Science Librarian & Head of Cornell Library for Science and Engineering, Swarthmore College Libraries, Swarthmore, PA
Posted December 18, 2015
Swarthmore College Libraries seeks creative and entrepreneurial candidates for the position of Science Librarian & Head of Cornell Library for Science and Engineering with experience in reference, instruction, collection development, and emerging areas in open access and research data management. The disciplinary responsibilities of the Science Librarian include Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics/Statistics, Astronomy/Physics, as well as related interdisciplinary programs. The Science Librarian partners with faculty in assigned academic departments to advance their teaching and research; contributes to the Libraries’ instructional programs; and collaborates with colleagues at the Bryn Mawr and Haverford College libraries in a wide variety of collection development, information access, and service functions. The librarian will enjoy a newly renovated space (summer 2016) overlooking the stunning Crum woods.
The responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to the following: a full range of reference and instructional services for the sciences; development and management of collections in all science disciplines and formats; maintaining awareness of current developments in scientific scholarly communication. The librarian will also actively participate in building the College’s institutional repository and implementing its research data management program. They will work with colleagues in Digital Scholarship and ITS to integrate appropriate technologies into the academic program. The librarian supervises one fulltime staff member and they work together in the overall management, planning, and design of the facilities. The science librarian will provide reference training to 25 student assistants during the academic year. It is important that the librarian maintains a visible presence in the College’s science community and builds close relations with faculty and students. All Swarthmore librarians are expected to actively engage in research, scholarship, and professional activities.
Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. The Libraries are part of the Tri-College Consortium and actively collaborate on services, systems, and collections with colleagues at Bryn Mawr and Haverford colleges. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to excellence through diversity in its educational program and employment practices.
Qualifications
Required Education and Experience:
- ALA-accredited master’s degree in library or information science.
- Experience providing full range of general reference services as well as in-depth research assistance in disciplinary areas.
- Experience using collection development tools and techniques to build, maintain, and assess library collections.
Preferred Qualifications
- One to two years of experience providing science research and instruction services in an academic or research-oriented library.
- Undergraduate and/or graduate degree in the sciences, math, or engineering
- Experience in working with institutional repository projects
- Experience with research data management
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to conceive, design, and implement policy and program initiatives
- Willingness to implement technological solutions to encountered challenges
- Ability to work independently and in a highly collaborative environment
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills
- Initiative, flexibility, and a strong service orientation are essential.
Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.