Generic Job Description
Catalog Assistant IV
Grade D
Representative Duties:
- Coordinates the work and/or the day-to-day operation of a unit. Serves as a source of information on established procedures and policies. May perform a range of cataloging functions.
- Oversees, instructs and coordinates activities of staff.
- Creates new, descriptive catalog records, primarily in literature, without supplied bibliographic data. Performs member copy cataloging tasks as well as Library of Congress copy cataloging tasks and revises records with database copy.
- Identifies problems and seeks resolution with other library units to resolve conflicts or inaccuracies in the catalog or database.
- Resolves problems with complex bibliographic and holdings record. May add or modify bibliographic and holdings information.
- Searches for bibliographic data with incomplete information or source material in catalogs, files, and databases.
- Performs clerical
function incidental to library activities.
Family: Library
Job Code: 965 Date: 2/89
The job duties listed
above are representative and characteristic of the duties required and
the level of the work performed in the job title. The duties will vary
form incumbent to incumbent in the job title.
Yale
University Clerical and Technical Job Description
Job: 965 Catalog Assistant IV Grade
D
Required Knowledge:
- Specialized college-level coursework; detailed but narrow knowledge in one or several work-related areas; substantial knowledge of broader field of learning.
- Working knowledge of University organizational policies and procedures generally; detailed knowledge of one or several narrow areas of University rules or procedures.
Required Skills:
- Extracts and compiles a narrow range of data from written sources, from individuals by asking set questions, or from one or several given databases, coding based on prescribed, simple standards.
- Uses a variety
of standard reference works and several library catalogs or reference
databases.
Classifies material for filing; use of straightforward or complex filing systems. - Understands more complicated written instructions, memoranda, policy statements.
- Writes short, informal notes, fills out simple forms.
- Regular, skilled use of more complex machines, including work processors or personal computers.
Office and Administrative Skills:
- Keyboards material that regularly include medical or legal terminology or foreign languages.
- Enters and retrieves data from semi-finished source documents on a personal computer, requiring both some interpretation of the source document and a basic understanding of software parameters.
- Arranges for and coordinates schedules, appointments, projects, conferences, and major events.
- Screens and refers callers and visitors to the appropriate individual.
Experience, Education, and Formal Training:
- Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate degree, or little or no work experience and a Bachelor degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
Complexity and Organization:
- Wide variety of complicated job tasks requiring coordinating numerous processes/methods.
- Often coordinates or organizes the work of others.
Interpersonal Relations:
- Ongoing involvement outside the immediate unit.
- Offers or obtains specialized information and provides assistance on general matters.
- Understands and conveys more complex messages and instructions, and takes action accordingly.
Supervisory Guidelines:
- Work is subject to general review on an occasional basis.
- Incumbent plans and schedules own work and/or work of others based on the understanding of broadly defined objectives and priorities, supervisor reviews work after completion.
- Instruction provided only in new situations, methods, procedures that are not clearly related to existing tasks and duties.
Independent Judgment
- Established procedures/policies govern many work situations.
- Regular exercises of independent judgment or initiative.
- Problems solved using established procedures.
Leadership Responsibility
- Occasionally provides work guidance or orientation for non-routine procedures/policies.
- Often distributes and monitors work.
Impact and Consequence of Error
- Work affects both outside the work unit and outside the University.
- Errors are difficult to recognize and correct and can cause harm or financial loss to individuals, departments, and the University, or to other individuals and groups.
Working Conditions
- Slight possibility of safety risks.
- Regular multiple or conflicting demands, time pressures, deadlines, or emergencies.
- Regular sustained concentration.
- Some physical effort or dexterity.
Example 1
Catalog Assistant
IV (965)
Salary: D
General purpose:
Perform limited
original cataloging and serve as the lead Catalog Assistant.
Essential duties of position:
- Create original cataloging records for literary authors in Chinese language.
- Create new, descriptive cataloging records in topical subject areas without supplied bibliographic data. May perform a range of cataloging functions.
- Serve as a source of information on established procedures and policies.
- Serve as an expert user for computer applications by installing, troubleshooting and maintaining software, and by acting as a liaison with the Systems Office on behalf of the East Asian Collection. In the context of serving as expert user may oversee, instruct and coordinate activities of support staff.
- Identify and resolve cataloging related problems.
- Oversee, instruct and coordinate cataloging related work of all the Student Assistants in the Collection.
- Participate in retrospective conversion work and assist Cataloging Coordinator for resolution of conflicts or inaccuracies in catalog records.
- Organize special projects.
Experience and training:
- Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and a high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
- Good reading knowledge of Chinese language.
- Ability and experience in computer applications to install, troubleshoot and maintain software, and act as a liaison with the Systems Office.
