Reference Library Graduate Assistantships

Library Gateway - Reference Library - Web Reference Sources - Instruction

Reference Library Graduate Assistantships

The Reference Library hires Graduate Assistants who are students in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. These Graduate Assistants are either 35% (14 hours per week) or 25% (10 hours per week) and work from August 16, 2007, to August 15, 2008. Graduate Assistants receive a stipend for the contract year which in 2006-2007 averaged $15.43 an hour, or $935.83 a month for 35% appointments and $668.42 a month for 25% appointments. In addition, Graduate Assistants receive 24 days vacation and 12 sick days and are entitled to receive a tuition waiver for the in-state portion of their fees. Contact GSLIS for information on out-of-state tuition waivers.

The primary responsibility of Graduate Assistants is to staff the Information Desk, a high-visibility, high-volume ready-reference and referral service. Interactions with patrons at the Information Desk occur in-person and via telephone, email, and online chat. The Information Desk is staffed all of the hours that the library is open so Graduate Assistants are expected to work nights and weekends.

Graduate Assistants perform the following tasks at the Information Desk:

Instruct and assist patrons in the use of the online catalog with its statewide consortial system
Assist and instruct patrons in the discovery, access, and use of a wide variety of Web-based resources
Answer ready-reference and directional questions using a selected set of information resources
Facilitate patrons’ understanding and use of a large, complex, and distributed library system
Participate in leading library tours for new students and other groups of scholars
Assist patrons in using the card catalog, serial record, and shelf-list

Graduate Assistants will also teach basic instruction sessions, including how to use the online catalog, how to find dissertations, and how to use RefWorks. Graduate Assistants will participate in a peer learning environment where they will be encouraged to develop their teaching skills as librarians.

Within the assistantship hours, Graduate Assistants are required to attend a one-hour weekly meeting, and they may also be asked to work on special projects. Orientation and training for 2007-2008 will begin on August 14, 2007.

Additionally, we will be hiring one Reference Assistant/Technology Specialist at a 35% appointment. In addition to the responsibilities above, this Graduate Assistant will assist with the maintenance of the Central Reference website and its conversion to the Library's content management system. This person will work with the Digital Resources and Reference Services Librarian to provide access to electronic resources.

For more information, or to apply, contact:

Kathleen Kern
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
300 Library
1408 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217-244-3604
E-mail: refapply@library.uiuc.edu



		University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Gateway Homepage Comments/Questions?