Social Sciences Librarian

Description

Amherst College, Faculty Searches, Frost Library
Social Sciences Librarian
Location: Amherst, MA

Amherst College, a highly selective liberal-arts college, seeks a talented Social Sciences Librarian. Amherst has profoundly transformed its student body in terms of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and nationality, among other areas. Today, nearly one quarter of Amherst’s students consists of Pell Grant recipients, and many more are first-generation students; nearly half of our students are non-immigrant minorities. We seek candidates who have experience working in a multicultural environment, are interested in mentoring a diverse student body, and/or who have a record of teaching a diverse student population.

As part of a collaborative and dynamic team of seven Research & Instruction librarians, the Social Sciences Librarian will teach in the library’s program of course-integrated research instruction; build relationships with faculty, students, and staff to support their information needs; serve as subject librarian for departments in the social sciences, acting as research instructor, liaison, and selector; and provide general research help and guide library users in identifying, retrieving, and evaluating information in all formats.  This is a full-time administrative/staff position, with some evening hours.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Creates responsive, disciplinary-specific research instruction for classes; teaches how to use information in a variety of settings; and supports students pursuing independent research projects.
• Serves as subject specialist and liaison to several academic departments in the social sciences: provides in-depth consultations about resources and research strategies, including qualitative and quantitative methods, research-study and survey design, and working with data, legal, and government information; develops and manages relevant collections in all formats; connects faculty, students, and staff with library services.
• Provides research assistance in the main Robert Frost Library.
• Incorporates emerging information technologies and new uses of social-sciences research and data in response to evolving patterns of publishing and information dissemination.
• Actively participates in outreach activities, committees, and work groups of the Library, the College, Five Colleges, and at regional and national organizations.
• Demonstrates and facilitates effective communication throughout the Library and across the College.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or foreign equivalent required.
• A passion for teaching; a commitment to undergraduates and undergraduate education; and a record of rapport and collaboration on assignments, course design, and pedagogical strategies.
• Experience in an academic library or research institution with a focus on teaching, resource selection, or other public services.
• Strong academic background and intellectual curiosity; additional graduate degree and experience preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to advocate for the Library to a variety of constituents.
• Commitment to work closely with colleagues, undergraduates, faculty, staff, and college administrators.
• Willingness to tackle challenges in an academic library with energy and enthusiasm, showing patience, tact, and good humor in providing user-focused public service.
• Competence and sensitivity in working at a college in which students are broadly diverse with regard to gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references. A review of applications will begin August 21, 2015 and continue until the position is filled.