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Waidner-Spahr Library

Resource for Student Supervisors: Job Overview

Your Role

Student supervisors guide library patrons and assist in overseeing library service consultants’ workflow. Student supervisors play a key role in assisting library staff and training library services consultants. In these roles, student supervisors need to be approachable, should be able to delegate tasks, need to demonstrate professionalism, and should exemplify our customer-focused philosophy.

Objectives

  1. Inform Access Services staff of any questions, concerns, or problems via Moodle, email or in person. Constant communication is the key for our success.
     
  2. Supervise library services consultants and support their learning process. Be a good mentor and their peer supervisor. Assist with any transactions and work related issues.
     
  3. Oversee the general security of the building and the overall well-being of our building visitors. Call for assistance from library staff or DPS as needed.
     
  4. Be familiar with library policies and procedures; be knowledgeable about the library website and the services we provide.

Communication

Constant communication is key for our success and cannot be overemphasized.

1. Promptly inform Access Services staff of questions, concerns, and/or problems. In person communication should always be followed by documentation on Moodle, as posts are accessible to all staff and student supervisors.

2. If an emergency occurs, contact DPS x1111 (Department of Public Safety). Please also follow-up with Maureen at 717-422-6331 (cell) to report the situation (leave voice mail with description of the issue). Additional documentation about the incident should be posted on Moodle after everyone’s safety is ensured.

3. For non-emergency issues, such as library doors untimely locked or unlocked, concerns related to patron behavior, or problems with the building security, call DPS at 1349 and post detailed information on Moodle as follow-up documentation.

4. Building issues should be noted in detail on the Topic 4 section of Moodle (Building and Technology Issue), please include the location of the problem and the steps you have taken to troubleshoot the situation. If an immediate work order is needed during evenings and weekends (water leakage or other pressing matter), please call DPS at 1349 to initiate the facilities summoning process.

5. For library related business, please use the Circulation Email Account. Email drafts are available for late/no show notifications to Library Services Consultants.

6. Supervisory related issues and personal matters should be discussed privately, please speak directly with or email Nidia Werner (wernern@dickinson.edu) or Maureen O’Brien Dermott (dermottm@dickinson.edu).

Expectations

1. Service is our highest priority. It is your responsibility to monitor the level of service we render, as well as model work ethics and professional behavior at the desk. 

2. A commitment to service excellence is a library core value.  We strive to provide consistent and prompt service, while maintaining the flexibility to address unique circumstances as they arise. 

3. The ‘Services’ section on our library website leads to individual pages with information tailored to the needs of groups we serve;
Students, Faculty and Staff, Alumni and Friends of the Library, and Visitors: Library Services
 

4. A key feature of our service philosophy is to be proactive in our communication with library users. We  should refer users to librarians in order to optimize their research experience.