UCSD Libraries

Assistant III Task Descriptions

April 12, 1996

In circulation operations:

• Charges, discharges and renews library materials using on-line circulation system.
• In person or via telephone, provides patron information and directional assistance.
• Assists career staff in opening and closing a branch library.
• Provides general on-line catalog assistance for known items in class reserves materials.
• Assists patrons in basic search techniques on ROGER and MELVYL.
• Registers patrons for MELVYL passwords.
• Creates on-the-fly records for items not on automated circulation system.
• Accepts and reviews applications for library cards and issues cards.
• Opens & closes isolated unit without direct supervision, contacting career staff elsewhere in building in case of emergency [CPNM]
• Assists patrons in basic search techniques on ROGER, MELVYL and Article databases [CPNM]
• Performs holding checks in ROGER for bibliographers [CPNM]
• In charge of unit when staff is not present, relying upon Circulation Supervisor's assistance when needed [CPNM]
• Using basic Reference tools to assist patrons in locating material (Micro indexes, Ulrich International Periodicals Directory, Union List of Newspapers) [CPNM]

In billing operations:

• Verifies overdue materials for which users are to be billed by checking on-line files and doing a shelf check.
• Verifies replacements costs and establishes correct fine total. Updates patron record on InnoPac.

In technical services operations:

• Searches InnoPac for bibliographic record that matches item in hand and attaches completed item record to bibliographic record.
• Creates minimal-level, non-MARC bibliographic and item records on InnoPac.
• Searches OCLC for matching copy and downloads copy, attaching order and item records to create acquisitions order record.

In interlibrary loan operations:

Borrowing:

• Monitors OCLC ILL message file; prepares ILL requests using OCLC, ALA, FAX and e-mail as needed; processes incoming materials for patron use and for return to lending institution; processes billing forms and forwards same to Business Services Dept.

Lending:

• Uses OCLC, e-mail, FAX and telephone to receive requests, as needed; maintains and monitors lending request files; pulls materials and mails or Faxes as needed; updates requests on OCLC; prepares and mails notices to borrowing libraries, including recalls and overdues.

In photocopy operations:

• Oversees small branch library photocopy operation, including assigning billing charges, and insures timely response to LPS requests.

In technical services operations:

• Performs card-by-card shelflist inventory by searching InnoPac for a record that corresponds to each shelflist card to determine whether the appropriate bib. record in present on InnoPac and if so: compare each shelflist card to the corresponding InnoPac bibliographic and item records to identify and correct erroneous call numbers, titles, title non-filing indicators, imprints, branches, shelving locations, and holdings, and to add missing holdings.
• Performs final review of materials cataloged for multiple locations by comparing call #, title, location, bar-code and branch on each piece to the InnoPac record, and when necessary, correcting same.
• Resolves and corrects simple discrepancies found in InnoPac database.
• Processes location transfers for all UCSD libraries and collections served by the CUL processing unit. Searches OCLC, MELVYL and other bibliographic tools as necessary for cataloging copy for serials.
• In branch library, acts as assistant to the manager of the Tech. Services. unit, carrying out bibliographic searching; receiving and processing of standing orders monographs, gifts, and government documents on microfiche; corresponding with publishers; checking in serials; and editing and updating serial records as needed.
• Processes subject headings used for the first time in InnoPac. Determines which authority records need to be exported from OCLC to InnoPac. Updates subject headings in bibliographic records to conform with authority records. Resolves conflicts as encountered and refers those which cannot be easily resolved to the supervisor. Revises the work of lower level student assistants.
• Creates K-level catalog records for working papers on OCLC using constant data records. This includes determining and transcribing author(s), titles, publisher, collation, ISBN, and notes from piece into OCLC.
• Catalogs Chinese language monographs using AACR2 Library of Congress MARC copy on the OCLC CJK system. This includes verifying headings on InnoPac and OCLC, adding cross references to authority records as necessary, and exporting authority records from OCLC to InnoPac. In addition, parallel Chinese vernacular fields for prescribed fields of the cataloging record are supplied when necessary.
• Coordinates added copies processing, which includes processing added copies on-line to the five branch libraries within the CUL processing unit.
• Provides original descriptive records on OCLC for theses/dissertations.

For Special Collections: manuscript/archival processing:

• Perform detailed, complex searches for missing books following established procedures.
• Understand and follow established guidelines for sorting, arranging, listing and describing personal papers and archival records, including: (this task can be found under Assistant II level as well as Assistant III, the responsibility level is different depending on the tasks undertaken).
• Analyze documents for subject content and categorize by material format following defined criteria.
• Organize and arrange loose manuscript materials in an appropriate order established by the supervisor or, when appropriate, propose arrangement plan for supervisor's approval, applying hierarchical principles and analytical skills to determine correct placement of individual items.
• Create brief bibliographic and item records in InnoPac for newly received theses and dissertations.
• Perform final review to verify data or to identify errors in description, location coding and labeling of rare books by comparing InnoPac record, work slip and cataloged item; correct error or bring them to the attention of the supervisor.
• Match OCLC cards with material cataloged in Special Collections and annotate special locations when appropriate.
• Identify mismatches, missing cards, missing or incorrect InnoPac records, call number discrepancies and other problems for later resolution.