Librarian (Acquisitions Technician)

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is a diplomatic mission representing the United States government in Kenya, fostering bilateral relations and providing services to U.S. citizens.

Reporting to Head of Acquisitions, incumbent receives, searches, and verifies accompanying financial documentation for all information materials in all formats for the Library of Congress (LOC) and approximately 30 academic institutional participants of the African Cooperative Acquisitions Program (AfriCAP). Creates Initial Bibliographic Cataloging (IBC) records for all new publications selected using the LOC Integrated Library System (ILS) according to Resource Description and Access (RDA) cataloging, as well as other cataloging metadata creation rules and LOC policies. Incumbent initiates the payment process by creating and updating Purchase Orders and holdings records, thereby authorizing fiscal processing and approval for payments.

1. The incumbent receives high volumes of incoming packages of publications in all formats, purchased or otherwise acquired from 30 countries in the Sub-Saharan African region covered by the LOC-Nairobi Office.
2. Verifies contents of packages against cover letters, invoices and receipts, and packing or shipping lists from different suppliers.
3. Determines the source and method of acquisitions (purchase, gift or exchange).
4. Maintains records of incoming shipments for each Bibliographic Representative and country.
5. Determines the categories of incoming information resources, i.e., serials, monographs, and non-book materials.
6. Using specialized search knowledge and skills, searches ILS, CAPS (LOC-Nairobi’s finance and acquisitions system) as well as other Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs) to verify LOC and AfriCAP participant holdings for all received materials.
7. Attaches various forms or selection slips to the serial or monograph for appropriate processing by other Sections and passes them to the Library Acquisitions Specialists for selection and subject/profile assignment.
8. Incumbent creates initial descriptive cataloging for all new publications approved for retention from the 30 Sub-Saharan countries covered by LOC-Nairobi Office, using the MARC format for new monographs in ILS and for new serials in OFORS.
9. This requires knowledge of Resource Description & Access (RDA), LOC cataloging standards, MARC tags and record formats, and a good knowledge of ILS procedures and policies.
10. The record created must be accurate and meet LOC standards, as it forms the basis for further cataloging by both LOC catalogers and others.
11. Incumbent checks relevant databases for consistency of title, avoidance of conflicts, and for complete bibliographical control.
12. Materials cataloged include books, maps and government documents, as well as sound recordings, video recordings, compact discs (sound and or digital data), microforms, and other non-print or digital formats.
13. Materials cataloged may be in any languages used in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as the Indian Ocean Islands.
14. Some may require working with language consultants or translation sheets sent by Bibliographic Representatives or vendors.
15. Cataloging is done online using ILS and the proper template for the type of format.
16. These records are accessible to libraries throughout the world through OCLC (an international cooperative cataloging utility).
17. If a Program in Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) record is available in OCLC, the incumbent does IBC Copy Cataloging/Z-Processing.
18. In this case, the incumbent adopts the PCC record and modifies the necessary MARC fields as required by LOC’s policies.
19. Assigns the official Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) and the item’s barcode for each piece acquired for LOC.
20. Enters the LCCN and barcode into the IBC in the correct MARC fields.
21. Incumbent checks serials issues into ILS using specialized software knowledge and skills to locate ILS bibliographic record, holdings, and item record, and to determine whether the item in hand matches the item in ILS before updating the holdings/item record.
22. Notes any changes/variations in the title, volume and numbering system of each serial system.
23. Using specialized software and knowledge, incumbent updates and/or create holdings records summary statements in the ILS database for reference by LC Washington and other users as material awaits to be shipped to LOC Washington, thereby eliminating the possibility of acquiring duplicates.
24. Update’s location data, enumeration, chronology and status in item records and re-sequences item records.
25. Identifies errors and uses special validation techniques to reduce errors.

1. Security certificate; or Public trust security clearance.
2. University degree in Library or Information Science required.
3. Minimum of two years of work experience in a library setting, experience with online searching and cataloging required.
4. English: Level 4 – Fluent; speaking/reading/writing, may include the ability to translate.
5. Kiswahili: Level 3 – Good working knowledge; speaking, reading & writing.
6. Knowledge of Machine-Readable Cataloguing (MARC) formats, and Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed. (AACR2) or Resource Description and Access (RDA) cataloging rules, and database management systems required.
7. Good working knowledge of bibliographic formats and database searching.
8. Strong computer skills including library management systems and MS Office required.
9. Basic keyboarding skills required.
10. Basic numerical skills required.
11. Ability to organize work, place priorities and manage time effectively.