Collection Maintenance Specialist

Collection Maintenance Specialist – Library & Archives Paraprofessional 2

Permanant, Full-Time

The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include ensuring a fair and accurate elections process, connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries, protecting our important government records, and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse.

This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide.

OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work‑life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Washington State Library connects people to the power of libraries. As Washington's oldest cultural institution, the library's unique and rare collections date back to territorial days. Resources include historical print and digital compilations, collections of state newspapers and maps, state and federal government publications, and the Ask‑a‑Librarian service. The library benefits local libraries and their patrons through its consulting services, grants, subsidies, training, and programming.

Additionally, the Washington State Library provides services to state prison and state hospital libraries. OSOS also operates the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) in Seattle, a library for people unable to read standard print.

• Shelves new and customer‑used state and federal publications, journals, print newspapers, Northwest, Dewey, microfilm, reference, and genealogy collection materials.
• In consultation with collection managers, shifts collections as needed to prevent overcrowding and damage to library materials. Notes and reports condition issues to the appropriate collection head.
• Performs shelf‑reads to ensure items are in the correct sequence and arranged properly on the shelves and performs other stacks maintenance tasks.
• Sorts morning acquisitions mail bin and delivers items to appropriate acquisitions staff.
• Under the direction of the newspaper coordinator, discards print newspapers that have been replaced by microfilm.
• Assists with the preparation of newspapers for the ongoing microfilming process.
• In coordination with the serials specialist, maintains Princeton file shelf cards, reflecting any and all changes in format, subscription holdings or publication details.
• Evaluates materials for repair and performs basic repair/mending for collections within established procedures.

• Staffs the reference desk during regularly scheduled shifts and provides backup coverage; determines best way to answer reference questions by conducting thorough reference interviews; responds to requests received from all customer gateways, including email.
• Conducts research to respond to information requests; utilizes reference resource materials, catalogs, indexes, databases, and legal materials to identify and analyze sources to answer questions.
• Assists customers with use of all the collections, including federal and state publications, general and specialized reference, newspapers and periodicals, databases, and the website.
• Performs basic circulation functions – library card registration, item check‑in, and item checkout – assists customers with placing holds, and answers circulation‑related questions while staffing the circulation/reference desk.
• Retrieves collection materials upon request during regularly scheduled pager shifts and provides backup coverage.
• Assists with daily interlibrary loan tasks when necessary.

• Creates and/or adds publication links to HTML pages for serials/multi‑part monographs.
• Assists with state depository mailing and maintains organization of state…