Job description

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. By turning our insight, technology and talent into ground-breaking solutions, we’ve earned a place at the forefront of our industry. Our lawyers are leaders in their field – and the same goes for our support teams. Ambitious, driven and open to fresh perspectives, we find innovative new ways to deliver our services and maintain our reputation for excellence, in all that we do.
 
The nature of law is changing and with that change brings unique opportunities. With our collaborative working culture, flexibility, and a commitment to your progress, we build rewarding careers. By joining our global team, you are supported by colleagues from around the world. If you’re ready for a new challenge, it’s time to seize the opportunity.

Role Purpose

The Senior Library Assistant is part of the team providing access to resources for individuals and libraries across the firm. The post holder will be:

• Purchasing, receiving, processing and editing catalogue records
• Maintaining LMS records and tracking updates and titles
• Negotiating purchase agreements with suppliers
• Interacting with fee earners, library contacts and external providers to provide access to online resources
• Undertaking general administrative tasks to support the activities of the wider team

Key Relationships

• UK A&O Library team
• Resources co-ordinator
• Fee earners
• External suppliers
• Colleagues within the A&O Research & Library global network

Role and Responsibilities

Subscription Management

• Print resources: negotiate prices for looseleafs and journals; liaise with fee earners to ascertain requirements; produce recommendations for expenditure to budget holders;
• Online resources: liaise with users to ascertain requirements; analyse usage; advise fee earners of usage terms.
• Implement administrative procedures: LMS processing of invoices; weeding and archiving of old texts; updating of internal records (wiki, product profiles, intranet, LMS).
• Receive journal and looseleaf publications entering them into the library management system (LMS) 
• Label and distribute issues to other offices

Ordering items

• Obtain authorisations; place orders; update LMS records
• Negotiate multi-buy discounts with suppliers
• Identify and chase outstanding orders

Receiving and processing new books

• Log receipt of new books
• Process invoices in LMS, applying allocations and passing for payment
• Label and distribute materials to other offices

Cataloguing resources

• Catalogue electronic resources according to standard and template
• Edit catalogue records: checking and amending imported bibliographic records

Managing joiners/leavers process for information resources

• Liaising with fee earners to transfer and cancel loans and subscriptions; updating LMS records
• Ordering and issuing new passwords on request
• Reviewing  user lists to ensure currency and reallocate accesses where necessary 
• Review London and international new joiners report and send role / practice specific A&O Research & Library services welcome email

Administration and support activities

• Overseeing the work of the Graduate Trainee in relation to some routine processes such as joiner and leaver administration and overdue loan monitoring.
• Monitor the A&O Library team phone and incoming mail using the Enquiry Management System, resolving book and subscription queries and password queries, prioritizing and  allocating enquiries to other members of the team as required
• Monitoring the Companies House inbox, responding to and escalating filing error notifications
• Administration of overdue books
• Library stationery: ordering and maintaining supplies as required
• Maintaining A&O Library team procedures and policies on the library wiki.
• Provision of management reports from LMS including stock usage, borrower activity, subscriptions and expenditure
• Train and support local office contacts in their use of LMS

Support of overseas library functions

• Logging receipt of new updates and books as advised by local contact
• LMS processing of orders and  invoices and passing for payment
• Generating and emailing labeling reports and instructions
• Administration of overdue books

Provision of library services to affiliate users including clients, Peerpoint and alumni

• Maintaining lists of discounted publications available for purchase
• Production of new publication alerts
• Checking access eligibility, ordering and issuing new passwords for online resources on request
• Checking and amending online resource user lists on a regular basis to ensure currency

Other ad hoc tasks and duties may be assigned as and when required

Key requirements

• 3 years’ experience of library and information work, particularly acquisitions and subscription management
• Strong IT skills including MS Office, particularly Excel. Experience of automated library management systems (LMS) is essential
• Excellent administrative skills and attention to detail
• Excellent  all round communication skills, both oral and written able to interact confidently with clients of all levels
• Ability to train local and international colleagues and business users
• Resilience and adaptability
• Strong team player
• Enthusiastic about providing a high level of service to our clients, both internal and external
• Operate to a professional standard of behaviour at all times