Section 2 / Foundation:

Be it new or returning to User Services we look forward to working with you this semester. Below is a brief list of some of what is expected of each of you as you work in User Services, which includes but is not limited to what is listed below.

• Desk Priorities:
  • Assist Patrons in person and by phone
  • Answer and Transfer phone calls
  • Check-in / Checkout items
  • Course Reserve Shelf reading
  • Special projects as assigned
  • Maintain Lost and Found
• Introduce to Circulation Department staff, acquaint with the department. (Part 2)
• Introduce to Alma
• Introduce to Online Catalog
• Review telephone policies and practice telephone procedures.
• LibInsight
  • Logging into uark.libinsight.com
• LibInsight
  • What stats to Enter?
    • Directional
    • Reference

Full training document below - 

Section 3 / Starting at Desk(s):

• Desk Priorities: (Review)
  • Assist patrons / Phone calls / Check-in / Checkout / ILL returns / Record interactions in LibInsight / Course Reserve shelf reading / Lost and Found / Special projects as assigned
• Introduction to the Desk(s)
  • Main Information Desk – This is the primary desk for User Services in answering questions, giving directions, and circulating materials. When working this desk, you must be knowledgeable and ready to help at this desk and other areas throughout the University Libraries.
  • General areas to know:
    • 1^st: Special Collections, Digital Services, Preservation
    • 2^nd: The main library floor, Walton and Hodges Reading Room, AR Creation Studios, Resource Sharing Family Study Space, Calming Room, Children's Literature, Mother's Room, and Event Space.
    • 3^rd: Periodicals, Faculty Reading Room (329) & Graduate Reading Room (333), Faculty Carrels, Quiet Study floor.
    • 4^th: Admin Suite, Library HR, Research and Learning Suite, Consultation Rms, Seminar Rms, Instruction Rms, and 470 (Dean’s Conference Room).
  • Library Stations: 2^nd (Main) Floor and 4th Floor
    • KIC Scanners (Room 237: Print/Scan and top of Spiral Staircase on 4th floor)
    • Print Stations (Room 237: Print/Scan and Southeast side of 4th floor)
• Online catalog - Continued
• Practice looking up items:
• Introduction to Alma – Continued
  • Read over on StaffGuides  
  • Practice (and discuss) the following
    • Checking In/Out different item types.
    • Lookup a patron record (Use the Trainee’s patron record)
    • Search item record(s)
• Introduction to LibInsight and LibCal
• LibInsight
  • What stats to Enter?
    • Directional
    • Reference

Full training document below - 

Section 4 / specific duties for each desk:

When working at any of the User Services Desks it is all of our responsibilities to offer the best service possible. But, we all have tasks that we must complete as individuals and the following will list some of those task(s) that are meant to be completed in a timely fashion by all hourly and work-study employees.Task(s) that should be completed during a shift, before working on personal items.

• Desk Priorities: (Review)
  • Assist Patrons / Phone calls / Give returns to Stacks / Check out / Maintain Course Reserve / Reserve Shelf reading / Special projects as assigned

Information Desk:

• Shelf Reading (Course Reserve Shelves)
• Put away all items into its proper place
• Maintain Lost and Found and email patrons when able
• Maintain the desk/work station(s) to ensure it is ready for work
• Record all interactions in LibInsight
• Review User Services and Help Desk Assistance Chats for important updates
• Perform "rounds"
• Assist patrons with wayfinding
• Teach patrons how to locate an item in our catalog and/or in our stacks
• Check to make sure all keys and accessories are where they should be and checked in.

Use the following lists to help guide hourly and Workstudy employees. These documents are to assist with where part-time employees should focus their time. These tasks should be done at the start of a shift or during times when they are not working on an assigned task or helping a patron. Daily tasks that should be completed during each shift.

Desk Priorities: (Keep in mind as you work)

• Assist Patrons in person and by phone
• Answer and Transfer phone calls
• Make referrals to librarians and University Libraries staff
• Check-in / Check out items
• Shelve and maintain organization of reserve, ILL, and hold items
• Double check and sensitize items
• Special projects as assigned

*The completion of any assigned duty or task during your shift does not absolve anyone person from trying to complete any other tasks or duties that need to be done during their assigned shift. If ever you find yourself overwhelmed or unable to complete any task within your shift be sure to bring it to the attention of your co-workers and/or supervisor so the task may be completed in a timely fashion, by those that are still working. We are a team, and a team supports one another to achieve success, so let us succeed together.

