SLIS Jobline Your Source for Professional, Pre-Professional, and Internship Positions

Health Sciences Curriculum Design Librarian, Health Sciences Library, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Posted November 3, 2014

The Libraries:

Serving three campuses, the University of Washington Libraries is one of the largest and most innovative libraries in North America with collections exceeding 8 million volumes, over 500,000 electronic books, more than 120,000 currently received journal titles, as well as millions of scholarly resources in other formats. Beyond the strength of local collections and digital resources, the Libraries is recognized for its excellent service, innovative learning and research spaces, faculty partnerships, global reach, extensive assessment efforts and diverse award-winning staff. The Libraries plays a significant leadership role regionally as a member in the groundbreaking Orbis Cascade Alliance and throughout the profession, as evidenced by the number of its staff selected for competitive leadership programs and honored by professional association lifetime achievement awards.

Health Sciences Library:

Health Sciences Library (HSL) is a national leader in the development and application of innovative strategies and technologies to meet information and research needs. The HSL supports the education, research, and clinical programs of the six UW health science schools; three academic medical centers; and a network of clinics, as well as the wider interdisciplinary biomedical community of the University. The Public & Research Services unit designates librarians as liaisons for specific departments within the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Social Work. An interactive working relationship among library liaisons, User Experience department, and the health sciences community promotes faculty awareness of library resources and services, and provides clear channels of communication and strategic direction.

The Position:

Our Health Sciences Library has an outstanding opportunity for a Health Sciences Curriculum Design Librarian to develop a responsive way of supporting the medical students, faculty, and clinicians working on launching the clinical immersion phase of the renewed School Of Medicine curriculum set to begin August 2015.  Reporting to the Associate Director for Administration & Liaison Services, the primary duty of the Curriculum Design Librarian is to serve an integrated role, ideally within an anchor course, in the new and redesigned University of Washington School of Medicine curriculum.  Additionally, this role will work closely with the Associate Director for Administration & Liaison Services to develop a systematic plan to integrate the library into other school curriculums of the health sciences, particularly the School of Nursing.  Integration into the active learning and clinical experience activities will be a primary objective of this position.  Based in Seattle, WA, this position will interact with librarians at other WWAMI institutions and serve as a contact person for faculty at WWAMI sites in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.

Specific Responsibilities and Duties:

The Health Sciences Curriculum Design Librarian (CDL) will serve as the lead information specialist on the designated anchor course or theme team and provide instruction, instructional design expertise, and library liaison services to the appropriate departments in the School of Medicine, Nursing and other health sciences schools as needed.  This position will support students and faculty who are acquiring the knowledge and skills within the anchor course or theme departments necessary to understand effective patient care.  The incumbent will design and deliver library services around topic areas relevant to the anchor course or theme content.  The CDL will also serve as the curriculum liaison to other health sciences schools at the University of Washington, focusing on the inter-professional nature of patient care.  These schools may include Nursing or Social Work.  In addition, the incumbent may assume duties such as systematic review searcher, information management librarian, content management system development and/or web page development.

In working with the Curriculum, this role acts as an information specialist and consultant to the designated anchor course or theme directors and faculty in the UW School of Medicine; consults and collaborates with all faculty and students in the anchor course or theme area in the Seattle and WWAMI sites, as well as other liaison areas as assigned; serves as the library’s point person for curriculum renewal and instructional design within the School of Medicine and School of Nursing; collaborates with other liaisons to systematically integrate into curriculum initiatives in the other schools as opportunities appear; identifies and collaborates on HSL educational assessment initiatives; provides additional educational support and clinical information services through contact with users at the UWMC, Harborview, Northwest Hospital, and WWAMI sites; identifies and leverages key stakeholder relationships and finally leads library-based projects within the University’s course management system.

