICHLAND,
  and hand items from other schools to the
  associate academic librarian.

14
Fine Money

• Take money and make accurate change for library
  and textbook sales and fines
• Put the money in its correct location
• Write a receipt for library fines and textbooks
  sales
• Notify the associate academic librarian so that
  she can remove any fines from the students
  account.

15
Shelf Reading

• Shelf reading means going to the stacks and
  checking every single book (in a given area) to
  make sure its in the correct place based on the
  rules of Library of Congress Classification.
• You will be expected to shelf read 15-20 minutes
  each time you work, unless other important duties
  prevent you from doing so.

16
Helping Students

• You are expected to know how to help students
  find items in our library, any of the colleges,
  or any of the universities.
• Some of the most important elements you will have
  to be familiar with are More Libraries, Your
  Account, Request This Item, and searching
  EbscoHost.
• Please view the tutorials on searching the
  catalogue and EbscoHost.

17
Other Procedures

• The following procedures are presented in greater
  detail in the handbook
• Library of Congress ClassificationLearning this
  system is central to completing most library
  work. It will be explained to you in detail and
  you will likely be quizzed or tested on it.
  There are instructional links at the end of this
  tutorial.
• Removing New Book StatusThis is a fairly simple
  process that ensures books will be catalogued and
  shelved correctly.
• Weekly DepositsThis is done on Thursday
  afternoons. It will be explained in detail if
  you work at this time.
• Closing DutiesDepending on student schedules, it
  is likely that most of you will close on at least
  one day during the week.

18
Fun!

• Please say something to the associate academic
  or director if you have an idea (or several
  ideas!) for fun ways to get together as a group
  (students and library staff). Possibilities are
  game night, scavenger hunt in the library (this
  could be for the whole school), or t-shirts for
  student employees with a funny library-related
  saying or image.

19
Thanks again!

• Again, thank you for your interest in the
  library. Work-study students are crucial to
  maintaining the librarys appearance,
  circulation, and hours, especially in the
  evening.
• There is a lot to learn, but you will be able to
  take that knowledge and experience with you.
• We hope you have a positive experience in the
  library and at UW-Richland!

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Links to LC instruction

• http//www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries
  03_04.phtml
• http//lib.colostate.edu/howto/others/findbklc.htm
  l
• http//www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/callnumbers.html
  
• http//www.loc.gov/about/facts.html