Access Services Assistant III

Access Services Assistant III

The Access Services Assistant III supports daily library operations by checking materials in and out, retrieving and shelving materials, and resolving routine circulation and equipment-related issues. The position follows established protocols, maintains records, performs electronic and print searches, and addresses policy infractions as needed. The role also provides guidance and functional oversight to student assistants, including training and performance feedback. Additionally, the position assists with collection management, including coordinating staff, relocating materials, monitoring space utilization, and supporting large or complex stacks areas.

Cornell University Library provides welcoming spaces, expansive collections, and innovative services that support academic achievement and intellectual exploration. The Access Services Department supports system-wide library access functions, including circulation, interlibrary services, document delivery, scanning, reserves, and stacks management. The department also oversees building coverage, patron billing, offsite storage, and other unit-specific services such as equipment loans and patron carrels/studies.

Key Responsibilities

• Update and troubleshoot item records.
• Shelve returned and incoming materials neatly in call number order.
• Complete shelf-reading, shifting, and claims returned projects as assigned.
• Fulfill requests for materials.
• Assist faculty, students, staff, and other library users in locating materials in stacks.
• Follow established protocols and resolve infractions by halting the action, explaining library policies, and/or reporting serious infractions to the designated authority.
• Participate in projects or other duties as assigned, with occasional work responsibility falling above or below current classification.
• Provide functional oversight of student assistants working the same shift, including training and providing performance feedback to the student's supervisor.
• Provide guidance to staff on specific tasks/projects.
• Assist with preparation of serials and monographs for binding.
• Perform basic and moderately complex electronic or print searches to verify information.
• Contribute to Access Services shared staffing in other library units as needed.
• Complete any university required compliance trainings.

What We Need

For further consideration, please submit a resume and cover letter.

• Associates degree and up to 2 years customer service experience or equivalent combination.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to changing work environment while providing consistent and accurate information.
• Organizational ability and aptitude for detailed work.
• Demonstrated experience with new and emerging technologies; must be able to work with specialized desktop applications and the internet and show demonstrated ability to learn new systems quickly and effectively.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it's ok if you don't.

• Library experience.
• Knowledge of Library of Congress (LC) classification system.

This is a full-time (39 hours/week) position that is based in Ithaca, NY and fully on-site. Core hours are Sunday to Thursday 10:00am - 6:30pm. The final schedule will be established in collaboration with the supervisor.

Rewards and Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits:
  Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays:
  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year…