Library Circulation Supervisor

Under general supervision of the Library Director, the Circulation Supervisor manages the circulation department and serves patrons directly. The essential duties listed below are representative of those carried out by the circulation supervisor. Other tasks may be assigned if they are of a similar nature. All library employees must be willing and able to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends. The library’s mission statement is “The Monona Public Library enriches lives by building community connections, fostering imagination, and opening up a world of ideas.” We welcome all who will help us achieve this for anyone who interacts with the library.

The following essential duties are representative of those carried out by the circulation supervisor. Other tasks may be assigned if they are of a similar nature.

1. Supervises on a daily basis a staff of 12-15 part-time employees, ensuring a rewarding job experience and that staff work efficiently and to the best of their abilities.
   • Participates in employee hiring, annual reviews, and, in consultation with the library director, resolve disciplinary issues that may arise.
   • Prepares weekly staff work schedule, schedules vacations, deals with unforeseen absences, and related scheduling issues.
   • Delegates circulation responsibilities to staff members as appropriate.
   • Participates in staff coaching and development, providing advice to staff and assisting in problem solving; ensures staff have opportunity to take advantage of continuing education opportunities.
2. Manages the circulation department, supervising transactions involving 250,000+ items and more than 120,000 patrons annually.
   • Develops procedures for the orderly operation of the department; manages the workflow of the department for maximum efficiency and customer service.
   • Manages the flow of material out of the building and back to the shelf; assures proper transfer of hold items, identification of damaged material, and other issues related to process and quality control.
   • Coordinates delinquent account procedures.
   • Coordinates running and handling of issues from item and account management reports provided by South Central Library System (SCLS).
3. Responsible for maintaining a high degree of customer satisfaction from the checkout desk.
   • Identifies aspects of good customer service; communicates best practices; monitors staff actions. 
   • Resolves elevated customer concerns regarding overdue or lost materials, fines, claims returned, circulation policies and related issues.
4. Miscellaneous
   • Staffs the service desk as required.
   • Prepares administrative reports as requested, including contributions to the monthly board report.
   • Maintains a high level of professional development by participating in continuing education activities.

• 3-5 years of library experience on library desk and circulation
• Supervisory and managerial experience desirable

1. Ability to perform effectively as a team leader, coordinating the activities of several staff members.
2. Working knowledge of an integrated library system (ILS), preferably in a public library setting
3. Ability to work independently and solve work-related problems.
4. Ability to train new staff and assist existing staff in adapting to new procedures or learning to use new equipment and technology.
5. Ability to explain and promote library services and to work with diverse individuals and community groups.
6. Ability to work cooperatively as part of a management team and to work closely with other departments of the library.
7. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with both the public and fellow staff.
8. Ability to work effectively as part of a team and establish positive, mutually supportive working relationships with other staff.
9. Knowledge of new concepts and technological advances and ability to relate them to public services.
10. Ability to act as person-in-charge.
11. Ability to use good judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions.

Minimum Physical Abilities:

1. Ability to frequently move among shelves and to place books on shelves; shelves range from a few inches off the floor to up to 90 inches tall
2. Ability to retrieve books from bins, sort them, and place them on shelves
3. Ability to accurately exchange information with library patrons and staff in person and via telephone
4. Far vision at 20 feet or further, and near vision at 20 inches or less
5. Ability to move a cart of materials on wheels weighing 60 - 80 pounds
6. Ability to operate a computer