West Chester University Financial Aid : Federal Work Study

Library - Collection Department - Reference

The primary purpose of West Chester University Library Collections is to provide and make accessible a permanent collection of resources in all types, languages, formats and media that support the teaching and learning needs of the University community. Collection Development involves all aspects of selecting, shelving and deselection of library materials.

Physical Address:

FHG Library, Room #253

Website:

https://library.wcupa.edu/home

Community Service:

On/Off Campus:

On-Campus

Student Assistant (Pay Band 2)

Supervisor Contact Information

Mame Purce
(610) 738-0467
mpurce@wcupa.edu

Librarian at Reference Desk Librarian at Reference Desk
(610) 436-2453
REFDESK@wcupa.edu

Position Responsibilities:: Library
Involves the following:
This position will provide general assistance with:: Searching the Library catalog for collection management purposes, handling books, photocopying, delivering items to on-campus units, creating displays, making flyers and signs, and other light office duties as needed.
Specific duties as they relate to this department:: •Process book donations and after training and experience decide on disposition of items. •Search possible purchases and replacements in Gobi. •Identify holdings in HathiTrust particularly with consortia projects. •Search WorldCat for regional ownership. •Assist supervisor at campus and public events related to library business. •Check Library catalog for items. •Prepare books for withdrawal including recycling book covers. •Gather items and artifacts for book displays. •Assist in creating exhibits and associated signage using Adobe Photoshop . •Record item’s circulation history using Voyager Circulation module. •Photocopy, scan both print and media (film, slides). •Refill scrap paper dispensers and pencils at student workstations. •Straighten books. •Spruce up areas around hole punches and printers (recycle paper).
Learning Outcomes:: Exposure to all aspects of library operation and to the wide array of library resources continues to make employment as a work study student in Collection Development and Reference an invaluable component of an undergraduate’s complete education. Students learn about and physically handle items spanning all disciplines and in a variety of formats. They learn the nuances of searching for research items and hone skills that enable them to conduct research in their areas of study at a more sophisticated level than they might otherwise have done through normal channels of library instruction and through one-on-one sessions with a Reference Librarian. Students from a variety of backgrounds work together and singly on tasks that cover culturally diverse topics allowing them to develop skills needed by project teams of all sorts or on independent projects allowing them to learn how to manage tasks in efficient ways. There are numerous chances as students develop to incorporate their own interests and skills into library projects whether through assisting with exhibits or creating promotional signage for book displays among other things. All workers learn about the invisible but often complex process of aquiring and withdrawing library materials including the critical assessment needed for both aspects of collection management. Importantly, students are very aware of the need to consider ways to environmentally dispose of unneeded library resources.