Access/Information Services Specialist 1

Date Posted: 05/31/2024
Req ID:37418
Faculty/Division: Library
Department: User Services – Research & Education
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

About Us:

The University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) system is the largest academic library in Canada and is fourth among peer institutions in North America, behind just Harvard, Yale and Columbia. The system consists of 42 libraries located on three university campuses: St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough. This array of college libraries, special collections, and specialized libraries and information centres supports the teaching and research requirements of 300 graduate programs, over 70 professional programs, and more than 700 undergraduate degree programs. More than 150,000 new print volumes are acquired each year. The UTL data centre houses more than 200 servers with a storage capacity of 1.5 petabytes.

Your opportunity:

The Access / Information Services Specialists in the User Services Department will provide direct public services via email, chat, in person at the Information Desk, and at other service points. As workflow leaders, the Access / Information Services Specialists will play a key role in scheduling and training students and full-time staff; preparing documentation and training manuals; recording and compiling statistics; reviewing student timecards; reviewing and approving room booking schedules; and performing other administrative duties. They will also prepare, update, and publish external documentation on the Libraries’ website and other content management platforms.

To support User Services’ Knowledge Synthesis activities, the Access/Information Services Specialist may run searches in bibliographic databases using pre-designed search strings and prepare the results for screening including saving, deduplicating, and uploading results using software tools. They may also support other growing services such as web archiving and digital scholarship.

Other duties include liaising with other library or University departments and staff and representing the unit or unit’s services at committee meetings.

Both Access / Information Services Specialists will be members of the User Services’ Research & Education team. One Access/ Information Services Specialist will report to the Assistant Head, User Services and Head, Research & Education; one Access / Information Services Specialist will report to a User Services Librarian.

Qualifications (Minimum)

Education:

Community College graduation, preferably in Library Sciences, required; or acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

Minimum of two years’ experience gained in a research or academic library setting required
Knowledge of web and bibliographic database searching required
Workflow leadership experience preferred
Working knowledge of the University of Toronto library system and organization of services preferred
Basic knowledge of Drupal or another major web editing application preferred

Skills:

High level of accuracy and attention to detail
Excellent problem-solving skills
Ability to plan and coordinate projects
Strong interpersonal skills
Demonstrated commitment to the values of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility
Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills including in an online environment
Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently
Excellent time management and organizational skills

Note: This posting is for two 1-year Term positions .

Closing Date: 06/10/2024,11:59PM ET
Employee Group: CUPE 1230
Appointment Type: Budget – Term
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: CUPE 1230 (4U) – Step 1: $68,993 – Step 2: $71,694 – Step 3: $74,522
Job Category: Library Services

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.