Intermediate Technician, Access Jobs

Job Type:

Employee

Duration in Months (for fixed-term jobs):

11

Job Family:

Library and Archives

# of Open Positions:

1

Faculty/Service - Department:

Discovery Services

Campus:

Morisset Hall

Union Affiliation:

SSUO

Date Posted:

July 31, 2023

Closing Date:

August 14, 2023

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above

Hours per week:

35

Salary Grade:

SSUO Grade 08

Salary Range:

$ - $

Job Family: Library

Job Title (Generic): Access Technician

Job ID (Generic): BIB006

Job Grade: 08

Last Reviewed: September 2018

Position Purpose

Participates in the management of the life-cycle of the Library’s acquired electronic resources, creates and maintains accurate records related to electronic resources, provides data analysis services, and provides user support and troubleshooting services.

Typical Accountabilities

Set up and maintain access: Analyze and organize complex information about new, renewed, replaced/cancelled, and trial resources and make access points available through Library systems such as the link resolver, discovery system and database list in order to allow users to connect to the Library’s millions of subscribed/purchased e-resources.

Provide user support and troubleshooting services: Reinstate lost access, improve mode of access or aid in the use of e-resources by prioritizing and analyzing reports of access problems and help requests; use knowledge of internet communication modes, product documentation, and internal records to diagnose the causes of problems; respond to clients in a service-oriented manner, and effect solutions. Consult Library colleagues and vendors as necessary.

Create and maintain records: Take detailed notes on matters handled and keep relevant documents such as emails, spreadsheets, licenses and vendor-provided title lists; save all such information in internal databases and/or repositories so that it is available to staff for future reference, thus increasing efficiency.

Collect and analyze data: Using various extraction tools, obtain, organize, manipulate, and present analytics such as usage data and serial/monograph metadata and perform analyses using advanced spreadsheet functions to aid in decision processes such as e-resource evaluation and title coverage comparisons.

Monitor shared mailbox and mailing lists: Receive messages from external vendors and internal colleagues, and sort, save, redistribute and/or act on them in order to ensure timely follow-up, resolve problems, preserve information for future reference of Library staff, or share information with colleagues/users.

Communicate E-Resource-related matters to Library colleagues: In order to keep Library colleagues informed of changes to currently-held products and the availability of new products, on a weekly basis send out a compilation of publicity from publishers and vendors. As needed, send out announcements to Library colleagues regarding new/cancelled acquisitions, access changes and problems to allow them to adjust discovery tools, teaching and research practices.

Communicate with vendors: In order to solve access problems on behalf of users, access resources, trial periods, orders, data collections, platforms migration and any other situations that may occur needing contact with vendors relating to electronic resources.

Contribute to E-Resources procedures documents: Provide feedback on procedures created by the Resources Management and Discovery team in order to ensure that the team works in an efficient and streamlined fashion.

Essential Qualifications

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• 2 years of experience in customer service and a user-focused approach.
• Experience with and detailed knowledge of electronic resources such as e-journals, databases and e-books. This knowledge is normally acquired through the successful completion of post-secondary education in a library technician program and/or equivalent years of related experience in a library.

Key Competencies

• Teamwork and cooperation
• Service excellence
• Planning
• Initiative

Other Qualifications

• Experience with Integrated Library Systems (ILS) and/or Library Services Platform (LSP).
• Experience using data manipulation and analysis software, such as Microsoft Office software suite, particularly Excel.
• Knowledge of internet communication protocols, software, and networking as they apply to library electronic resources.
• Knowledge of library acquisitions and collection management processes
• Experience in electronic resources management
• Bilingualism – French and English (spoken and written).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication (particularly written) skills, normally acquired through the successful completion of post-secondary education at the college level or higher.
• Knowledge of cataloguing standards

Typical Contacts or Working Relationships

Library users (Students, Faculty, University Employees)

Respond to user questions using best customer service practices. Ask appropriate questions to understand client requirements.

Resources Management Discovery team

Receive assignments; discuss problems; organize scheduling; provide reports; discuss Human Resources matters.

Other Access Technicians

Collaborate; discuss problems; exchange information.

Head, Collections Strategy

Request information and decisions.

Library staff

Respond to queries. Distribute e-resource-related information.

Librarians

Request information regarding e-resources they have selected for the collections. Provide statistics and analysis for e-resource evaluation.

External vendors

Collaborate to solve access problems. Elicit information and documentation regarding electronic resources.

Metadata & Processing Unit

Communicate problems and suggest/request solutions regarding catalogue records and links. Obtain and transmit MARC records when available.

Library IT Unit

Request updates to proxy server; request password pages; report technical problems related to computing infrastructure.

Initiative, Problem Solving, Key Issues and Challenges

• Solve access problems through analysis, reference to internal databases and records of historical and acquisitions information, and consultation with colleagues and vendors.
• Obtain, manipulate and analyze data for purposes of evaluation and entitlement control using software documentation, internal databases and records of historical and acquisitions information, and consultation with colleagues.
• Capture and document the outcomes of electronic resources management tasks, such as troubleshooting, access management and licenses.

Decision Making

Decisions

• Decide on best methods of troubleshooting technical problems and advising clients in use of products.
• Decide on the task priority in regards to request made through the ticketing system and share mailbox based on impact of the request.

Recommendations

• Proactively recommend procedural changes to Resources Management and Discovery team.
• Recommend best methods for data analysis and presentation.

Dimensions

Troubleshooting requests per month (2015 average)

57

Trials per month (2015 average)

1.3

Electronic collections

Journals

104,783

E-books

1,168,728

Databases

838

Working Conditions

Physical Effort: Minimal/Moderate/Considerable

The position is required to sit for extended periods of time and attend meetings, usually with freedom to move about.

Physical Environment: Minimal/Moderate/Considerable

The position works in an open space office environment with rare exposure to unpleasant conditions.

Sensory Attention: Minimal/Moderate/Considerable

There is a regular need to concentrate while analysing problems and reports and identifying solutions.

Mental Stress: Minimal/Moderate/Considerable

Mental stress results from pressure to meet deadlines and occasional exposure to unpleasant relations with dissatisfied users and vendors.

Key Competencies at uOttawa:

Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa:

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.

Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.

Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.

Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [email protected] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.