Collections Assistant IV

Cornell University; United States; On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Generous retirement contributions

Wellness programs

Employee discounts with local and N t

Job summary

Cornell University seeks a Research Services Coordinator for the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections in Ithaca, NY. The role supports researchers in accessing rare collections, conducts reference interviews, and guides users through catalogs, finding aids, and online request systems.

On-site coordination is essential to deliver materials for scheduled research visits. Responsibilities include managing high-volume inquiries, coordinating appointments, and collaborating with staff to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and up to 2 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Strong commitment to providing user-centered research services.
• Ability to work independently and to set priorities, meet deadlines, and respond to fluctuating workloads.
• Ability to effectively communicate and enforce policies and procedures with colleagues and researchers.
• Ability to perform detailed work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Respond to high-volume email and phone reference inquiries.
• Perform complex subject searches using specialized databases and resources, possibly in a second language.
• Coordinate reading room appointments and confirm requests with researchers.
• Assist researchers with online catalogs, finding aids, and request systems.
• Collaborate with staff to ensure timely delivery of materials for research appointments.
• Assign queries to subject specialists and provide initial responses to researchers.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Organization

Policy enforcement

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

LibAnswers

Aeon

Job description

The Opportunity

Under the direction of the Head of Research Services, this position facilitates researcher access to RMC's valuable and irreplaceable special collections materials and serves as the first point of contact for researchers. The position coordinates on-site research services, communicates policies and procedures, and conducts complex reference interviews to determine researcher needs. It also assists researchers with online systems and collaborates with staff to provide requested materials.

About The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections

The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections is Cornell's principal repository for rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials spanning a wide range of disciplines. Its collections include more than 500,000 printed volumes, more than 80 million manuscripts, and approximately one million photographs, paintings, prints, and other visual media.

Key Responsibilities

Research Services Coordination

• Respond to a high volume of email and phone reference inquiries using broad general knowledge of RMC's collections.
• Perform complex subject searches using specialized databases and a variety of print and electronic resources, which may require knowledge of a second language.
• Coordinate reading room appointment services and communicate with researchers to confirm appointments and review requests.
• Assist researchers with online catalogs, finding aids, and request systems.
• Work closely with staff to ensure timely delivery of materials for research appointments.
• Assign reference queries and restriction reviews to appropriate subject specialists and provide researchers with defined initial responses.
• Compose and maintain template responses for staff responding to reference questions.
• Collaborate with the Head of Research Services to assess services, make policy recommendations, and streamline operating procedures for onsite research services.

Research Assistance

• Monitor and assist researchers using collection materials while ensuring reading room policies and security procedures are consistently followed.
• Alert appropriate staff to potential security issues involving valuable, rare, and unique materials.
• Interpret public services and security policies for students, faculty, visiting scholars, and the general public.

What We Need

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and up to 2 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Strong commitment to providing user-centered research services.
• Ability to work independently and to set priorities, meet deadlines, and respond to fluctuating workloads.
• Ability to effectively communicate and enforce policies and procedures with colleagues and researchers.
• Ability to perform detailed work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent time management skills, organization skills, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated computer skills (standard office software packages, database searching, basic file manipulation).
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a special collections library, academic library, museum, archives, or historical society.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, LibAnswers and Aeon.

This is a full-time (39 hours/week) position that is based in Ithaca, NY and fully on-site.

Core hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm. 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.

• comprehensive health care options
• generous retirement contributions
• access to wellness programs
• employee discounts with local and national retail brands

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.

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 the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell.

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