Residency Librarian

Description

The University of Denver Libraries, comprised of the Main Library at the Anderson Academic Commons and the Bonfils Stanton Music Library in the Newman Center, is a highly collaborative, team-based organization that serves a diverse population, ranging from our students, staff, and faculty to public and other academic patrons from the surrounding region. The Anderson Academic Commons is the campus centerpiece for collaborative teaching, learning, and engagement. The University of Denver Libraries is central to discovery and creative interaction among students and faculty, and provides collections, services, personnel, and systems that support the teaching and research programs of the University. The institution is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and inclusive faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment.

Position Summary

The Residency Librarian is a three-year nonrenewable contract position designed to provide early-career librarians with professional experience and mentoring in academic librarianship. Designed to engage librarians who are members of historically underrepresented groups, the residency program will give the successful candidate an opportunity to gain experience and skills necessary to thrive as an academic and research librarian. The University of Denver Libraries is a member of, and is committed to the principles of the Association of College & Research Libraries Diversity Alliance: http://www.ala.org/acrl/issues/diversityalliance.

Through this program, the successful candidate will gain experience in a range of areas of academic librarianship, gaining both broad and deep understanding of how academic and research libraries operate. The Associate Dean for Scholarly Communication & Collections Services will serve as the residency coordinator and supervise this position, but other librarians will also serve as mentors based on a candidates chosen area of specialization.

Anticipated start date for this role is summer/fall of 2018 (may be flexible). 

Essential Functions

• During the three-year program, the Residency Librarian will rotate through at least three departments, primarily in the first year of residency. Based on existing or newly acquired interest, skills, education, and/or experience, the Residency Librarian will then work with stakeholders to select a home department and work with mentors in that unit for the remainder of the program to develop additional expertise and specialization. Departments could include Reference & Instruction, Special Collections & Archives, Design & Discovery, Collections & Content Management, Cataloging, Access Services, Technology Services, or Metadata & Digitization.
• In addition to work within the University Libraries, the Residency Librarian will work with the Interdisciplinary Research Incubator for the Study of (In)Equality (IRISE) (http://www.du.edu/irise/) to develop library skills in support of IRISEs mission. For example, this could entail public speaking, engaging with community members, supporting research, providing metadata or other technical support, or managing digitization projects.
• The Residency Librarian may also be assigned a mentor from the senior ranks of the University Libraries faculty outside the home department who will provide guidance on academic librarianship, research, professional development, and cultural aspects of institutions of higher education.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate clearly and knowledgeably, both verbally and in writing.
• Capacity to build strong connections with faculty and students.
• Ability to use knowledge, experience, awareness, and skills to advance DU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and to engage effectively with a broad spectrum of culturally diverse groups.
• Ability to work independently, effectively, and confidentially, using tact and excellent judgment.
• Analytical skills for decision making.
• Ability to organize work and set priorities.
• Ability to actively engage in the library organization, including leadership and participation in teams, task forces, and committees, working professionally in support of colleagues, willingly stepping into other roles when needed, and sharing responsibility as a faculty member in the library’s mission, goals, programs, and plans.
• Willingness to engage in professional development and scholarly activities through research, publication, and service to national and regional professional organizations.
• As a member of the University Libraries Faculty, the Residency Librarian will have the opportunity to serve on library and university committees and teams and will be provided funding and support to engage professionally at the regional and national level. Like all faculty in the University Libraries, this position actively engages in scholarly activities through research and publication, actively participates in professional organizations, as well as library and campus committees, and intentionally integrates diversity and inclusiveness into all aspects of the library.

Required Qualifications

• Candidate must be a recent ALA-accredited M.L.S. graduate (graduated within the last three years).
• The successful candidate will demonstrate a knowledge, ability or potential to engage effectively with culturally-diverse communities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to clearly articulate career objectives within academic librarianship.
• Evidence of, or articulated interest in, developing skills that support the mission and strategic goals of the University of Denver Libraries.
• Candidates are encouraged to review the libraries mission statement and strategic plan (https://library.du.edu/about-the-libraries/index.html).
• Experience working in a library, information management environment, or related fields.

Work Schedule

Varied depending on the needs of the job. 

Application Deadline 

Applications received by April 8, 2018 will receive first consideration. Applications may be accepted and reviewed until position filled. 

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through www.du.edu/jobs to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted. Once within the job description online, please scroll to the bottom of the page to apply. If you have questions regarding this position, please contact: Bridget.Farrell@du.edu. 

The following documents are required to be fully considered, please include with your application:

1. CV
2. Cover Letter that expresses candidate’s interest in various aspects of librarianship. Tell us what your primary passions are as well as additional areas of interest.
3. 3-5 references
4. Diversity statement. Please provide a statement about how you would advance diversity and inclusion through your work.

The University of Denver is committed to enhancing the diversity of its faculty and staff and encourages applications from women, minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities and veterans. The University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. 

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.