The position serves as the Head, Access Services Section, Researcher Engagement and General Collections Division, General and International Collections Directorate, Researcher Collections and Services Service Unit, within the Library Collections and Service Group. The position description number for this position is 467353 The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area. This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision. Knowledge of the principles, concepts, and techniques of library science.** Ability to lead, plan, coordinate and manage programs and projects.** Ability to supervise, develop, and lead a cultural heritage workforce.** Ability to provide consultation or liaison duties. Ability to provide reference and research services. Ability to communicate effectively in writing. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
The position reports directly to the Assistant Chief, Researcher Engagement and General Collections Division (REGC). RECG serves as the Library's primary gateway to its general collections, providing expert reference, reader registration, and access services through the Main Reading Room, the Science and Business Reading Room, and the Ask-a-Librarian platform. It provides inclusive, innovative services that support a wide range of research across disciplines while expanding public access to and interaction with the Library's resources. The Head, Access Services is responsible for management of collections access and loan units, provision of public services to patrons, support of collections-related programs, and serving as a technical expert on circulation and interlibrary loan systems. Supervises a group of employees performing work up to the GS-13 level. Provides administrative and technical supervision relative to the staff supervised. Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work; Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees; Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff and clearly communicates these through the formal employee performance management system. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Recommends appointment, promotion, or reassignment and develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, recommending other action in more serious cases. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests and certifies time and attendance records for staff. Assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with safety regulations and safeguard sensitive and personally identifiable information (PII) of employees. Furthers the objectives of diversity and inclusiveness by taking positive steps to assure the accomplishment of diversity and inclusiveness and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices regarding political, religious, or labor organization affiliation or non-affiliation, marital status, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, non-disqualifying disability, age, or other non-merit factor. Plans, establishes and directs a library reference program. Serves as expert in managing general reference and research methodology to effectively and efficiently provide information services to a diverse and demanding clientele. Analyzes major issues in information access and dissemination, and develops authoritative new approaches, methods or standards to resolve critical or highly unusual reference information problems. Uses broad knowledge of multiple information sources and/or experts outside the agency, both domestic and international, to resolve reference issues. Keeps abreast of new developments in reference and in scholarly methods, techniques, resources, and concerns. Serves as a principal liaison for the organization at professional conferences, seminars, and exhibits. Initiates, establishes, and maintains professional relationships with scholars and academicians, librarians and other information specialists to share resources and information. Represent the Division in security planning that affects Division reading rooms. Provides consultative services with respect to use of informational services and products. Serves as the principal contact and automation leader for the agency-wide system, ILLiad/OCLC WorldShare, as well as plans and manages multifaceted projects related to modernization of the systems, working closely with senior staff in other service units such as OCIO. Within the Library, chairs and/or serves on various committees and task forces dealing with new technologies and policy development affecting public service. Serves on committees and other groups involved in investigating new technologies and their possible application to library programs. Performs other duties as assigned. Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.