University of Baltimore Law
Library
Circulation Desk Assistant Training
Bijal Shah
Circulation/Interlibrary Loan Librarian
May 30, 2006
Circulation Desk Assistant Training:
Overview
 Welcome and Introductions
 Basic Policies
 Job Duties
 Scheduling
 Staffing of the Circulation and
Reference Desks
 Administrative Information
 Tour of Library
Desk Asst. Training: Basic Policies
 Be punctual, responsible and attentive
 Complete all duties
 No laptop use permitted
 Silence cell phones
 Limit conversations with friends while on duty
 Limit Internet surfing on circulation desk PC
 Snack foods and beverages with closed
containers are permitted, but store meals in staff
lounge refrigerator
 Students not employed by Law Library are not
allowed behind circulation desk
 Don’t spend an inordinate amount of time behind
the desk when not on duty
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
 Retrieving reserve items
Materials cannot leave library (unless
otherwise specified)
Faculty can check out
Anyone can request (unless otherwise
specified)
Items have green or yellow card inside
depending on type of reserve
Attach picture ID to card and keep on file until
patron returns item
No time limit
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Types of Reserves
Faculty
Belong to faculty – we have books, copies and
videos
Have green “Faculty Reserve” cards
Books have no identifying marks (usually); filed
by professor, then course
Copies consist of exams & course readings;
kept in file cabinets behind work table
Copies filed by course, then professor
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Types of Reserves (cont’d)
General
Belong to library
Filed according to Library of Congress call
number system
Have yellow card in pocket on inside back
cover
Have identifying marks: call number at bottom
of spine; property stamp at top and bottom;
location sticker at top of spine
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Other items on reserve:
 Journals – recent issues kept on reserve until entire
volume received; then they get bound
 Technical Services staff takes care of receiving, processing
and binding
 Circulation desk assistants shelve issues once they are
delivered by Technical Services staff
 Issues shelved alphabetically by title, then chronologically by
volume/issue of each title
 Floppy disks, CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs (shelved by
call number)
 Cassette player, headphones (kept in supply cabinet)
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Looseleaf filing
 Library owns many looseleaf titles
 Releases (sets of pages) published with varying
frequencies, depending on title
 Each release has its own filing instruction sheet
 Some titles have call numbers, some don’t
 Assignments usually on work table when you
come in for your shift
 Complete all filing assignments during your shift!
(All filing must be done at the desk)
 Covered in more detail during individual training
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Checking out/returning items
 UB is a member of USMAI – statewide consortium
consisting of 16 campuses
USMAI Libraries share books with each other –
patrons can place holds via online catalog
Hold shelf behind circulation desk houses books
our patrons have requested from other USMAI
libraries
 Who is allowed to borrow our books?
Current faculty/student/staff from any USMAI
institution
UB and UMBC alumni
All borrowers must have a 14-digit library bar code
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Checking out/returning items (cont’d)
 Use automated library system, Aleph
 Different loan periods for different patron types
Faculty and Students have fixed due date
Faculty/Staff – May 20
Students – semester (currently it’s Sept. 30)
Alumni – 3 weeks (renewal limit of 3)
 Watch Aleph screen for due dates when
checking out books!
