Circulation Specialist

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Williamsburg (VA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

William & Mary Libraries seeks a Circulation Specialist to staff the circulation desk, assist patrons, and help manage daily access to Swem Library's collections and facilities.

Reporting to the Head of Circulation, you will supervise student employees, coordinate delivery and reserves, oversee stacks maintenance, and support billing and facilities coordination on a rotating schedule (Mon–Fri with occasional evenings/weekends).

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required with customer service experience.
• Experience hiring, training, supervising, or directing others.
• Ability to prioritize, apply policies, and solve problems independently.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; adaptable to changing priorities.
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of student employees by assigning and prioritizing work and providing training.
• Deliver welcoming service at the circulation desk and resolve patron questions.
• Coordinate delivery, reserves, stacks maintenance, and billing in Alma.
• Serve as building lead on a rotating schedule with some evening/weekend hours.
• Support facilities coordination and safety procedures.

Skills

Customer service

Supervising/mentoring

Policy interpretation

Communication

Independent work

Teamwork

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Requisition:

JR102127 Circulation Specialist (Open)

Job Posting Title:

Circulation Specialist

Department:

CC00054 WM001 | SWEM | Swem Library Operating

Job Family:

Staff - Library Support

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular (benefited)

Job Requisition Primary Location:

William & Mary

Primary Job Posting Location:

Posting Location - William & Mary

Job Description Summary:

William & Mary Libraries welcomes more than 600,000 visitors each year, and the Circulation team is often their first point of contact. We seek a Circulation Specialist who will serve as a knowledgeable, welcoming presence at the heart of Swem Library — someone who takes pride in excellent service, enjoys developing student employees, and keeps the daily operations of a busy academic library running smoothly.

Reporting to the Head of Circulation, the Circulation Specialist staffs the circulation desk, supports access to library collections and facilities, and leads a team of student employees. The position plays a key role in daily access services operations including delivery services, course reserves, stacks maintenance, billing, and facilities coordination and regularly serves as the person in charge of the building. This is an excellent opportunity for a service-oriented professional who wants to grow their leadership skills while contributing to the teaching, learning, and research mission of one of the nation's top-ranked university libraries.

This position follows a rotational schedule and requires some flexibility. Shifts are typically Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Job Description:

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma.
• Experience working in a customer service environment.
• Experience hiring, training, supervising, mentoring, or directing the work of others.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize assignments, interpret and apply policies and procedures, and solve problems independently.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a wide variety of people.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Previous experience working in a library.
• Experience using an integrated library system (e.g., Alma).
• Experience with inventory management, collection maintenance, or library stacks.
• Experience coordinating projects or workflows.

Conditions of Employment:

• This position requires a valid driver’s license.
• This is a non-exempt position, eligible to receive overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. This position may be subject to overtime during high peak times, etc. as directed and approved by the supervisor.
• This position follows a rotational schedule and requires some flexibility. Shifts are typically Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Duties:

35%- Leading and Supporting Student Employees:

• Lead a team of student employees by assigning and prioritizing work, answering questions, providing training, and modeling professional, patron-centered service.
• Provide day-to-day coaching, feedback, and mentoring that builds consistent service quality and supports students' professional growth.
• Ensure student employees understand and apply library policies, procedures, service expectations, and workplace responsibilities.

25%- Service Desk and Patron Support:

• Deliver excellent, welcoming service at the circulation desk: checking materials in and out, resolving patron questions, and interpreting library policies with sound judgment and care.
• Serve as a knowledgeable, go-to resource on library services, systems, spaces, and campus resources.
• Foster a welcoming environment for library users, student employees, colleagues, and campus partners.

20%- Circulation and Access Services Operations:

• Coordinate delivery services with library partners to ensure timely transport of physical and electronic materials.
• Maintain the organization and accessibility of Swem Library's collections, including off-site storage.
• Plan, coordinate, and monitor stacks maintenance projects, including shifting, shelf reading, and collection management that keep collections discoverable and well cared for.
• Support billing workflows, including price lookups, work orders, and patron account maintenance in Alma.
• Support the course reserves workflow by processing requests, communicating with faculty, and ensuring timely, accurate completion in support of student success.

15%- Facilities, Safety, and Security:

• Routinely serve as the person in charge of the library, ensuring the safety and security of people, collections, and facilities.
• Understand and apply building safety procedures, operate the PA system, and respond appropriately during emergencies.
• Open and close Swem Library according to established schedules.
• Coordinate building maintenance issues with Facilities Management using established reporting procedures.

5%- Data, Projects, Events, and Other Departmental Support:

• Collect and analyze data to support project planning and workflow improvements.
• Assist with library events and perform other duties as assigned to support departmental operations.

Salary: $40,000 up to $49,000 commensurate with experience

Additional Job Description:

Job Profile:

JP0260 - Library Specialist II - Nonexempt - Salary - S06

Qualifications:

Compensation Grade: S06

Recruiting Start Date:

2026-10-02

Position Restrictions:

Continuing E&G funded position and not term-limited

EEO is the Law.Applicants can learn more about William & Mary’s status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the "Know Your Rights" poster published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal

Background Check:

William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check.

Applicant Notice:

By applying for this position, you consent to William & Mary's use, review, and retention of your application materials for recruitment and employment purposes. Materials may be shared with authorized individuals participating in the hiring process and will be managed in accordance with applicable laws and university policies.

Probationary Period Notice:

Individuals selected for full-time staff positions will be required to complete a twelve (12) month probationary period in accordance with university policy.

Remote Work Disclaimer:

Remote work eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to approval. Employee eligibility depends on the likelihood of the employee succeeding in a remote work arrangement and the supervisor’s ability to manage remote workers. Departments and/or Human Resources may amend, alter, change, delete, or modify eligibility.