Circulation Assistant

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian university is seeking a Circulation Assistant to manage the circulation desk, assist patrons, and handle operational duties in the library. The ideal candidate will have a Library Technician diploma, strong customer service skills, and the ability to work independently during evening and weekend shifts. This role offers a competitive salary within the range of $4,281.00 - $4,386.00 CAD monthly.

Qualifications

• High School graduation and two year Library Technician diploma or equivalent experience.
• Ability to type 40wpm and operate library equipment.
• Effective communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide circulation and informational services to library users.
• Handle cash and debit/credit transactions at the desk.
• Assist with the resolution of circulation issues.

Skills

Customer service

Information retrieval

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Education

Library Technician diploma

Tools

Word processing software

Excel

Library Database systems

Job description

Overview

Staff - Union Job Category CUPE 2950 Job ProfileCUPE 2950 Salaried - Pub Svc Library Asst 2 (Gr4) Job Title Circulation Assistant Department UBC Library | Music, Art & Architecture | Circulation Compensation Range $4,281.00 - $4,386.00 CAD Monthly Posting End Date October 1, 2025. Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date Ongoing

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

Works at the Circulation Desk providing Circulation and informational services to users and provides basic to moderately complex reference assistance. Provides office assistance for MAA Library-Circulation. During evening and weekend work, serves as the sole desk attendant and is responsible for all issues related to patron service. Assists other staff with overdues, rush/traces, reserve, storage, and special projects. Collects, sorts and shelves library materials. Performs online holdings and item file maintenance duties as required.

Organizational Status

Works under the direction of the MAA Library Manager. Independent action is sometimes required during evening and weekend shifts, but work is usually performed according to established policies and procedures. Coordinates the work of MAA student assistants when working evenings or weekends. Maintains close working relationships with other staff members and librarians of the MAA Library, The Learning Commons (CLC), ASRS/PARC and other UBC Library branches/units and the public.

Work Performed

• Acts as an initial resource person for by performing duties such as providing information to patrons, responding to inquiries and complaints, and resolving disputes.
• Assists in the resolution of moderately complex problems in the areas of circulation, course reserves, and stack maintenance.
• Works at the Circulation Desk providing services including charging, discharging and renewals. Place holds, traces, recalls and rush cataloguing requests. Accepts and process cash and debit/credit payments for library products and fines. Verifies floats and operates the cash register and debit machine. Process refunds. Clears hold shelf of expired requests.
• Monitors security gates and building alarms. Provides assistance or access to disabled users, couriers, building operations and campus security. Opens and closes the library. Receives reports of thefts and incidents in the Library. Contacts Plant Operations to deal with Trouble Calls. Contacts Patrol and RCMP when dealing with serious patron or building security problems.
• Explains and enforces library policies and procedures. Interprets patron and/or circulation records. Refers complex overdues questions and all fine reductions, cancellations or increases to the MAA Library Overdues assistant.
• Provides basic to moderately complex reference assistance to patrons at a service point. This includes: asking questions to assist in assessing user needs, directing patrons to necessary resources, demonstrating how to navigate and use the UBC Library website, and demonstrating how to search for needed information in a range of formats. Refers complex questions to appropriate librarian.
• Deals with all problems and/or emergencies that may occur when working as the sole or as one of two permanent staff members during evenings and weekends.
• Assists the Senior Circulation Desk and Collections Maintenance coordinators in showing MAA student assistants basic circulation, sorting and shelving procedures. Co-ordinates the work of student assistants when on duty evenings and weekends.
• Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate services by retrieving and storing items in the ASRS, evenings, weekends and during exceptional circumstances.
• Collects, sorts, shelves, shelf reads, arranges, moves and straightens stack materials.
• Traces missing or unrecorded books daily, searches all possible locations, informs requestor by email if material is available or still missing.
• Repairs and mends worn books and journals as directed by a senior library assistant. Tips in pages. Re-labels books as required. Assists with preparation of books for bindery shipments as required.
• Assists with the labelling and physical preparation of reserve materials as required.
• Assists with physical processing of MAA collections as directed by a senior library assistant.
• Fills copiers with paper and toner. Clears jams. Responds to user complaints about these machines.
• Delivers mail to the Mail Room and picks up mail for distribution within the MAA Library.
• Records and reports work statistics as required.
• Performs other duties related to the qualifications and requirements of the job.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Work is monitored to ensure adherence to established work policies. Errors in Circulation duties would cause inconvenience to both staff and patrons. Errors in judgement with regard to supplies could result in unnecessary costs to the Library and delay of work dependent upon those supplies. Tasks are clearly defined and unusual problems are referred to the supervisor.

Supervision

Supervision Received — Reports to Manager, MAA Library. Works independently with minimal supervision on evenings and weekends. Work is performed in accordance with broadly established procedures and practices requiring initiative to plan and complete recurring assignments independently, and judgement to determine which of many methods are applicable in any given situation. Receives guidance and functional supervision from the ASRS & PARC Operations Manager for ASRS related duties. Performance reviews are conducted by the Manager, MAA Library.

Supervision Given — None.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School graduation, plus two year Library Technician diploma, plus two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of library policies, procedures and circulation services. Ability to understand bibliographic records and to use on-line searching protocols. Ability to interpret and apply library policies with consistency. Must be able to type 40wpm and to operate the normal range of library equipment. Computer experience required (Word, Excel, Library Database systems preferred). Ability to use word processing, spreadsheet, library database applications at an intermediate level. Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to provide quality service to a diversity of customers in a courteous, patient and respectful manner. Ability to recognize, respect and work effectively with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Takes initiative in learning about language and issues relating to equity and diversity. Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships and engage in workplace culture. Ability to recognize and appreciate the contributions of colleagues. Committed to demonstrating respect to colleagues at every level by trusting in their abilities and knowledge to perform their roles and earning respect through meeting commitments. Models and demonstrates good communication through active listening and appreciative inquiry and open to providing and receiving timely, constructive feedback. Listens to, encourages and expresses creative and innovative ideas. Open to experiment and improvise with new ways of approaching processes, tasks or problems. Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to prioritize work and to meet deadlines. Ability to work both independently and within a team environment. Ability to follow and carry out instructions. Ability to lift up to 20 kgs of boxed materials and to push fully loaded book trucks. Ability to sort and file accurately. Must be able to work a 5-day work week and evenings and weekends as required.