Library Volunteer Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

This position reports to the Director of Collection Management and Sharing at the UT Libraries. This position manages and coordinates all aspects of library-related request fulfillment for the University of Tennessee and external library partners including Borrowing, Lending, Document Delivery, Shipping and Receiving, and Distance Education Delivery operations, ensuring staff provide timely and accurate fulfillment of interlibrary loan requests and campus delivery services in accordance with applicable professional standards and U.S. copyright law. The Manager directly supervises staff, develops and enforces policies and procedures governing resource sharing and document delivery workflows, and resolves complex operational and bibliographic issues independently. This position serves as the UT Libraries' expert on interlibrary loan systems, copyright compliance as it relates to resource sharing, and metadata interpretation for request fulfillment. The Manager ensures equitable, accessible, and privacy-conscious service delivery to all patrons and drives the long-term direction of library-related request fulfillment for the University of Tennessee.

Required Qualifications

Education: 

• Bachelor's Degree

Experience: 

• 3 years of progressively responsible experience in a library setting. 

• 1 year of experience supervising or providing direction to staff or student workers. 

• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of interlibrary loan and resource sharing principles, practices, and professional standards. 

• Knowledge of bibliographic metadata, cataloging standards, citation styles, and library discovery systems. 

• Knowledge of the legal, licensing, and financial frameworks governing resource sharing, including U.S. copyright law and ILL payment systems. 

• Skill in learning and utilizing new technologies.

• Ability to analyze operational data and using quantitative information to inform decisions. 

• Ability to supervise, train, and evaluate staff, and to develop, implement, document, and enforce operational policies. 

• Ability to resolve complex problems independently and with intellectual curiosity, including bibliographic identification issues and patron disputes. 

• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and handle patron data responsibly. 

• Ability to set priorities, manage multiple concurrent workflows, and work independently with a high degree of professional judgment.

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, matrix leadership environment and to manage complex projects.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: 

• Master's Degree in Library Science, Information Science, or a related field such as logistics or supply chain management

Experience: 

• 3 years of experience in resource sharing, interlibrary loan, or document delivery operations. 

• 2 years of supervisory experience. Experience using ILLiad or a comparable resource sharing platform.

• Experience using Alma/Primo or a comparable library services platform. 

• Experience with ILL network payment systems.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Substantial knowledge of the resource sharing ecosystem, including current trends, challenges, innovations, and established professional competency frameworks. 

• Ability to implement new technology and automation to improve operational efficiency. 

• Skill in managing, configuring, and troubleshooting interlibrary loan management systems. 

• Skill in navigating multiple ILL service platforms (e.g., ILLiad, RapidILL, Docline, ShareIT, or OCLC WorldShare). 

• Knowledge of advanced resource sharing strategies, including buy-versus-borrow analysis, ILL billing and network payment systems, and international transaction methods. 

• Knowledge of material handling, packaging, and shipping practices for different formats. 

• Knowledge of accessibility standards as they apply to document delivery and library services, including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: 10

• Anticipated hiring range: 

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

About The College/Department/Division

The University of Tennessee Librariesarean integral part of the flagship campus of Tennessee's premier public research university. The University of Tennessee holds the Carnegie Foundation Research 1 designation, granted to doctoral universities withvery highresearch activity.As a land-grant university and as Volunteers, serving our state and nation is key to our mission. UT enrolls approximately40,421 studentsat its Knoxville campus. For more information about the people whocomprisethe UTK community, view resources onourData Central website. The University culture is guided by adherence to core values that define the Volunteer spirit and include seekingknowledge, leading with innovation and integrity, engaging locally and globally, and embracing responsible stewardship of resources.

Management and Supervision of Resource Sharing and Document Delivery Operations 

• Develops, shapes, and directs all library related request-driven delivery services including Borrowing, Lending, Document Delivery, Shipping and Receiving, and Distance Education Delivery.

•  Supervises full-time staff and student assistants. Hires, trains, evaluates, and mentors staff to ensure operational excellence. 

• Manages staffing levels, schedules, and workload distribution to meet fluctuating demand and institutional priorities.

•  Monitors and maintains unit budgets for student staffing and operations.

Resource Sharing Policy, Systems, and Workflow Development 

• Administers and configures the interlibrary loan management systems (e.g., ILLiad) and related modules within other library systems coordinating with the Director on integrations with the library services platform and discovery systems. 

• Develops, implements, and enforces policies, procedures, and standards governing resource sharing and delivery operations.

•  Applies and enforces U.S. copyright law and electronic license agreements to daily lending and document delivery workflows and decisions. 

• Develops and implements buy-versus-borrow strategies to optimize resource allocation. Develops and manages automation rules and routing logic within library systems to optimize request processing and reduce turnaround times. 

• Analyzes transaction statistics and service trends to implement and advise on evidence-based workflow improvements.

Complex Borrowing Operations and Bibliographic Problem Resolution -

• Provides advanced oversight of Borrowing operations, resolving complex bibliographic identification problems using metadata, cataloging standards, and discovery systems.

•  Troubleshoots unfilled requests and applies appropriate communicative, technological, or sourcing fixes. 

• Determines appropriate sourcing strategies for difficult-to-locate materials by evaluating consortial agreements, vendor options, open-access repositories. 

• Makes daily copyright determinations for complex requests. 

• Coordinates billing, invoicing, and financial reconciliation for interlibrary loan transactions, utilizing network-specific payment options. 

• Serves as the primary escalation point for resolving complaints and access issues with patrons, partner institutions, and vendors.

External Relations, Communication, and Equitable Service 

• Serves as the UT Libraries' Resource Sharing representative to external entities, coordinating communication with partner libraries, consortia, and document suppliers regarding lending agreements and service expectations. 

• Ensures resource sharing services are delivered equitably and accessibly to all patrons.

•  Advises those who develop policies regarding federal accessibility standards on matters related to request fulfillment. 

• Handles patron data in strict accordance with institutional privacy provisions and applicable law. 

• Establishes and enforces proper handling, packaging, and shipping standards, including international customs documentation. 

• Represents the department in cross-departmental teams related to access and delivery services.

Professional Development and Continuous Improvement 

• Keeps abreast of emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in resource sharing and document delivery.

•  Actively engages with professional organizations relevant to resource sharing.

•  Utilizes established professional competency frameworks to guide staff training and service assessment. 

• Completes 1-3 hours of professional development per month. 

• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director.