Job Description 1. JOB DETAILS 2. JOB PURPOSE

1 University of Edinburgh Job Description 1. JOB DETAILS Job title: Bibliographic Support officer school /Support Department: IS/ Libraries, Museums & Galleries Unit: Central Library Services Bibliographic Services Line manager: Bibliographic Services Manager 2. JOB PURPOSE To provide a creative, proactive and responsive interface between the Bibliographic Services Team (Central Library Services Division) and the Information Systems Team (Digital Library Division) so as to ensure the Library Catalogue meets users needs and is maintained and developed in the context of the IS/University Library Strategy, to support the University s strategic goals of excellence in teaching, learning and research. 3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES Approx. % of time liaise with the Information Systems Team to develop the functionality of the Voyager cataloguing and acquisitions modules and associated programmes, ensuring best fit with operational and functional requirements of the Bibliographic Services Team advise and assist the Bibliographic Services Manager in the development of Library-wide cataloguing and classification policies and procedures to ensure provision of appropriate levels of resource Description and resource discovery to enable the wider academic community to maximise its use of Library collections and resources advise the Bibliographic Services Manager on options available for record acquisition, and facilitate import of bibliographic data from external sources.

2 And efficient export of data to consortial partners, ( CURL, COPAC) considering the impact on standards and Library resources, thus ensuring efficient service delivery analyse and report on national and international trends and relevant developments through literature scanning and attendance at events, courses and briefings originate documentation and deliver training to ensure that relevant staff are fully conversant with changing cataloguing and classification policies and related systems procedures advise project planners and managers on the application of classification and descriptive cataloguing standards to support the Library s involvement in projects and partnerships, helping with the project planning and management where necessary. 40% 20% 20% 10% 5% 5% 4.

3 PLANNING AND ORGANISING The postholder largely organises their own time, balancing project-based and allocated work, and ensuring appropriate prioritisation of immediate demands as these arise. The overall programme of work is determined by the Bibliographic Services Manager, to whom the postholder refers major policy and procedural issues. Work involves liaison across divisions, particularly with Digital Library Division colleagues, and the postholder must consider how immediate Bibliographic Services requirements can be met within this wider context. 5. PROBLEM SOLVING Professional judgement and experience are applied in analysis of operational and procedural requirements as expressed by a range of colleagues, and translation of these into procedural and systems-related solutions.

4 Problems presented will cover a range of bibliographic and systems topics, and the postholder must determine short-term, longer-term and wider implications of solutions which they provide or recommend. Typical problems encountered include: Determining best approach to a bulk import of bibliographic records this is resolved through assessment of record quality, developing mechanisms to ensure new records do not duplicate existing EUL records, and identifying potential infringement of consortial agreements, particularly when these records are re-exported Determining how best to accommodate the bibliographic and systems requirements of stock location changes and requests for new locations for EUL collections this is resolved through careful consideration of impacts across all Voyager modules.

5 And the formulation of appropriate location codes which will meet future demands and changes Responding to requests from external project teams for advice on approaches to subject access - this is resolved through applying knowledge of classification theory to the formulation of appropriate taxonomies to meet the specific needs of each project Problems with records known to be in the online public access catalogue which are not retrievable through search interfaces this is resolved by clarifying and replicating the problems encountered by others, and analysis in collaboration with Digital Library Division colleagues to determine the potential underlying systems-related causes. 6. DECISION MAKING The postholder routinely makes independent decisions of the following types: Decisions about own workflow within context set by the Bibliographic Services Manager, as appropriate to immediate priorities and longer-term projects Advising on the feasibility and wider impacts of continued use of specialist classification schemes following integration of class and site libraries Decisions on formulation of new system codes ( for new collection locations), and the wider implications of these across other Library divisions, and for Library end-users Decisions which are referred include: Those which have major policy and procedural impacts, but in which the postholder may be called upon to provide supporting advice and recommendations 7.

6 KEY CONTACTS/RELATIONSHIPS Internal (IS): Bibliographic Services Manager and colleagues in the Bibliographic Services Division, particularly the Acquisitions and Cataloguing & Classification and Team leaders, Information Systems Team, College and Liaison Librarians, a range of staff in other divisions ( Special Collections, EDINA) External: Colleagues at the National Library of Scotland, and other University libraries, external library service providers, consortia partners, professional bodies Such communication may be both on an informal and a more formal basis, whether in person, through written communication or by phone. 8. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED FOR THE JOB A good educational background with a degree and qualification in librarianship or information science 5 years experience in cataloguing and classification of print and electronic resources within an academic or research library environment Thorough working knowledge of integrated library management systems, including systems administration functions within the cataloguing and acquisitions modules Thorough working knowledge of consortial and commercial bibliographic databases Demonstrated proficiency in AACR2 and MARC21 formats, LC Classification, LCSH, NLM and MESH Subject Headings for both bibliographic and authority control, with an understanding of metadata standards.

7 Good time management skills, with an ability to prioritise own workload whilst prioritising and responding to immediate demands of project-based work and the operational needs of others Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to communicate clearly on bibliographic and systems-related subjects, and to liaise across teams Proactive and creative approach to problem-solving, with a willingness to take responsibility in proposing and delivering appropriate solutions Ability to rapidly acquire the latest knowledge and skills in standards and relevant methodologies 9. DIMENSIONS Provision of key bibliographic and systems support to the Bibliographic Services Team of 30 staff Provision of advice and relevant support to a number of projects and working groups both within and outwith the Library ( EDINA) Facilitating bulk import of approx 15-20,000 bibliographic records per annum 10.

8 JOB CONTEXT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION The job holder provides a key link between the Bibliographic Services Team and the Information Systems Team to ensure that operational needs are underpinned by relevant systems functionality. The postholder also provides advice and input contributing to the integrity and standard of EUL s bibliographic data and, by extension, the reputation of the Library as a source of authoritative and reliable bibliographic records which are made available to local and wider audiences through the public access catalogue and a range of external library and consortial databases worldwide.