Library Technician

Summary

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity. We seek highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

Duties

• This position is located in African, Latin America and Western European Division. It is a hybrid position that combines the major technician duties for the functions of acquisitions, cataloging, and serials control. The duties include performing acquisitions searching, placing orders, receiving items, paying invoices, serials check-in, and any other activities needed to support the acquisitions of materials for the library. The duties also include those to support the function of performing cataloging for the library such as shelflisting, record creation, copy cataloging, database maintenance activities, and searching. Often there will be a foreign language requirement for this position depending on the geographical area for which functions are being performed. For example, staff processing and cataloging materials from South America need knowledge of the Spanish language. As the Library Technician, you will: Perform copy cataloging for a variety of materials and formats in an automated cataloging environment. Descriptively catalogs original materials where the bibliographic characteristics of the material are relatively easy to determine and cataloging decisions are made within established standards. Performs CIP verification independently. Completes cataloging data for publications initially cataloged as Cataloging in Publication (CIP) materials. Search entries in automated and manual catalogs. Assign headings to catalog entries. Complete routine authority work; consults with librarians for more complex headings; and refers problems to librarians. Select and assigns classification numbers. Perform content designation on newly created and updated bibliographic records. Perform database maintenance including modifications, updates, and corrections. Create and revises bibliographic records, including initial bibliographic control records (IBCRs). Resolve routine problems and inconsistencies in the cataloging process promptly and independently, involving librarians or the section head on only the more difficult problems. Under appropriate review, perform collection development tasks including examination of incoming shipments to select items appropriate for the collections. Independently performs all aspects of acquisition support work, which includes the acquisition of material by exchange, gift, approvals, Copyright, and the most complex order creation and invoice processing. For recommended materials to be acquired, searches reference sources which may include print, automated files, and internal and external databases. Process cancellations or adjustments to acquisition records. Assist in determining if material needs to be claimed and issues appropriate claims to suppliers. Sort and distributes items not destined for the collections. Identify items for the Duplicate Material Exchange Program (DMEP), for the National Agriculture Library, for the National Library of Medicine, for surplus, and for discard. Independently records receipts for all formats (e.g., bound and unbound serial and monograph ink prints, microforms, CD-ROMs, special formats) in an online environment. Communicate with a wide variety of patrons by telephone, letter, or electronic means regarding routine and non-routine questions on services to publishers and other specialized library services. Provides complex technical information in clear, straightforward language. Provide referrals to library and non-library services such as ISSN, Copyright. CIP, ISBN, U.S .. Postal Service, Patent and Trademark Office, etc., based on an extensive knowledge of these services and the differences among them. Is called on to deal with difficult patrons or callers, e.g., library donors. Prepare acquisition acknowledgment letters, etc. Determines the best way of formulating requests and selecting and presenting information. Efficiently search online databases, such as OCLC, RUN, or an integrated library system, to locate records to use for copy cataloging, or to identify duplicate records or previously processed records. Searches names, uniform titles, series, and subject access points on bibliographic records to verify their existence in the appropriate Library authority files. Perform special searches of various online catalogs to locate and/or verify bibliographic data for acquisitions functions. To identify the relationship of the piece in hand to the collection as a whole completes complex manual and computerized searches in multiple systems. Perform other duties as assigned. The position description number for this position is 173746. The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area. The incumbent of this position will work a Flexitime work schedule. This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position. Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision. Ability to use one or more of the following languages: French, Italian or Dutch and English in an academic or professional setting.** Ability to support library operations within a section or unit.** Ability to use an integrated library system (ILS), as well as computerized search tools, databases, and other computer applications.** Ability to plan, organize and complete projects. Ability to interact collaboratively with others. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

How to apply

Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position. Please note, there is no page restriction to your resume, and you are allowed to upload a resume longer than two pages in the resume section within the application process. When the application system prompts, please proceed to the agency site to complete your application. You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps. Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume and upload it to your profile in the "Resume" section. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress. Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements. Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly. Step 5: Hiring Management offers one option that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement. You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date. Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact [email protected] , no later than 4:00pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.