The LSU Libraries, consisting of the LSU main Library and Hill Memorial Special Collections Library,  supports the academic mission of the university by fostering teaching, learning, and research. Through its commitment to excellence in collections, services, and spaces, the Libraries serves as an indispensable intellectual resource for the state of Louisiana, and indeed to communities worldwide. Student Assistants working for LSU Libraries gain valuable skills and experience which will benefit them throughout their professional lives. 

LSU Library Departments

Access Services - Circulation

The Circulation Department is one of the principal information desks in the LSU main Library. It falls under the umbrella of Access Services along with the Interlibrary Loan Department. Circulation student employees not only assist patrons with checking-out, renewing, and checking-in library materials, but they also assist in the processing of fines and fee payments for bills. Our students help patrons search and retrieve items from the book stacks and from compact shelving. They answer questions in person, over the telephone, and online. They are counted on to refer patrons to the proper library faculty/staff person, as necessary. Our student employees can book study rooms for customers and assist with reservation problems. They search for library materials in the online catalog as well as for lost and missing library materials. Circulation student employees also help support in the upkeep and care of the book stacks on the upper floors. The Circulation department houses, maintains, and circulates Course Reserve materials as well as work with the Interlibrary (ILL) unit by checking-out and checking-in Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials to incoming library customers. The Circulation desk is staffed during all hours that the unit is open, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Applicants must have excellent customer service skills, the ability to catch on to the information quickly, an enthusiasm for learning about the library, an appreciation for diversity, a knack for communicating and a great sense of humor. Working in the Circulation department can be fun and beneficial.

Access Services - Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Interlibrary Loan is the bridge that connects patrons with materials for their research that are not available at LSU Libraries. Student assistants in ILL process the physical materials we receive from lending libraries and make them available to our patrons, as well as search LSU main Library stacks for materials being shipped to other borrowing libraries. ILL student assistants gain experience in assisting with research, firsthand knowledge of how to search the library for materials, customer service, and basic office tasks such as opening and distributing mail, processing shipments for U.S. mail and UPS, and light problem solving. Interlibrary Loan seeks detail oriented students with interest in assisting others with their research needs and those who work well with others in an office setting.

Administrative Services

Administrative Services serves as the central financial office for the Libraries. This office oversees the budget, processes all non-book related purchasing, accounts receivable, travel, payroll, hiring, promotion and tenure procedures, and building facilities. Student assistants for the department will be instrumental in carrying out and instituting best business practices, while learning practical applications in organizational practices. In student assistants we seek ambitious and highly detail-oriented individuals who enjoy working in an office setting.

Collection Services-Electronic Resources Management

The Collection Services department is comprised of both faculty librarians and staff whose work focuses on the development and management of the library’s print and electronic collections. In the area of electronic resources, the Electronic Resources Librarian oversees much of the e-resource lifecycle. This entails trialing resources, resource acquisition, licensing, set-up and maintenance, resource evaluation, and renewals. Students hired in this area of Collection Services will gain valuable experience in IT related issues and troubleshooting, Microsoft Excel, and the use of library programs and services. Above all, the ideal student will possess initiative, a service-oriented attitude, and an enthusiasm for problem-solving and learning new skills.  

Communications and Publications

Communications and Publications coordinates the formal communications strategy for the Libraries. This office oversees the newsletter, annual report, media relations, blog, and social media. Student assistants for the department will gain writing, communication and graphic design experience and learn to use related software such as InDesign, Photoshop, WordPress, ConstantContact, and social media platforms. Not only will our Student assistants' work be featured on the Libraries' various web platforms, but they will also be exposed to opportunities for publishing their own articles and work. The Student assistants we seek have excellent written communication and organizational skills and a good eye for design.

Music Resources 

Music Resources, located in 202 LSU main Library, supports The LSU School of Music, which is part of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts. It houses music scores, books on music, music journals and audio visual materials used in music. Additional information including hours and links to Internet resources is available at http://www.lib.lsu.edu/music/. All materials in Music Resources, regardless of format, are listed in the online catalog. 

Research and Instruction Services

The mission of Research and Instruction Services (RIS) is to support, enhance, and collaborate in the instructional and research activities of the LSU community. We provide general and subject-specific research services, including but not limited to: walk-up research consultations at the Research Help Desk, one-on-one research consultations with students, and the development of general and course-specific auxiliary materials. In addition, we administer information literacy instruction through "one-shot" sessions in partnership with non-library faculty, and host topic-specific workshops to enhance students' information literacy skills. Student assistants will support the RIS mission by providing top-notch research guidance to the LSU community by fielding questions at the Research Help Desk, and by assisting in our many engagement and outreach initiatives. 

T. Harry Williams Oral History Center

The Williams Center is the largest and most comprehensive oral history repository in the state of Louisiana, and one of the largest in the South. The nationally recognized Center was founded in 1991 to document Louisiana's diverse culture and history through oral history interviews representing multiple perspectives; to preserve and make them available to researchers, and to actively engage in outreach, assisting university and public community members in learning about oral history research, and in creating their own projects.  LSU undergraduate students are welcome to apply for positions as student assistants at the Center.  Learning about best practices in the field, assistants transcribe and summarize oral history interview recordings and assist with other clerical needs in the Center, including interviewing and public outreach.

Other Departments with Student Assistants: Access Services - Circulation,  Government Documents, Resource Description & Metadata Services, and Technology Initiatives. 

Hill Memorial Library Departments

Digitization Lab

The Digitization Lab, as part of LSU Libraries Digital Programs and Services, serves the LSU Community, the state of Louisiana, and researchers all over the world by providing digital versions of the Libraries’ holdings. Using a variety of equipment (including flatbed scanners, DSLR cameras, and film scanners) and software (including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, ABBYY Finereader, and Microsoft Excel), lab assistants create, edit, and record information about digitized items to meet the needs and standards of patrons, publishers, the Louisiana Digital Library, and LSU Digital Commons. Students working in the Digitization Lab must have excellent attention to detail, as accurate scanning, filenaming, and metadata are essential to the usability of digital files. Students will gain experience in following detailed workflows, record keeping, and digital image creation and editing.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions showcase the scope and breadth of our diverse collections, igniting the imagination of academic researchers and casual patrons alike. Providing access, in context, to the unique materials housed within Special Collections, exhibitions connect the community with cultural treasures that are central to our collective memory. Hill Memorial Library hosts several exhibitions throughout the year, all of which are free and open to the public.

Student assistants working in exhibitions will assist with the following tasks: installation and removal of exhibition items; creation of book supports; organization of exhibition tools and supplies; retrieval and return of archival collections to the stacks; research (using the online catalog and Louisiana Digital Library); projects involving Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access; and on-campus errands. 

Public and Research Services

Public and Research Services serves as the initial point of welcome and informational hub of Special Collections for visitors to the library. Student assistant tasks include greeting visitors and providing general information at our front desk, retrieving items from our collection storage, and assisting staff and researchers with duplications of approved materials. We are looking for friendly, punctual, and diligent people who enjoy working with the public as well as with rare and unique collections.

University Archives 

The University Archives is responsible for collecting and preserving LSU’s historical records and making them available to researchers.  These records include photographs, printed materials (booklets, pamphlets, posters, etc.), correspondence, and other records produced by the University.  Student assistants will learn techniques in processing and preserving these records and will assist with research projects.  The student assistants we seek must be detail-oriented, hard-working, and willing to learn the procedures necessary for working in a special collections library.

Other departments with Student Assistants: Facilities, Manuscript Processing and Technology Services