In the words of our own student workers:
As a Magale Library student assistant, you will learn skills that will be useful to you throughout your college career. You will also develop good work habits such as punctuality, dependability, courtesy, and initiative that you will help you later in your chosen profession.
Your job as a student worker at Magale Library offers you an enriched, additional learning experience as part of your education at Centenary College. You will have the opportunity to develop skills for working with a diverse range of people during your time in the library. You will learn to solve practical problems, and you will develop a better understanding of your own personal talents and interests. You will begin to see the relationship between classroom theory and practical application, the relationship between thinking and doing.
1. Know the library. The more you become aware of the services the library has to offer and the resources we have, the better you will be able to assist others. Take seriously the training that is provided to you. Learn the names of those who work in the library. Knowing the library also means becoming familiar with the library’s website. Access the various parts of the library web pages to become more efficient in interacting with library users. There are policy pages on the website which are useful to refer to when helping a library patron.
2. Understanding responsibilities. As a library student worker, you may be asked to do certain tasks that are out of your assigned job. A circulation student worker might be asked to do a job typically assigned to a tech services student worker. Ask a librarian for directions or help understanding how to finish the task, then do it. It is part of your job to understand the responsibilities that come from every type of student worker.
3. Person to person skills. Be courteous to coworkers, supervisors, and other library staff members as well as library users. Stop work immediately if a patron approaches the Circulation Desk for assistance. Listen carefully. Help the user as much as possible, and then recommend a staff member for more assistance.
4. Patron privacy. Due to your access to patron accounts, you are required to keep all patron information strictly confidential. You are not to disclose any information about a patron account (e.g. materials currently checked out, fines, address, phone numbers) to a third party. If someone requests information about a patron’s account, forward that individual to your supervisor.
5. Dress code. First impressions do count and often the public’s first contact with the library is with you. Therefore, it is essential that you dress as neatly and professionally as possible. Generally, the attire you wear for class will be acceptable for work at Magale Library. Shoes must be worn. Jeans may be worn. Please refrain from wearing short shorts or skirts, extremely ripped or holey jeans, pajama bottoms, midriff or strapless tops, cleavage-revealing clothing or bedroom slippers. Essentially, come in as you would to any other job.
6. Telephone usage. When answering the telephone, you are speaking on behalf of the library. Prompt and courteous handling of telephone requests is important. “Magale Library, this is (your name). How may I help you?” is the proper way to answer the phone. Learn to transfer a call to another library department or elsewhere on campus. If you don’t know the answer to a caller’s question, ask a library staff member to assist. If you need to take a message please write down the caller’s name, phone number, and a message about why they called and assure the caller we will get back to them as quickly as possible.
7. Socializing. Fellow students need to understand that when you are on duty, you are not here to have extended conversations with them. The Circulation Desk is to be kept clear for patrons who need assistance.
8. Phone calls. Personal phone calls are discouraged while you are on duty except in cases of emergencies. Your first priority is to the patrons of the library. If a patron approaches the desk, then you are to set your phone or homework aside to help them. A supervisor can ask you to not be on your phone while on duty. If your supervisor has to ask you a third time, you will be removed from your position.
9. Eating/ drinking. Please be sure to allow yourself enough time to eat between class and work. If for some reason you need to eat during work hours, you will be allowed to eat in the break room; however, if a student needs help, you will need to stop eating and go help.
10. Studying. If you have completed your daily assigned tasks, you may study while working the Circulation Desk and the upstairs desk; however, you need to be aware of patrons approaching the desk for assistance. Please do not spread your work out all over the desk. Computers at Circulation and upstairs desk can be used for homework, but they must be available to help a patron as soon as the patron asks for help.
11. Security. Keep your eyes and ears open during your library shift. Being alert to a problem in the library can literally save a person’s life. Be aware of everyone who passes through the security gate. The library is open to the public. Non-Centenary patrons can be more frequent then you think.
12. Student staff meetings. There will be occasional student-staff meetings to familiarize student assistants with the library, responsibilities, work progress, and expectations. In addition, there will be several smaller meetings to train student assistants on library equipment (e.g. telephone, copy machine, scanner). Periodically, other staff meetings may be called to address problems or give instructions. You are expected to attend all meetings. If you have a conflict, discuss it with your supervisor.
13. Time sheets. Please fill out your time sheet completely and accurately as you complete each shift. Remember to sign your time sheet. An unsigned timesheet cannot be turned in which may cause you to miss a paycheck. Time sheets may be filled out in quarter hour increments.
Your supervisor will sign each time sheet, and you will be paid on the 10th of each month.
Time sheets also provide Financial Aid an assessment of how well you are performing your job:
Your work schedule will be set at the beginning of each semester. It is preferred that you keep a regular work schedule, so adjustments will not be made unless you make a request with your supervisor.
The total amount of your work-study is calculated with school holidays already taken into account. You can discuss with your supervisor the possibility of working during school holidays to make up hours, or working at another time during the school day.
If you plan to quit or change jobs on campus, please provide a week’s notice to your supervisor.
During the normal workday the staff member on duty will handle emergencies that you or others might bring to their attention.
Know where emergency exits are located. Know where the library phones are located in the basement level, first, and second floors of the library. Know where flashlights and fire extinguishers are located too.
You will be evaluated on a regular basis. The form of evaluation will be a one-on-one conversation/dialogue with the supervising staff member. In general, it will measure your progress and your work. Your work record will be kept on file. This will include tardiness and absences. These evaluations may be used as the basis for recommendations for jobs and graduate school, so you will want to keep a good record. A poor evaluation may be the basis for dismissal as a library student worker.
A good student employee is responsible, on time for work, not afraid to ask questions when assignments are made, and takes seriously every task given.
An undesirable student employee fails to show up for work without notification, cheats on their time sheet, has a negative attitude toward work, does too much socializing on work time, cannot be trusted to work unsupervised, and shows up in inappropriate attire.