In serving as a Liaison, the CDL provides comprehensive reference services in response to requests for information on relevant health subjects; responds to e-mail, telephone, or in-person requests from staff, using the full spectrum of print and electronic library resources and facilities available; works collaboratively on difficult information requests; prepares literature searches and bibliographies on requested topics; provides instruction in the use of print and electronic resources, bibliographic management software, and UW Libraries and WWAMI resources; works with faculty and liaisons to develop appropriate course-integrated information literacy and EBM content for health sciences courses; assists in class instruction program in designing and writing training plans and class manuals and in hands-on-instruction; and evaluates electronic resources pertinent to the Library’s programs; develops and maintains Website/Intranet content using a content management system; as well as maintains and develops LibGuides.

As a member of the Public & Research Services team, works within the Public & Research Services unit and Health Sciences Library; consults with librarians at the Health Sciences Library and WWAMI sites, identifies goals and develops strategies to meet them; establishes, develops and implements mechanisms for obtaining WWAMI librarian feedback on instruction and library services to ensure high level of program effectiveness and the future development of information services; collaborates with other P&RS team members, helps assess services and projects, identifies goals and objectives and develops strategies to meet them; recommends guidelines, policies, and procedures; and shares responsibility for logistics and administrative tasks; contributes towards all narrative reports prepared by the UW Libraries; and performs other duties as necessary.

Qualifications:

Required

  • Graduate degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent graduate library science/information studies degree
  • Basic knowledge of health sciences and a general understanding of clinical practice
  • Previous experience or familiarity working within an active learning, personalized learning or longitudinal curricula and developing integrated library course content
  • Experience developing instructional content (online and in-person) for adult learners
  • Experience or demonstrated knowledge designing and administering learning assessments
  • Ability to instruct others in the use of library tools, bibliographic retrieval software, and other information technology concepts
  • Basic knowledge of electronic information systems, network applications, digital object identifiers, bibliographic management software and other microcomputer applications
  • Knowledge of hypertext mark-up language (HTML), content management software, or Web editing or authoring software
  • Ability to report outcomes and assess progress via narrative reports and presentations to the UW Libraries community
  • Adaptability and comfort working with diverse groups of faculty and staff, both within the library and various schools/departments
  • Demonstrated willingness to take risks and the ability to shift directions as needed
  • Highly collaborative and motivated to advance strategic initiatives both internally and externally
  • Capacity to thrive in the exciting, ambiguous, future-oriented environment of a world-class research institution and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities

Preferred

  • Library or comparable teaching experience
  • Familiarity with active learning and flipped classrooms
  • Familiarity with Canvas or other learning management systems
  • Assessment or evaluation experience
  • Knowledge and understanding of the multi-faceted roles of libraries in higher education, including medical, dental, nursing, public health, pharmacy, and social work education, clinical care, and the broader community
  • Membership in the Academy of Health Information Professional credential (AHIP); record of research, publication, and/or professional contributions

Salary: $48,204 minimum.  Starting salary commensurate with qualifications and background.

Rank: Position will be at the rank of Assistant or Senior Assistant Librarian, depending on qualifications and background.

Benefits: Librarians are academic personnel and participate in the University of Washington Retirement Plan on a matching basis.  Vacation is accrued at the rate of 24 working days per year; sick leave at the rate of 12 working days per year.  No state or local income tax.

Application Process

To apply for this position, please submit the following information to [email protected]:

  • Cover letter (addressed to Laura Lillard, Assistant Director, Libraries Academic Human Resources).
  • Curriculum vitae or resume (include a telephone number, mailing address, email address and salary requirements).
  • List of three references who are knowledgeable of your qualifications for this position, one of which must be your current supervisor (include telephone numbers, mailing addresses, and email addresses).
  • Please use “Librarian Application” in the subject heading.
  • Please submit all components in a single, multi-page PDF document. All submissions will be maintained in a secure, password protected online file space until interviews are conducted. Then, some application materials will be circulated.

Application Deadline:

To ensure consideration, applications should be received no later than 5:00 pm, Friday, December 19, 2014.

University of Washington Libraries Home Page is http://www.lib.washington.edu.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as protected veterans, or status as qualified individuals with disabilities.

In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the University is required to verify and document the citizenship or employment authorization of each new employee. 

For questions about this position, or questions regarding potential disability accommodations, please contact Laura Lillard at [email protected].​

Academic Positions Professional Jobs Outside of New England