Library Technician I - Conservatory Library Technical Services

The Oberlin College Libraries invite applications for the position of Library Technician I in the Conservatory Library. The Conservatory Library Collections Processing Coordinator will support Conservatory Library collections and operations by receiving, tracking, preserving, and processing materials. This is a full-time, 37.5 hours per week (1.0 FTE), 12-month Administrative Assistant position reporting to the Conservatory Library Head of Technical Services.

Responsibilities

In accordance with established procedures and with guidance, the incumbent will support Conservatory Library collections by receiving, tracking, preserving, and processing materials. In consultation with supervisors or designated staff, the role assists with donations; binding; specialized music-material preparation; and identifying materials that may need repair, preservation, digitization, or other treatment. Additional responsibilities include coordinating student workers, maintaining established workflows and documentation, and contributing to departmental activities. The incumbent will follow established standards and procedures for Oberlin College Libraries.

Essential Job Functions

• Receive donation inquiries, corresponding with donors, preparing gift reports, and searching local and national databases for gift retention.
• Receive new materials: review for physical condition and order status; ensure item status and location are accurately tracked and updated; route to stacks, circulation, or cataloging, or alert acquisitions to problems or defective items.
• Review, create, or edit bibliographic, holdings, and/or item records for tracking and routing materials and to assist with database consistency or special projects.
• Identify and expedite received materials that are faculty purchase requests, course reserve purchases, or other rush requests from internal or external users.
• Deaccession library materials: update accurate holdings in local and WorldCat databases and physically prepare items for discard.
• Prepare and send items to commercial bindery, maintain detailed records, ensure item status and location are accurately tracked, and perform quality control on materials received back from bindery. Serve as liaison to commercial bindery regarding Conservatory Library-specific items.
• Perform materials preparations duties to ensure that materials are accurately labeled, identified as property of the Conservatory Library and securely housed; monitor student work for quality.
• Evaluate materials for music-specific or specialized treatments for library materials, e.g. music turn sheets, pockets, tip-ins, assembling music parts, scanning/digital reformatting, etc., utilizing subject knowledge of music and notation.
• Evaluate fragile, damaged, or deteriorated collection materials that might need repairs, re-housing, binding, preservation, or conservation. Consult with appropriate staff regarding repairs, preservation, digitization, reformatting, or deaccessioning.
• Coordinate library operations with campus offices and outside vendors for equipment and facility needs.
• Develop and maintain documentation of workflows and procedures.
• Hire, train, schedule, and supervise student workers.
• Participate in unit, department, and OCL shared planning and decision-making.
• Engage in continuing education and training as assigned.

Marginal Job Functions

• Perform other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

Four-year college degree, or at least two years of college-level coursework and relevant library work experience. The incumbent needs to demonstrate the ability to follow complex procedures and must be able to work with others. This position requires fluency in the special subject area of music, including fluency in reading notated music, knowledge of musical terminology, and ability to accurately distinguish among notated music editions and among performance formats and recordings.

Work Environment/Physical Demands: Work is performed primarily in a library and library workroom environment and involves regular computer use and handling of books, scores, and other library materials. The position requires periods of sitting, standing, walking, bending, reaching, and repetitive hand work, as well as occasionally pushing or pulling loaded book carts and lifting or carrying materials weighing up to 40 pounds. Work may involve exposure to dust, deteriorated library materials, adhesives, and basic preservation or materials-preparation tools. Assistance or appropriate equipment should be used for materials that are unusually heavy or awkward to handle.

Desired Qualifications

Academic or performance background in music, particularly Western art music or jazz. Library, vendor, museum, or archives experience. Reading knowledge of music and publishing terminology in Western European languages.

Compensation

This pay group 4 position is to be filled at an hourly rate of $23.32or at the appropriate transfer or contractual rate and includes an excellent benefits package.

Applicants chosen for interview will be contacted to take the following testing in the Dept. of Human Resources; keyboarding, Basic Word, Basic Excel and Proofreading. Candidates must pass all tests in order to be considered for an interview.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To apply, candidates should visit the online application site found at

This position is open for current OCOPE membership and external applicants, with OCOPE members receiving preference for the first 10 days, expiring 10/22/2026.

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Cover Letter

• Resume

• List of References

Optional Documents