Full document below - 

User Services hourly and work-study (extra-help) employees are an important part of providing high-quality service to the patrons in Mullins Library. For this reason, as an hourly/work-study employee, you are expected to:

• show up on-time and prepared to work for every shift you are assigned. You may clock in up to five minutes early to make sure you are at your assigned desk by the time your shift is scheduled to begin. You will be considered tardy if you arrive at your assigned desk any time after your scheduled shift has begun.
• contact the supervisor on duty as soon as possible if you are going to be late arriving for your shift.  Until you have spoken with a full-time staff member or received confirmation of your message from the supervisor on duty, understand that we will be expecting you to arrive on time.
• contact the supervisor on duty at least one hour prior to your scheduled shift if you cannot come to work (e.g. illness). Until you receive acknowledgement you are responsible for your shift.
• be responsible for a shift once it is assigned to you. You are responsible for finding a substitute hourly or work-study employee if a conflict arises with your schedule.
• use When to Work to check your schedule every week. While you may get used to a “regular” schedule, your assigned shifts are subject to change based on the needs of the department and your indicated availability. The weekly schedule is published by the end of the work day on Wednesday of the previous week.
• use When to Work to accurately indicate your availability. Make sure you update this anytime your availability changes. Also, please include as “unavailable” in your schedule the 30 minutes before and after each of your classes.

Every time an hourly/work-study employee is tardy or absent, the incident will be documented by the supervisor on duty. After an hourly/work-study employee’s third tardy – reported or not –, the employee will receive verbal warning. After three additional tardies or a no-call/no-show absence, the employee will receive a written warning.  A tardy of twenty minutes or more is considered an unexcused absence if the hourly/work-study employee has not notified the supervisor on duty. If the hourly/work-study employee has so many absences or tardies – reported or not – that they create a problem in the work area, the employee may be placed on probation or terminated.  All documentation on an hourly/work-study employee’s attendance will be taken into consideration for that individual’s end of the term evaluation and in the supervisors’ decision on whether or not to invite the hourly/work-study employee to return the following term.

Absences, Attendance Policy, and Attitude

What students should know?

1. Students are required to report to work for scheduled shifts
2. Students should receive one 15-minute break for every 4 consecutive hours worked. Breaks are not scheduled. Remind staff member(s) if a break is needed.
3. Desk-staff are required to find substitutes for absences:  work-studies for work-studies, hourlies for hourlies, exceptions can be made, notify a Supervisor with questions.
4. If a student knows that they will be absent they should…
   1. When time permits, find a replacement or swap shifts with another hourlies/work-study and contact a Supervisor.
   2. When ill, during emergencies, etc. Be sure to contact the library/Supervisors as soon as possible so arrangements can be made.
5. Be sure to inform a User Services Supervisor of your request by phone call, email, or in-person (if able).
6. Contact the supervisor on duty during the scheduled shift in which you are requesting time off.
   1. When sending an email go ahead and include all User Services supervisors, to be sure.

Note: Students must know that they are responsible for their shifts until they are filled. Students are encouraged to pick up shifts if they are available to take them.

Note: If you will be late or missing work, - (for illness or another reason), they must call (479) 575-4104 and speak with the User Services supervisor on duty.

Scenario(s): 

You wake up feeling really sick and know that you cannot work that day. What do you do?

You have to attend a speaker for one of your classes. This event will be held during your normal work hours. What do you do to get the time off?

You have an emergency during your shift at work and must leave. What do you do?

Attitude

Students are encouraged to be proactive on the job. Do not hesitate to ask questions if you do not know something, please ask. This is a real job. Your primary duties while you are working at a service desk are to serve the patrons.

Quiz: In what order would you do the following tasks?

1. Get out your homework
2. Assist a patron at the desk who wants to check out a book
3. Re-shelve reserve materials

Requesting time off –

Part-time staff will be expected to either work their assigned shifts or arrange coverage in advance by switching shifts or working out a deal with a co-worker to take on your shift(s) in addition to theirs.

Before anyone is allowed to take on additional shifts for someone else you must get your supervisor’s approval as both hourly and work-study have limits on how much they can work in a week/semester. 

Once coverage has been found both workers are to alert their supervisor(s) and scheduler. Moving forward supervisors will be the only ones placing time off notifications in employee scheduling software.

What to do when looking for coverage:

Draft an email to your peers (Hourlies and Work-Study) containing the following information.

• The Shift (Date and time) in which you need covered or looking to swap.
• Note if coverage is required for a full shift or a partial shit
• A brief description of why you need the shift covered does not need to be too personal or have too much detail. For example, I have… an exam, emergency, taking a trip, etc.
• CC: Supervisor(s) and Scheduler

Remember to check back to make sure day(s) were approved and all parties notified.

Note: If you need coverage or are expecting to be absent for a lengthy period of time. Please reach out to your supervisor directly so arrangements can be discussed.

Picking up Shifts – When to Work

Login into WhenToWork.com

On the homepage select “Tradeboard – Pick Up Open Shifts” button.

The Trade board page should appear.

The drop menu is located to the right of the page (image below). Here is where one can select the type of position they are looking to cover. “All Positions” is the default selection and changing it will affect what “Unassigned and Available shifts” are shown in the time line below.

The Unassigned and Available Shifts

Once the selection has been made above the information in this portion will change. In this example the selection is “All Positions” and below Main Circ and Research Desk shifts are visible.

Look over the available shifts; if any of the shifts fit your schedule, click on that shift. In the example above, the Research Desk 1pm - 2pm shift has been selected.

Once the shift has been clicked another window will open with the details of the shift. Here you can see the time, duration and position of the shift. To accept the shift click the “Pick Up This Shift” button and select OK to finalize the shift.

Images of the steps described above: