Dependability
- Student Assistants often know many people and it is difficult not to visit while working; however, please restrict your work time visiting to a brief greeting.
- Adhere to the work schedule agreed upon between you and your supervisor.
- Be prompt when reporting to work.
- Contact your supervisor as soon as possible if you have to be tardy or absent from your work shift (sickness, emergency). Your supervisor's phone number and email address are provided in the "Contacts" section of your orientation materials.
- Individual supervisors may have different procedures for reporting tardiness or absenteeism - make sure you understand your supervisor's procedures and follow them.
- Your school work is of utmost importance so if your class schedules changes or your class commitments conflict with your work schedule; talk with your supervisor immediately.
Communication
- Assisting patrons and coworkers effectively requires that library staff and student employees use friendly, open communication with patrons and with each other.
- Understanding assigned tasks is important. Please do not hesitate to ask your supervisor about a procedure, policy, or other issue which you do not understand. If you are not sure how to accomplish a task or have difficulty with a task, please talk with your supervisor. In the absence of a supervisor, please direct the question(s) to the staff member present.
- If you leave before a task is completed, you are expected to follow your department's communication procedure. This will assist the next student employee to finish the task without a lot of confusion.
- Some patron requests are not easily addressed. Continue to ask the patron questions until you understand what the patron needs. Some patrons will need to be referred to staff members.
- If you have a problem during your work shift, let your supervisor know. We would rather hear about problems from you, rather than from another source.
Quality and Quantity
Specific procedures and performance standards for your department will be communicated to you during department orientation and on-the-job training. It is important to continue working at the standard that your supervisor has taught you. You are a vital part of the professional level of service that the Libraries present.
We expect you to execute your jobs in ways that are:
Accurate and Complete
Both of these characteristics are essential to keeping the library organized and its materials accessible.
Efficient
Sometimes this will mean speedily locating the materials requested and delivering them to patrons or your supervisor. Sometimes you will need to plan out a task so that it is completed by a deadline.
Helpful
Volunteer information when you have the knowledge; ask for assistance when you do not. Incomplete or wrong information and failure to refer patrons to the correct source (a librarian or reference desk) can cause real problems for patrons and coworkers.
Informed
Learn about the library's various resources, departments, and the people who staff them.
UNLV Libraries online directory
Willing & Flexible
Sometimes the demands on your services may exceed what you think is the scope of your responsibilities. For example: Another staff member may need your help, a demanding patron may tax your patience, or your supervisor may need you to cover for an absent coworker. Remember that you are expected to follow the direction of your supervisor and your supervisor values your willingness and flexibility.
Phone Etiquette
- Answer with a greeting such as: "Good Afternoon, Library [your unit name], this is [your name], how may I help you?
- Always speak in a polite and pleasant tone.
- Answer questions that you can, ask for help when unsure of caller's needs, transfer calls to appropriate sections when necessary.
- Patron phone use is limited to campus phones.
- You may dial campus phone numbers using only a "5" and the last four digits of the phone number.
- Off-campus phone numbers require you to dial "8" and then the full seven digit telephone number.
- Do not make long distance calls from Library phones unless authorized to do so by your supervisor.
- We do not page individuals in the library. Do not search the library for a person requested by a caller. Take the caller's phone number and have the person contact the caller.
- If the caller says it is an emergency, transfer the call to security.
Handling Problem Patrons
If you observe a patron in the library who appears to be 'suspicious' or is abusive towards someone or library materials, obtain a complete physical description of the person and inform a library staff member or Library Security (379-1561). If you are alone or in doubt, do not hesitate to call Campus Police at 911 (no need to dial "8" first). Also, let your supervisor, Circulation (ext. 52111) and the Administration Office (ext. 52286) know if Campus Police have been called.
