JOB DESCRIPTION

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills , and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits , and natural beauty.
The UW Botanic Gardens, Elisabeth C. Miller Library has an outstanding opportunity for a Library and Archive Paraprofessional 2 to join their team.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• High school graduation or equivalent and five years’ experience in the functional operations of a library or archives, including one year beyond the entry level in an area of specialization.
  Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

DESIRED REQUIREMENTS:

• Knowledge of library policies and procedures; cataloging and reference techniques; acquisition procedures; creating readers advisories; historical and technical research procedures; information systems; records management systems and techniques; procedures for document indexing and retrieval; manual and computerized methods for records control.
• Possess and maintain deep knowledge of subject specialization, which includes horticulture techniques, horticultural plants suitable for this region, landscape design, landscape maintenance, and horticultural print publications and online resources.
• Familiarity with regional horticultural groups, especially their periodical publications in print or electronic format, and including arboreta and botanical garden friends groups, plant societies, garden clubs, publishers, educational and professional organizations.
• Ability to effectively work in a team environment that includes faculty, staff, students, volunteers and library friends and donors, and to establish and maintain positive and effective relationships with all library users.
• Familiarity with application software including integrated library systems and searching indexing databases, especially the Koha integrated library system, Springshare LibGuides, EBSCO indexing databases, and Microsoft Office.

PURPOSE OF POSITION

This position, reporting directly to the Library Manager, supports the Elisabeth C. Miller Library of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens by providing library resources and services for the faculty, staff, volunteers, students and partner organizations, as well as the general public, including professionals and avid hobbyists in horticulture.
This position provides complex technical reference services in a specialized discipline and is often the first and only contact users of the library have with staff. This position provides key support in the development, maintenance, dissemination, and preservation of the library collections, including over 15,000 books on horticulture, gardening, and related subjects, current and historical periodical publications from around the world, and an archive of materials on the history and activities of horticulture in the Pacific Northwest region.
This position will frequently be responsible for making interpretations of library policy for library users/visitors, including UW faculty, staff, students, and the general public.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform bibliographic and reference searches and research services, using knowledge of complex reference resources, including interpreting and conferring on reference research strategies with University of Washington faculty, staff, and students, the general public, and professionals – in person, over the phone, and in writing.
• Take lead for on-going review of items in the existing collections, noting circulation records, provenance, value, and condition, reporting results to Curator of Horticulture Literature. Monitor space allotment of collections and oversee shifting collection items as needed.
• Review incoming book donations, compare with books already in collection, and recommend to Curator of Horticulture Literature as potential additions to the collections. Creating list of books donated if needed by donor.
• Recommend acquisitions based on library’s collection development plan. Review and recommend items from publisher catalogs and print as well as online review sources.
• Assist in the management and preservation of the library collections and archives focusing on horticulture and related subjects. Assist in the organizing, indexing, and description of materials such as archives, slides, and photographs.
• Assist in 6-8 library public/donor receptions per year, including planning, scheduling, ordering, directing the work of staff and volunteers. Receptions include the annual book sale fundraiser, receptions for art exhibit openings, and volunteer recognition gatherings.
• Assist in book selection, sorting, pricing, and other preparations for annual book sale.
• Occasionally act as lead staff in library during the absence of the manager or other key library staff and make decisions about and interpret library policy for users/visitors, including UW faculty, staff, students, and the general public, discerning when decisions need to be referred to a higher authority. May train and provide direction to lower-level staff including newer library staff, volunteers, or interns.