JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE
Library Collections Associate
REPORTS TO:
Special Collections Librarian/Acting Curator, Kierkegaard Library
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Provide assistance to the Special Collections Librarian in 4
primary ongoing areas of daily activity: periodical and newspaper article cataloging, records,
and filing; collection development and acquisitions; management of new materials in our
archives section; preservation and conservation tasks when possible as time allows in all 4
areas.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY (as time allows):
1. Coordinate maintenance of newspaper and journal article collections including overseeing
the work of students and volunteer. Maintenance tasks include searching for relevant articles
in bibliographic lists and databases; use of III systems (cataloging) to add brief bibliographic
records to Bridge (consortium electronic catalog for St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges).
Involves working with foreign languages, especially Danish, German, Spanish, French, and
Italian. Involves some cataloging knowledge and ability to recognize and troubleshoot errors.
Supervision of students includes their preparing file cards and filing cards as well as articles
after cataloging.
2. Assist in collection development by the review of publishers’ catalogs and other
bibliographic sources including electronic databases and digital resources t o identify ·
appropriate titles for the Kierkegaard Library for final selection decisions by the Special
Collections Librarian.
3. Assist in acquisitions by creating book order lists reviewed by the Special Collections
Librarian. Work with staff of the St. Olaf Bookstore for purchase of books which the
bookstore is able to supply. Contact with other sources for books not supplied by the St. Olaf
bookstore or which are better acquired, elsewhere.
4. Organization and processing of new materials for the archives section of the Library
relating to Kierkegaard Library history, the biographies of Howard and Edna Hong,
documentation of particular scholars, and Kierkegaard studies world-wide.
5. Preservation and conservation treatment tasks when possible including creating pamphlet
covers, pasting in insertions, mending pages, basic book repair, etc.
6. Interface with and assist patrons, visitors, and visiting scholars. Assist as needed with
various library tasks when other staff are not available.
7. Perform other duties as necessary.
SUPERVISORY
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Supervises 2-3 students as needed in above tasks.
Special Collections Librarian, Curator, student
workers, other Kierkegaard Library staff, Rolvaag
Library and Music Library staff, Shaw-Olson Center
for College History staff, St. Olaf bookstore staff,
visiting scholars.
CONTACTS:
EDUCATION:
Essential:
Desirable:
BA or other college degree
Language background especially in Danish, German,
French, Spanish. Bibliographic searching
experience. Interest in philosophy, religious studies,
literary studies, Scandinavian studies. Computer
literacy.
EXPERIENCE:
Essential:
Some work in academic libraries or special
collections.
Desirable:
Comprehension of the field of Kierkegaard studies
Experience working with international students and
. scholars. Familiarity with the world of book
publishing and selling. Prior experience in book
repair.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
Training and familiarity with St. Olaf/Carleton Bridge electronic catalog practice.
Willingness to work with foreign languages.
·
Understanding of the scope of the Kierkegaard Library to know what is relevant to the
collection.
Some artistic sense and hand work coordination for book repair.
Ability to sort and process materials for archival arranging.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Sitting at computer terminal. Some moving of
materials from place to place. Sitting at work table.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Standard small library environment.
WORK SCHEDULE:
8-10 hours per week
Flexible schedule
APPROVAL:
Cynthia Wales Lund, Assistant Curator/Special
Collections Librarian, Hong Kierkegaard Library
DATE:
August 6, 2010