- Ability and experience in the use of Orbis, RLIN, OCLC or other comparable bibliographic database.
Skills and abilities:
- Minimal keyboarding skills.
- References must indicate reliable attendance and punctuality, accuracy and attention to detail, dependability in performing work assignment and in following detailed procedures, ability to organize and prioritize own work and that of others and diligent performance.
Example 2
Catalog Assistant
IV (965)
Salary: D
General purpose:
Under the immediate
supervision of the Hebraica Team leader, the oversee a range of cataloging
and processing functions for library materials in a variety of languages,
subjects and formats, to include cataloging of serials with LC and member
copy. Responsibilities also include analyzing bibliographical records,
solving complex bibliographic problems, performing initial work in authority
establishment and applying bibliographic knowledge to assorted cataloging
situations.
Essential duties:
- Perform a full range of copy cataloging with LC and member copy using RLIN or OCLC or Orbis to include both print and non-print materials such as microforms, maps, videos, CD-ROM's and networked resources. May perform original descriptive cataloging for selected materials to include choice of entry and determination of access points. May assign simple non-LC call numbers.
- Perform complex copy cataloging for serials and multi-part monographs in print and electronic formats.
- Perform original cataloging for belles-lettres, including the assignment of LC classification call numbers.
- Perform complex catalog maintenance activities in local cataloging system. This may include updating bibliographic information, transfers, withdrawals, deletions, updating holdings, etc.
- Will provide computer support for the team and assist team expert user.
- Perform initial work in authority establishment, including both names and series.
- Participate in special projects undertaken by team. May oversee any special project as directed by team leader.
- May train student assistants including assigning and revising their work.
- Assist in reviewing and distributing incoming departmental materials based upon priority and subject.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Experience and training:
- Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and a high school level education; or four years related work experience and an Associate degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
- Strong reading knowledge of Spanish required and an ability to work with a variety of languages and subject areas.
- Previous work experience which demonstrates consistency and dependability in performing work assignments and following detailed procedures.
- Preferred: Experience in the use of RLIN, NOTIS, and OCLC. Ability to work with scientific subject areas that may include highly technical materials. Strong reading knowledge of additional western European languages (esp. German or an additional Romance language). Computer skills with Windows and word-processing.
Skills and abilities:
- Ability to work effectively and efficiently with colleagues in a team environment as well as the ability to work with members of other teams should the need develop.
- Ability to set priorities and adapt to change.
Example 3
Catalog Assistant
IV (965)
Salary: D
General Purpose:
Under the general
guidance of the Supervisor, Catalog Management Librarian, performs a variety
of quality control, problem resolution, and other catalog management activities
to ensure that bibliographic and authority records -- in particular those
that are supplied by vendors, bibliographic utilities, and other providers
of bibliographic information -- are in accordance with local and national
standards and in compliance with vendor and other
contractual requirements.
Essential Duties:
- Identify and resolve complex problems associated with authority records for the names, series, subjects, and uniform titles that are used as headings in the catalog.
- Identify and resolve complex problems associated with bibliographic, holdings (copy and volume), and item records created in the course of retrospective conversion.
- Search, verify, and edit catalog records as necessary, based upon the item in hand or a card-form record, according to local and national cataloging standards and providing appropriate MARC content designation. Identify and resolve complex bibliographic record conflicts.
- Implement documented procedures designed to monitor the quality of bibliographic records to ensure compliance with local and national standards.
- Assist in coordinating the work of staff engaged in catalog management activities by answering questions and referring problems.
- Initiate changes to the catalog necessitated by the withdrawal, transfer, and reclassification of library material.
- Add volume holdings to catalog records for monographic and serial titles according to specified guidelines.
- Assist in testing, evaluating, and implementing systems and other developments affecting the catalog.
- Identify pull, sort, and refile shelf list and other cards.
- May revise the work of others.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Experience and Training:
- Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level and a high school-level education, or four years of related work experience and an Associate degree, or little or no work experience and a Bachelor degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education.
- Previous work experience searching and editing bibliographic records in Orbis, RLIN, OCLC, or other large bibliographic database.
- Experience with Windows and networked environments.
- References must indicate reliable attendance and punctuality, the ability to work independently with accuracy and attention to detail, the ability to exercise initiative and judgment in resolving and referring problems, and the ability to organize varied tasks and set priorities.
- Preferred: Experience identifying and resolving problems associated with authority records for the names, series, subjects, and uniform titles that are used as headings in the catalog. Experience identifying and resolving problems associated with bibliographic, holdings (copy and volume), and item records.
- Familiarity with retrospective conversion policies and procedures.
- Working knowledge of one or more Western European languages.
Skills and abilities:
- Good analytical ability and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work effectively and efficiently with colleagues in a team setting and to establish sound working relationships with people in other units or departments.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
