Skip to Main Content Galveston College Library
  • Galveston CollegeLibrary

    • Orientation & Training

    As a Student Assistant with GC Library, you must complete customer service and other library-specific training as part of your employment with us. We believe that part of your career success is based on a foundation of training and mentoring.

    Some forms of training will be subject to but not limited to:

    • Webinars
    • Online Courses
    • Videos
    • In-Person Training

    Clocking In & Out and Break Time

    You will clock in and out using ADP Workforce Now. If you have NOT registered with ADP, see the How to Register for ADP WorkForce Now document below.  

    It is critical that you keep track of all hours worked. Student assistants cannot work more than 19.5 hours a week. Do not work over the hours agreed to with your supervisor. You will not be allowed to work during times you are scheduled to be in class. 

    We know that life happens, if you need to make up time missed, please notify your supervisor.

    Everyone needs a break, see the break schedule below: 

    • 3, 4, or 5-hour shift = 15 minutes ON the clock break
    • 6+ hours = half an hour to an hour OFF the clock break

    Be sure to schedule your breaks and notify the Librarian or Library Assistant before leaving for a break. 

    Proper Dress Attire

    Clothing and attitude play a major role in the image of the library when you are the first person a patron sees when entering the building.

    • Attire should be suitable for the library work environment.
    • It is up to your supervisor(s) discretion to decide if any article of clothing is considered inappropriate, and if it is deemed inappropriate you will be asked to clock out and change.

    Customer Service

    Helping patrons is your most important job. At Galveston College Library, we are here to provide excellent customer service at all times. The goal is to be user-focused, offering professional, respectful front-desk service and care in materials handling. As part of your training, you will be required to take several Customer Service courses. 

    Please ask for assistance. No one expects you to have all the answers. If you are working when no one is available to help, send a Teams chat to the library team with information regarding the question so that someone can get back to the patron.

    Basic Guidelines: 

    • Be approachable and have a positive attitude.
    • Make eye contact, smile, and offer each patron a greeting, such as "Hello. How can I help you today?" or "Good morning! What can I do for you?"
    • Show interest: if talking to other staff members or performing a task, stop immediately to offer assistance to the patron.
    • Listen respectfully to the patron's request, and pay close attention to questions. Ask for additional information if necessary to clarify the patron's needs.
    • Be knowledgeable about your job and provide correct information. (This way, you will know the answer next time and won't steer the patron in the wrong direction. During 'slow' times, familiarize yourself with the library's webpages, the online catalog, databases, etc.) If you are unsure about something, ask a supervisor for assistance.
    • Follow up, and confirm that the patron's questions have been answered.

    FERPA: Confidentiality & Privacy

    Protecting the confidentiality and privacy of GC students, faculty, staff, and external community patrons is extremely important, especially when dealing with library records and patron information. Giving away patron information is against the law. As part of your training, you will be required to complete a course about privacy, confidentiality, and Intellectual Freedom.

    • Do not EVER give out personal information from a patron's library record. This includes items checked out, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses. All information in a library record is private and CAN NOT be divulged to a third party. 
      • Example: A student asks you the name of the person who has a particular book checked out. You are NOT allowed to tell them that information. It is a violation of that patron's confidentiality and privacy.
    • If a police officer or College administrator asks you for information, please refer them to the Library Director. They will handle the situation. When in doubt ask a library team member.

    Start Your Training Here

    ►Start Here

    GC Library Student Assistant Orientation:

    ►Create a new account at OCLC WebJunction. You will be required to complete online training in WebJunction as part of your orientation. 

    ► WebJunction Course (Privacy & Confidentiality): Webinar-Hooray for Freedom! Part One: Privacy, Confidentiality, and Intellectual Freedom in the Library

    • Privacy, confidentiality, and intellectual freedom are core values of librarianship that are easy to agree with but difficult to implement. Hooray for Freedom! will help you assess your professional practice, give you the legal and ethical context to support democracy in your library, and help you identify practical ways to implement improvements.

    ► WebJunction Course (Customer Service): Being Customer Focused: New and Emerging Trends in Customer Service

    • What is the use of a library if nobody comes? Or worse, what if they come but don’t come back?

    ► WebJunction Course (Customer Service): Dealing with Angry Patrons

    • This course is designed to help you improve your skills in dealing effectively with angry customers. 

    ► WebJunction Course (Customer Service): Dealing with Difficult Patrons

    • This one-hour webinar provides expert resources for working with a patron using common sense practices and techniques for bringing that customer back into the fold.

    ►Collection Maintenance and Research Assistance: Review and Complete the Wilmington University Library's Library of Congress Tutorial.

    ►Collection Maintenance and Research Assistance: Complete the Kent State University Library-Library of Congress Call Number and Shelving Tutorial (Requires Adobe Flash Player)

    ►Collection Maintenance and Research Assistance: Complete the LibraryTools Training:

    • Select Library of Congress
    • Complete the training until you make a perfect score of 100 and print out the certificate of completion.