Collections Associate

Job Title Collections Associate Summary

Under direct supervision of the Head of Collections and Digital Initiatives, the Collections Associate (CA) handles the activities related to ordering, receiving, and paying for library collections materials through purchase, lease, or rental. This position oversees operation of the Library's acquisitions and fund management functions in the ILS (integrated library system), ensuring reconciliation of those expenditures with the University's financial accounting system, including performing fiscal close in the ILS at the end of the fiscal year, and monitoring orders and receipts of materials in all formats. The CA orders, receives, and tracks books under the library's approval plan and firm order purchase requests. The CA provides access to library materials in the ILS database by performing copy cataloging for library materials and editing previously cataloged materials. The incumbent is also charged with developing and maintaining cataloging and acquisitions methods, policies, and procedures and maintaining high levels of accuracy and efficiency.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides access to new library materials by selecting, reviewing, and revising catalog records. Examines each record at a micro level and proofreads MARC codes and record content for consistency and accuracy before adding to the ILS database.

• Hires, trains, and supervises departmental student workers.

• Administers approval book plan and firm orders by: employing a vendor database for orders, searching each selection, assigning proper funds, tracking shipments, alerting faculty regarding approval book arrival, and processing returns.

• Ensures accuracy of order process and payment of invoices by paying invoices in the ILS, verifying transactions for credit card purchases, and reviewing the accuracy of transactions in the ILS and the university's Banner accounting system.

• Selects appropriate vendors, orders, receives, processes payments for, and returns books for the library's Textbook Sharing Program.

• Expends the Library's Collections accounts by placing orders, making payments, and overseeing the documentation of all Collections-related financial transactions in the ILS and in the University's financial accounting system.

• Assists with managing the Library's DDA programs, maintaining deposit levels and tracking purchases/rentals.

• Monitors expenditures, reviews outstanding orders, audits expenditures in Sierra and Banner to ensure agreement.

• Creates reports monthly, annually, and as needed, to update library and University leadership on collections expenditures/balances.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or 2 years of library experience

• Demonstrated understanding of financial management and attention to detail

• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel and Google Drive and its applications

• Excellent oral and written communication, time management skills, and commitment to teamwork

• Interest in understanding and supporting John Carroll's mission to inspire individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and in the world

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in using OCLC, the Acquisitions and Cataloging modules in Innovative Interfaces Sierra ILS, and GOBI3 vendor database

• Experience in a library setting; understanding of an integrated library system or closely related software

Normal Work Location, Hours and Conditions

This position works in-person from our campus in University Heights, Ohio, generally 37.5 hours per week as assigned. This position may require work to be performed outside of normal business hours.

Physical Requirements

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to travel to other office locations and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Hours Full Time FLSA Non-Exempt (Hourly) Compensation & Benefits

Starting salary will be $17.20 - $22.00 per hour, commensurate with qualifications. This position offers a generous Total Rewards package that includes health and dental insurance options, paid vacation, personal, sick, and mission time, holidays, 403 (b) retirement plan, life insurance, and tuition remission benefits for you, your spouse, and children.

About John Carroll University

John Carroll University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit Catholic university, founded in 1886, dedicated to developing people with the knowledge and character to lead and to serve. The University is located in University Heights, Ohio, an attractive residential suburb 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland. Academically, the University consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and the Boler College of Business, which include graduate programs. The University offers more than 70 Academic Programs in the arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and business at the undergraduate level, and in select areas at the master's level.

The University enrolls approximately 2,300 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1. John Carroll University is one of 27 Jesuit universities in the United States and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report magazine's top 10 rankings of Midwest regional universities for more than 30 consecutive years.