The Boston University Libraries seek a User Services Manager to meet the research and curricular needs of Libraries users by providing leadership and management of BU Libraries’ service points operating outside of regular business hours. Reporting to the Head of Access Services and Library Experience, this position is responsible for daily operations of Libraries service points in the evenings and on weekends, including building access, customer service, circulation services, course reserves, triaged reference work, directional help, and other front-line services. The manager ensures continuity of service across shifts and branch locations and maintains expectations for service levels with their team of evening and weekend user services staff. This position contributes to the development of departmental policies and ensures their consistent implementation across operating hours as well as to projects aimed at the improvement and cohesion of user experience for library patrons, including leading project teams and organizing staff efforts to advance ongoing projects for improving collections and services.
The User Services Manager will:
- Hire, train, schedule, supervise, develop, and evaluate personnel staffing service points in BU Libraries branches with shifts that commence after 3 p.m. Participate in a rotation with other User Services Managers and Head of Access Services and Library Experience as an on-call manager outside of regular work hours. Managers on call will, as necessary, receive notifications for unplanned absences, monitor staffing levels (full time staff and student), redeploy staff to meet shortfalls, answer staff questions, and address any escalated service issues or incidents.
- Oversee and model excellent customer service at Libraries service points, aligned with the expectations of Libraries leadership and the Libraries Service Philosophy. Provide day-to-day leadership, prioritizing and delegating responsibilities and tasks. Identify and address emergent issues of staffing or service provision. Coordinate with the Boston University Police Department to support and ensure patron safety and building security.
- Coordinate across the Access Services unit to identify areas for collaboration and support in service delivery. Maintain familiarity with various workflows and projects across the unit and identify opportunities for cross training. Produce training and documentation enabling both full time and student staff to support evolving departmental needs. Play a lead or key role in special projects aimed at improving and standardizing service.
- Collaborate with other managers and colleagues responsible for service points across the library system, ensuring consistency of service quality and user experience. Facilitate resource sharing, including staffing, across branch service points. Participate on relevant departmental and library-wide committees and working groups as directed to advance emergent and long-term strategic needs of the libraries to advance and improve the experience of library users.
Required Skills
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Minimum three years of relevant professional experience.
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
For consideration, please submit a cover letter, CV, and list of professional references. The position will remain open until filled.
Working at Boston University Libraries
Boston University Libraries is a learning organization that supports BU librarians, archivists, and information and subject specialists seeking and sharing knowledge, practices, and perspectives that advance library collections services, and their own professional development. In a collaborative, supportive, and engaging work environment, BU Libraries expert staff assist multidisciplinary research and exploration, build distinctive collections and archives of enduring research value, and empower users to thrive amid an ever-changing information environment.
Located in the heart of Boston, the BU Libraries are embedded in numerous vibrant regional and national library and information specialist networks. The BU Libraries are active members within the Boston Library Consortium (BLC), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Northeast Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), HathiTrust, and the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and library staff at BU serve as engaged thought-leaders on a wide breadth of library management and service areas across diverse communities.
Boston University, a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), is one of the leading private research and teaching institutions in the world, with three primary campuses in the heart of Boston and programs around the globe. Chartered in 1869, the University is home to more than 33,000 students from more than 130 countries, 375,000 living alumni, 10,000 faculty and staff, and 17 schools and colleges.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
