Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Swarthmore College Libraries cultivate scholarship and intellectual curiosity in our community through access to collections, expertise, and spaces. In collaboration with our academic partners, we teach the craft of research and foster a critical understanding of the contexts in which knowledge is developed and disseminated. For more information, see the Swarthmore College Libraries website.  

The opportunity:

The Night Supervisor has sole responsibility for the evening and nighttime (Sunday – Thursday 5pm-1am) team-based operation of Cornell Library to ensure patron access to library collections, services, including public computing and facilities during the academic year (September- May).

They provide excellent customer service in responding to requests and informational queries and through co-supervision of 25+ student workers who provide front-line support. They oversee some key departmental functions as assigned and also contribute to the execution and development of policies and services. The Night Supervisor will also be assigned project work with respect to collection management, reserves, and other areas within Access & User Services or other departments in the libraries.

Essential Responsibilities

• Student Supervision
  • Assists with scheduling and training 25+ student employees during academic semesters to provide front-line support to library patrons and maintain the physical collections during the academic year.
  • Supervises student employees in their tasks. Provides regular informal feedback on job performance of each student worker throughout the year.
• Project Work
  • Assists with long term projects from various departments in the libraries potentially including, but not limited to: Collection Management, Scholarly Communication, Accessibility, or Special Collections.
• Patron Services, Service Points, & Policy
  • As the only staff member of the Cornell Library present during the evening hours, serves as principal point of contact to assist and support the library’s college community and external clientele including facilitating access/lending of the library’s materials.
  • Assists patrons in their use of public technology, the wireless network and other library equipment. Responds to patrons’ directional, informational and basic reference queries.
• Reserves and Stacks Maintenance
  • Leads the coordination of various stack maintenance processes to ensure that collections are in appropriate schematic order and to mitigate overcrowding.
  • Oversees the ongoing inventory of materials and identifies discrepancies between the status of materials in Tripod and inventory data.
• Facility Management & Security
  • Ensures a safe and secure library environment for patrons, staff, and collections
  • Assists with maintenance and support of library equipment.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Co-supervises 25+ student employees (5 FTE)

Who you are:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; 1-2 years of experience in a service organization, preferably in a position which routinely interacts with clients.
• Demonstrated familiarity with library organization and services

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with using integrated library systems and/or experience with using other database management software.
• Supervisory or related experience.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with pay expectations, including a resume and cover letter.

PA Criminal Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Review the 2024 Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.