Access Services Manual

Your work is important to YOU

• You learn how to be a good employee: be present and punctual, follow directions, work in a team to accomplish tasks, and interact with customers, fellow workers, and supervisors
• You learn valuable skills that can translate into positive points on your resume or even a regular job: using the Alma system, doing specific library-related tasks, and practicing general clerical skills such as typing or creating spreadsheets
• You learn about the information resources the library has to offer and you get to know librarians who can help you with research
• You earn money to help you pay for college while contributing valuable service to your fellow students and other members of the UTEP community

Your work is important to the LIBRARY

• Your work on routine tasks such as shelving, inventory, or checking out material to customers frees the professional and technical staff to accomplish more complex tasks.  We couldn’t provide the level of materials and service we currently provide if we had to do the routine tasks ourselves!
• You provide a student’s view of the library that provides a reality-check for library staff. We like to hear your ideas.
• You sometimes provide expertise that regular employees don’t have. For example, student employees have been creating many of the graphics for the Library.

Students,

The goal of shadowing is to review real questions posed at the Reference Desk and discuss them with the librarian at the desk.  If the hour is slow, the librarian and you should review sample questions online here.

Training:

All students must train with a librarian first on the proper method of answering reference questions.  You must do this for one hour with one of the following librarians:  Angela (AL), Jacob (JG), or Les (LA).

Practice: 

Once you have completed the training hour, you may do your two (2) practice hours with any librarian.

This Shadowing will be one-to-one.  Meaning if there is already another student at the desk with the librarian, you must try your next available hour.