Access Services Assistant III

Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care options

Generous retirement contributions

Extensive leave provisions

Job summary

Cornell University Library's Access Services department seeks an Access Services Assistant III to support daily operations, check materials in and out, retrieve and shelve items, and resolve routine circulation issues. The role provides guidance to student assistants and coordinates staff on shifts, training, and performance feedback.

It also supports collection management and stacks operations on-site in Ithaca, NY.

Qualifications

• 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.

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.

Skills

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Flexibility

Organizational skills

Technology proficiency

Education

Associates degree

Job description

The Opportunity

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.

About Cornell University Library

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

• 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.

Position Details

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 winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title

Public Svcs Asst III

Job Family

Library/Museum

Level

C

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$24.30 - $26.79

Remote Option Availability

Onsite

Company

Endowed

Contact Name

Keionda Lewis

Contact Email

[e-mail]

Non-Union Positions

Noted Pay Ranges Reflect The Potential Pay Opportunity For Each Job Profile. The Hiring Rate Of Pay For The Successful Candidate Will Be Determined Considering The Following Criteria

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

Accommodation Details

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice [phone], or email at [e-mail].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [e-mail].

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world‑class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.