Technical Services Manual

  Shift Responsibilities

Most shifts are divided into two parts: Shelving and Circulation Desk. 

Shelving shifts are responsible for any task that involves leaving the Circulation desk. This includes:

• shelving
• shelf reading
• pulling requests
• patron counts (if assigned)
• clean-up sweeps (if assigned) 
• pulling items for displays (if assigned)

Circulation Desk shifts are responsible for providing service at the Circulation Desk. If you are working at the desk, you cannot leave the desk unattended. Responsibilities include:

• following desk etiquette and offering excellent customer service
• managing item checkouts, returns, and renewals
• collecting fines
• maintaining equipment
• answering the phone
• Checking book return boxes, checking in items, and putting them on shelving carts

Daily Shift Tasks: There are daily tasks that happen at specific times every day, and these tasks are assigned to the person scheduled to work at that time. Check your shift notes to see if you have a special shift task assigned to you. These include:

• pulling requests
• patron counts
• cash counts
• clean-up sweeps
• checking the book return box
• opening (requires special training)
• closing (requires special training)

   Subbing Expectations

Everyone needs a sub now and then. Here are the expectations for requesting a sub:

• You are responsible for your shift until someone agrees to sub for you. If you're planning to be away from campus or hoping to get time off from a shift for any non-urgent reason, find a sub before you commit to being gone. If no one can sub for you, your shift is your responsibility. The only exceptions to this are if you are sick or there is an emergency, in which case you need to communicate with Allison immediately.
• Make sub requests with as much advanced notice as possible. Asking for a sub the night before or the day of your shift is not enough time. Remember, you are responsible for working your shift if no one can sub for you.
• Sub for each other! If you sub for someone, they are more likely to sub for you when you need it. Your teammates will notice if you never offer to sub, and this makes them less inclined to sub for you, especially if you ask for subs frequently. Be flexible and help each other. 

    How To Request A Sub

1. Go to your schedule. Log into your Sling account and click on Schedule, then My Schedule. You will see both your shelving and your desk shift. 

2. Make your shift available. Click on your shift to see your shift details. Then click on the ellipses button (the three dots) and select Make Shift Available. This will send a notification to the whole team that your shift is available, prompting your teammates to apply for the shift. Make both the shelving and the desk parts of your shift available. 

3. Wait for someone to apply. When someone applies for your shift and the swap is approved by your supervisor, you will get a notification for both the shelving and the desk parts of your shift saying that your shift offer was approved. You officially have a sub!

4. Send a Sub Plea email. If no one applies for your shift and time is running short, send an email to the whole circulation team, including Allison. Make the subject "SUB PLEA: date and time." You're not required to explain why you need a sub, but it sometimes helps motivate others to sub for you if they know why you're asking for one. 

   How To Sub For Someone

1. Watch for notifications. When someone has made a sub request, you will get a notification saying "A new shift is available." These notifications usually come in pairs, since both the shelving and desk parts of the shift are being offered. If you can work the shift, click Apply for both parts of the shift.

2. Apply for the whole shift, both shelving and desk parts. Shifts cannot be split unless your supervisor has given you special permission to offer or accept only half of a shift. 

3. Check the shift notes. Any shift with special tasks assigned to it will have the task listed in the shift notes. Click the grey circle next to the Apply button to view the shift details and see the shift notes. Once you apply for a shift, you are responsible for completing the tasks assigned to that shift. Opening and closing shifts require special training, so only apply for opening and closing shifts if you've been trained.

4. Wait for approval. Once the swap is approved by your supervisor, the shift is yours. Enjoy the gratitude of your teammates and the extra cash you'll make by subbing!