User Services & Experience Specialist

Department: Library

Classification: Library Specialist 2

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible; one day of telework per week, and the rest of the days on campus

Schedule: 4pm-12:30am from Sundays to Thursdays

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience; no less than $48,000

About the Department:

The Access & Resource Management (ARM) division works across the Libraries to support the university’s strategic goals and plan by acquiring, managing, and providing access to scholarly resources that enhance curricular and research needs. The division manages the lifecycle of the University Libraries’ scholarly collection from budget development to point of ordering to provision of access and all associated maintenance and assessment. The division is comprised of seven departments: Resource Acquisition (acquisitions, payments, subscription and e-resource management), Resource Licensing & Delivery (licensing and interlibrary loan/resource sharing), Collections Strategy (collections development and analysis), Metadata Services (metadata, cataloging, processing and binding), Database Integrity & Analysis (data collection and analysis, reports, and database cleanup), Preservation Services (physical preservation, stacks, shifts, disaster preparedness and response), and Access Services (Fenwick Information Desk, circulation, consortial loan service, and reserves).

Within ARM, Access Services is responsible for the Fairfax Campus’s main library service point – the Fenwick Library Information Desk – where students and faculty receive assistance with their myriad information and resource needs. The department manages course reserves, circulation, consortium loan services, student spaces and rooms, and point-of-service information needs. Access Services collaborates internally and externally on building maintenance and security issues.

George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of all-inclusive diversity among its students, faculty, and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will support this commitment.

About the Position:

The User Services & Experience Specialist serves as an evening lead for the Information Desk and student assistants. This position provides direct support to the User Services & Experience Coordinator to manage, train, schedule, and supervise up to 30 student assistants. The position supports the circulation and user services functions of the information desk; participates in the development, recommendation, implementation and administration of Access Services policies, procedures and processes; and participates in committees and/or workgroups as required to share knowledge, develop best practices, and advance the work of the Libraries.

Responsibilities:

Evening/Weekend Lead Support

• Supports User Services & Experience Coordinator serving as a lead staff member on-site during the weekend and evening hours and escalates issues appropriately in case of emergency;
• Assists the User Services & Experience Coordinator in advertising/recruiting, interviewing, hiring, scheduling, and training of up to 30 student assistants;
• Assists in the work assessment of student assistants and leads; and
• Helps monitor students in all aspects of customer service.

User Services & Engagement 

• Provides customer service at the Fenwick Library service desk on the Fairfax campus, including circulation services and basic reference service;
• Maintains knowledge of circulation operations, policies and procedures in order to provide courteous service assistance to patrons;
• Explains and enforces library and departmental guidelines, policies, and procedures to provide accurate and satisfactory service and/or information to patrons;
• Responds to and resolves routine and progressively complex inquiries regarding library services, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Uses discretion and independent judgment to help resolve issues and provide exceptional service;
• Serves as the lead in charge of library facilities and services when staff in library administration and/or supervisor are not available, and opens or closes Fenwick Library and/or works weekends as assigned; and
• Contributes to the development and administration of Access Services policies and procedures, and serves on committees or workgroups to share expertise, improve practices, and support library initiatives.

Library Services Platform Support 

• Leads projects related to the Library’s LSP (such as Alma cleanup projects, inventory, etc.); and
• Develops project goals, expectations, and timelines, and shares in relation to these projects with the User Services and Experience Coordinator. 

Other related duties as assigned 

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Customer service experience;
• Library work experience;
• Experience with a library services platform (such as Alma) and research resources (such as EBSCO, JSTOR, ProQuest, etc.);
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills for interacting with library staff, faculty, students and members of the public;
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities for self and others;
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, production, and service-oriented environment; and
• Ability to skillfully navigate sensitive or challenging conversations with professionalism and diplomacy, ensuring alignment and mutual understanding.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field;
• Experience considering the impacts of the work on multiple communities/populations/user groups;
• Experience hiring, training, and/or managing the work of others;
• Experience with Alma Ex-Libris system;
• Ability to serve in a lead capacity during evening/weekend hours; and
• Ability to balance competing priorities with agility, driving progress through proactive problem-solving.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for User Services & Experience Specialist at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: April 30, 2025

Posting Close Date: May 14, 2025

Open Until Filled:  No