Role Summary

The Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai seeks a creative and innovative Manager of Public Services to provide leadership, strategic planning, and management for the daily operational activities of the Library’s Circulation and Access Services Departments which includes staff management, facilities, equipment and collections maintenance, lending and resource sharing services and user support services. Under the direction of the Associate Director of Public Services, the incumbent works collaboratively with internal and external partners to lead the department to support users’ learning and research needs in a continuously evolving academic and clinical environment. 

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership, Management, and Team Building (20%)

• Leads by creating an environment where team members are empowered to work individually, collaboratively, and collectively towards achieving departmental and Library goals.
• Develops, articulates and leads department goals in support of the Library’s strategic plan and the goals of the Public Services group (Access Services, Circulation Services, and Outreach and Engagement).
• Develops, recommends and administers policies, procedures and processes in support of the Access and Circulation Services operations.
• Oversees the hiring, support and training of access and circulation services staff.
• Facilitates access to appropriate development opportunities for staff.
• Prepares, maintains, and updates departmental  training guides, manuals and online materials for staff.
• Communicates with the Associate Director, Public Services and the rest of the Library and Academic IT leadership team regarding the operations of the Circulation and Access Services departments and prepares regular narrative and statistical reports.

Circulation Services (40%)

1. User Support Services 

• Oversees and provides direction for the day-to-day work of the Circulation Services team.
• Oversees scheduling of staff at the circulation services desk to ensure adequate coverage during the Library’s operational hours. 
• Provides guidance to the Mount Sinai community in the use of library resources, and services, facilities, equipment, and technology; troubleshoots technical problems and equipment issues.
• Assists patrons with complaints, concerns, and other circulation services related requests.
• Oversees lending of physical materials and technological equipment.
• Fulfillment and user accounts administrator for the integrated library system, Alma.
• User accounts administrator for print management system, Pharos.
• Manages vendor accounts, billing, and communications for security, library equipment, applications, and other services used by the Circulation Services department.
• Manages and updates all content on circulation services-related webpages and Libguides.
• Collects and analyzes statistics related to circulation services activities, ensuring statistics (i.e., collection use, user services transactions, building use, and resource sharing) are consistently and accurately recorded.
• Explores emerging technologies and service models and leads the department in evaluating and implementing new services when appropriate.
• Staffs a weekly shift on the Levy Library’s Ask-A-Librarian service, fielding reference  inquiries via email, text, chat, phone (currently virtual only).

2. Physical Collections, Public Spaces and Facilities 

• Ensures that the library is opened and closed according to policies and procedures.
• Ensures a safe and scholarly research environment for library staff, users and resources.
• Assesses, plans, manages, relocates and maintains the stacks and furnishings.
• Oversees all shelving operations in the Levy Library, collaborating with the collections team to analyze library-wide physical collections statistics for related space considerations, plans and justifications.
• Maintains and updates library wayfinding and operations-related signage.
• Communicates Library operational changes with Library and Academic IT stakeholders and patrons.
• Monitors the custodial and maintenance of the public spaces and initiates appropriate action with Academic IT administration and Mount Sinai Facilities regarding any issues with furniture, equipment, classrooms, and public library spaces.
• Collaborates with Academic IT Administration to ensure staff and patron safety issues are proactively prevented and building safety security issues are also addressed.
• Maintains and updates emergency preparedness and disaster recovery plans for the library collections and public spaces.

Access Services (40%)

• Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Access Services unit.
• Oversees day-to-day access services operations along with serving as the administrator for resource sharing platforms.
• Collects data and prepares usage and other reports for Library and Academic IT leadership.
• Organizes and monitors the workload and staffing of the unit to provide services responsive to user needs. 
• Oversees accounts, billing and payments for services rendered.
• Maintains online user guides, implements software updates, and coordinates Access Services' web presence.
• Explores trends in technology and Access Services; collaborates with internal departments to develop, implement, and evaluate assessment programs for continuous improvement of Access Services.

 

Required Qualifications and Skills

• MLS/MLIS from an ALA-accredited program required.
• 2-5 years previous experience working in a public, academic, or research library, preferably in a health sciences library setting.
• Demonstrated experience with strategic planning, including establishing and executing strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to schedule, supervise, train and evaluate work of staff.
• Demonstrated experience working in a direct patron-facing role. 
• Proven strong public service and communication skills; able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing with a diverse population of students, faculty, clinicians, and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and resolve problems quickly and effectively, including handling complex and sensitive patron and staff issues with patience, diplomacy, respect, and discretion.
• Demonstrated experience using database or library management software and applications.
• Proficiency with new technologies and computer applications including but not limited to office software (MS Office), project management and communications platforms, web searching platforms, team communications platforms, and LMS/CRM/CMS type platforms.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Prior experience in circulation services and/or interlibrary loan services.
• Familiarity with LibApps platform (LibGuides, LibAnswers, etc.).
• Experience using ILLiad, Docline, OCLC Worldcat, Ex Libris Alma/Primo applications.
• Experience searching online bibliographic databases, preferably using biomedical and interdisciplinary resources such as PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science.
• Experience providing library reference and instruction services in an academic and/or health sciences library setting.
• Aptitude for learning and troubleshooting software/hardware systems efficiently and thoroughly.

Other Requirements:

• On-site position.
• This position involves moderate exposure to normal stress and pressures typical of a department head-level management position.
• Shift changes and evening/weekend work may be required based on competing priorities, operational needs, and time-sensitive activities. 
• Use of cash register and point of sale cashiering system may also be required.

Application Information:

• Salary Range: 65-70K
• Deadline for Submissions: Applications received by January 21, 2022 will receive first consideration.
• To Apply: Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should submit the following information requested: a cover letter, a complete resume, and a list of three professional references (names and contact information only) via the Mount Sinai Careers Portal.

About the Levy Library

The mission of the Gustave L. and Janet W. Levy Library is to support the educational, research and patient care activities of the faculty, students and staff of the Mount Sinai Health System. The Library implements its mission by providing access to biomedical information resources in paper, digital and electronic formats, and by serving as a resource on communications, web and computing issues for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. 

Learn more about the Levy Library

About the Icahn School of Medicine

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is an international leader in medical and scientific training, biomedical research, and patient care. It is the medical school for the Mount Sinai Health System, which includes eight hospital campuses, and has more than 5,000 faculty and nearly 2,000 students, residents and fellows. Our unwavering pursuit of intellectual exchange, breakthrough research, and multidisciplinary teamwork propels us ever forward in biomedical discoveries and advances. We pursue ideas that often challenge conventional wisdom to revolutionize the practice of medicine and produce dramatically better outcomes for patients. We make big, bold bets by investing in radical free thinkers and technology at the cutting edge.

Learn more about the Icahn School of Medicine

Apply online here