 Date stamps already set at desk, but may need
to handwrite due dates; different USMAI schools
have different loan periods
 Individual training will cover this in more detail
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Shelving
 Books throughout library filed according to
Library of Congress (LC) Classification System
 Need to become familiar with this to locate and
shelve books
 Call numbers have hierarchical structure:
general subject designation, then specific
subject, then author representation
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Shelving (Cont’d)
 Example of an LC call number:
KF 8840.F72 2005
Breakdown:
KF – Law of the United States
8840 – Civil procedure
.F72 – Coded representation of author’s
last name (Friedenthal)
2005 – pub. year (not on all books)
 Interactive program on circulation desk PC
provides good introduction
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Answering phone
 Console phone at front desk
 Circulation number: 410-837-4554
 Answer calls on x4554 at all times
 Reference number: 410-837-4559
 Answer calls on x4559 when there is no
reference librarian on duty (during summer:
Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. nights; Sun. all day)
 Do not answer any lines other than those above
 Can use circulation line for local outgoing calls,
but keep them to a minimum
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Other
 Photocopying for faculty or interlibrary loan
 Shelving books on reserve and return carts
 Helping reference librarians with special projects
 Opening and closing shift have additional
responsibilities
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Other
 Opening shift (including weekends, unless otherwise
specified):
Logging on to circulation PC (info. is at desk)
Picking up newspapers from train station (not on
weekends)
Delivering newspapers to other law school
departments (not on weekends)
Recording security gate count and checking its
functionality
Checking paper supply in all photocopiers and
paper cabinet and restocking paper if needed
Delivering law school mail and picking up library
mail from Dean’s Suite (not on weekends)
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
Other
 Closing shift:
Shelving books on return cart
Straightening carrels, tables and chairs on
third and fourth floors
Reshelving any books sitting on tables and
carrels on both floors
Turning off carrel lights
Making closing announcements 30 mins. prior
to closing, 15 mins., and at midnight
Logging off circulation PC
Desk Asst. Training: Job Duties
When you come to work you should:
Check for photocopying requests – need to
complete first using staff copier
Complete all filing assignments
Reshelve any reserve items
Check bookdrop a couple of times during your shift
for any returned books and return books on Aleph
Make sure circulation desk area is presentable
 Once everything is completed, you may study or
read (but don’t keep your head buried in a
book!)
Desk Asst. Training: Scheduling
 Substitution slips – use these to pick up extra
hours or post your hours if you need off
 Don’t procrastinate in posting slips!
 Posting a slip is not enough!
 Follow-up: check that hours have been
covered; may need to call or email other
students
 If no substitute can be found, let me know a
day or so in advance
 3 unexcused absences=termination (i.e. not
showing up for work and not informing anyone
that you can’t make it in)
Desk Asst. Training: Staffing of the Circ.
and Ref. Desks
 One student on duty until 5 or 6 pm on
weekdays; two students on duty all day on
weekends
 Circulation supervisor (Gina Harris) works parttime-- Mon. & Tues. evenings and Thurs.
 Reference librarian on duty the following
hours:
 Mon., Wed.: 8am-10pm
 Tues., Thurs., Fri.: 8am-6pm
 Sat.: 9am-5pm
 More reference hours during fall and spring
semesters
Desk Asst. Training: Staffing of the Circ.
and Ref. Desks
 If you’re running more than 5-10 mins. late, call
circulation desk (410-837-4554)
 Do NOT leave desk unattended!!
 If you’re working alone and need to leave the
desk, let me know; if I’m unavailable, let
reference librarian know
 If no one is available and you need to leave
the desk, return as quickly as possible
Desk Asst. Training: Staffing of the Circ.
and Ref. Desks
 Opening and closing shifts have 1 hour
premium attached
 If you work alone after 6pm on weekdays with
no supervisor (Gina or me), you get time and a
half
 If you work alone anytime on weekends with
no supervisor, you get time and a half
 Allowed a 15-minute paid break for 4-6 hour
shifts
 If shift > 6 hrs, you can take a 30-minute
unpaid break or the 15 minute paid break
Desk Asst. Training: Administrative
Information
 Timesheets accessible via MyUB account
 Enter hours as soon as you work them – don’t
wait until the last minute!
 Be accurate when reflecting time worked;
notify me of any modifications
 Pay period runs from Wednesday to two
Tuesdays later
 Once timesheets go in, you’re paid for those
hours the following week (bi-weekly pay
schedule)
 Pick up paychecks at business office after 3pm
on Tuesday of pay week
 Can set up direct deposit at H/R office
Desk Asst. Training
 Feel free to ask questions anytime!
 Contact me via phone at 410-837-4578 or via
email at bshah@ubalt.edu