Library Specialist

This position is responsible for duties in the Payments, Renewals, and Licensing unit within the KU Libraries Acquisitions and Resource Sharing (AcqRS) department. Staff in this unit are responsible for the payment, accounting, renewal, and licensing of materials and services associated with the KU Libraries' content budget in accordance with State, University, and library policies and procedures. This position is responsible for support, processing and management of day-to-day expenditures for library materials in all formats, which includes management of databases that track, and report data related to Library, Library Vendor, and University systems responsible for accounting and collections fund management. This position reports jointly to the Executive Director of Fiscal Services with a dotted line to the head of AcqRS, and works closely with the Accountant(s) who together are responsible for leadership and day-to-day coordination of effective fiscal management of the libraries overall content budget, including expenditure projections and cash flow.
A new library management system to be implemented by Summer 2026 is expected to lead to significant changes that cannot be fully anticipated. The libraries' current strategic plan prioritizes a thorough analysis of workflows across the library which may result in redefined assignments and reporting lines related to this system implementation.

50% Processes Payments and Invoices For Acquisitions & Resource Sharing:

• Creates and approves invoice records for all order types (serials, monographs, interlibrary loan) in both library and campus financial systems. Verifies vendor, price, & product against original order to ensure accurate payment.
• Selects appropriate payment method based on urgency, vendor requirements, and/or funding source.
• Responsible for secure business procurement card transactions, placing orders, monitoring and reconciling account statements, and serving as a cost approver for other card holders.
• Receives and loads EDI (electronic data interchange) invoices directly transferred from vendor sites, relinking any records that drop out due to data discrepancies. Reviews EDI invoice line items for accuracy.
• Confirms availability of supplier's remittance address and Federal Tax ID information in our records. If not available, contacts the vendor to supply.
• Creates ledger entries in Excel for all invoices received and applied to special prepaid accounts balances to support reconciliation by Accountant(s).
• Deposits and handles the accounting for income from ILL payments and book sale proceeds, verifies for accuracy, and reports income totals to appropriate library staff and in appropriate systems and ledgers.

25% Account Reconciliation and Problem Resolution:

• Processes account statements received from providers for items not yet paid. Reviews account statements to identify invoices that the vendor believes are past due. Searches campus financial systems for check redemption information and notifies the Shared Service Center if payment needs to be reissued.
• Reviews prepayment account statements monthly to ensure accuracy of subject level accounts reported to library faculty.
• Takes action on problems arising in any aspect of the payment process, consulting on the most difficult with the appropriate staff.
• Identifies billing errors, questionable charges, and excessive price increases, and un-received invoices, and resolves them in communication with publishers and vendors.
• Regularly follows up with publishers and vendors on unanswered inquiries.
• Performs regularly scheduled budget activities, necessary to balance reconciliation with University accounts.
• Performs budget activities before or after the fiscal close and system rollover, such as: troubleshooting encumbrances, updating leger/fund structures, inputting identified new fiscal allocations, creating and transferring fund allocations as needed.

15% E-Resource Order Renewals and Service Support:

• Supports the Renewals Coordinator in monitoring, investigating, and confirming renewal decisions, including:
  • investigates, compares, and shares relevant vendor products and offers for decision,
  • ensures licenses are current for renewal and determines whether review of new terms, or renegotiation of more favorable terms, is warranted.
  • negotiates, confirms, and documents contract pricing terms.
  • develops and maintains a thorough understanding of data sources and systems necessary to prepare reports, and gathers information needed to solve specific problems.
• Processes database trials, quotes and manages information in various library systems; coordinates communication within the Payments, Renewal & Licensing unit or New Request Fulfillment unit when trials and quotes result in decisions to purchase.
• With other staff, manages, maintains, updates, and troubleshoots Microsoft Access databases that interface with expenditure data in library management systems (Voyager Acquisitions and ILLiad).
• Provides high quality customer service interacting with colleagues, patrons, vendors, or other libraries personnel, whether via phone, email, instant message or in person regarding various requests.
• Documents all Single Service Point transactions in appropriate systems.

10% Knowledge Management, Workflow, Teambuilding, and Skill Development:

• Documents workflows in area of primary responsibility and supports others in the department in developing, storing, and maintaining standardized documentation of workflows
• Plays an active role within the department helping to analyze and identify efficiencies in daily workflows, creates documentation, and contributes to effective departmental information management and communication.
• Attends and participates in department meetings, other team building activities, and individual meetings with supervisor.
• Shows commitment to positive, solution-oriented problem solving.
• Actively participates and develops aptitude for evolving technology and systems used to support Acquisitions & Resource Sharing services.
• Takes responsibility for learning and maintaining the skills needed to accomplish his/her assignment and works with supervisor to prepare and follow a plan for skill development.
• Performs other duties as assigned, based on continual assessment of departmental staffing needs and the needs of the library.

A complete application consists of:

• cover letter that addresses how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
• resume/CV
• contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor)

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins Friday August 29, 2025. In order to ensure consideration, please apply before that date.

Tonia Morgan
morgt@ku.edu

Minimum salary $40,000, final determination commensurate with experience

Friday August 29, 2025

Monday September 15, 2025