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

Digital Humanities Librarian, University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

Posted June 13, 2018

The University of Alabama seeks an energetic and innovative librarian to continue our excellent support of digital humanities at The University of Alabama University Libraries. The successful candidate will serve as an ambassador within the University of Alabama faculty to promote the resources and community of the Alabama Digital Humanities Center (ADHC). 

A program of the University Libraries, the ADHC is a space and a community of over 90 faculty, staff, and students from American Studies, Art and Art History, Communication and Information Sciences, Continuing Studies, Criminal Justice, Education, English, Gender and Race Studies, History, the University Libraries, Honors, Modern Languages and Classics, Music, Religious Studies, and UA Press. http://www.lib.ua.edu/using-the-library/digital-humanities-center/

The facility is outfitted with a high-tech array of equipment, specialized software, presentation space, high-definition virtual conferencing capabilities, and group and individual workspace. The initiative has evolved through collaboration and represents a growing and dynamic community on campus. Housed in the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, a central gathering point on campus, the Center was built through generous support from the University Libraries, the Office of Information Technology, and a gift from Dr. & Mrs. Arthur Taylor.  Open now for eight years, the Center has hosted graduate digital humanities classes, numerous guest lectures, monthly brown-bag discussion gatherings, private project consultations, tool training workshops, project work, and community conversations. The ADHC has been engaged in scholarly and pedagogical projects from course-specific activities to international scope projects. The Center created and hosts an international DH conference called Digitorium http://apps.lib.ua.edu/blogs/digitorium/

The successful candidate will lead this creative and developmental endeavor. S/he will devote time to outreach activities promoting digital humanities and the mission of the ADHC; initiate, build, and nurture relationships within the University Libraries, campus, and external communities to develop and implement digital humanities services based on researcher needs, current standards, and best practices; facilitate project creation and development; provide skill development opportunities; employ project management; collaborate with technical (e.g., metadata, technology, and media) and content experts within and beyond the University Libraries; support library liaisons through workshops and awareness activities; apply proven and emerging technologies to humanistic inquiries; and serve as a resource for a variety of digital projects.

More specifically:

  • Provide direct support, advice, and project management for faculty to advance teaching, learning, and research.

  • Assist researchers at all levels through expert consultation, support, and training on DH tools and techniques, including but not limited to text analysis, text encoding, data mining, mapping, social network analysis, data visualization, virtual environments, digitization, metadata creation, preservation, and data management.

  • Apply best practices for sustainable development and maintenance of faculty and student projects.

  • Conduct regular environmental scans of campus departments in conjunction with subject liaisons to identify current and emerging scholarly projects and areas of interest for which tools and methodologies are appropriate and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

  • Take an active role in the established community to help the ADHC maintain a responsive environment and to assess its impact.  

  • Promote the ADHC through timely web site content, social media, and events.

  • Stay abreast of and evaluate current and emerging digital tools and methodologies supporting arts and humanities scholars.

  • Engage directly with tools such as AntConc, ArcGIS, Audacity, Excel, Google Maps, ImageMagik, NVivo, Omeka, OpenRefine, oXygen, R, Shanti Interactive Suite, SketchUp, Tableau, TEI, TimelineJS, Voyant Tools, WordPress, XMLSpy, and other similar tools to support annotation, analysis, mark-up, presentation, and visualization.

  • Plan and host Digitorium.

  • Serve as a liaison to one or more disciplines offering library instruction.

  • Actively engage with the University Libraries assessment endeavors.

  • Supervise one technical specialist.

  • Job responsibilities change as the environment evolves.

  • Work in collaboration with others to complete the goals, objectives, and action items of the University Libraries Strategic Plan 2017-2020 https://www.lib.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Strategic-Plan-11162016-FINAL.pdf

 The position reports to the Associate Dean for Research and Technology.

Required:

The following degree and experience combinations will be considered:

  •  Master’s degree in Library & Information Sciences from an ALA accredited institution or completed CLIR Postdoc in digital humanities or digital scholarship.

  • PhD in history, social sciences, or a related discipline.

  • Experience working on digital scholarship/humanities projects of your own and other scholars.

  • Knowledge of digital scholarship/humanities centers and current and emerging trends in such centers.

  • Knowledge and experience with a broad variety of digital humanities methods and technologies.

  • Knowledge of reference/instructional services in an academic library setting and trends and services in academic libraries to support undergraduate and graduate education.

  • Knowledge of current and emerging trends in information literacy instruction and information technologies.

  • Ability to successfully initiate, track, and manage projects.

  • Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written, along with skills associated with listening, negotiating, compromising, and adapting.

  • Proven interpersonal skills evidenced by the ability to work cooperatively and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, faculty, staff, and students.

  • Ability, interest, and willingness to assume additional and/or new responsibilities, along with the ability to set and model high performance standards.

  • Ability to conceptualize, articulate, and implement short and long-range goals.

  • Ability to work independently and as a team member to solve problems, using sound judgment in decision-making according to an established timeframe.

  • Level of comfort with ambiguity.

  • Ability to support and enhance a diverse learning and working environment.

  • Commitment to conduct research and scholarship consistent with a faculty appointment; commitment to engage in continuing professional development.

  • Experience working in dynamic environments where new services are tested, evaluated, and adapted.

  • Friendly, approachable, public service attitude.

Preferred: 

  •  At least 2 years post-graduate degree experience in a research library.

  • Demonstrated familiarity with typical academic software used by students and faculty in the humanities.

  • University-level teaching experience.

  • Project management experience.

  • Knowledge of sound copyright practices.

  • Experience planning and hosting events.

ENVIRONMENT: The University of Alabama, The Capstone University, is the State of Alabama’s flagship public university and the senior comprehensive doctoral level institution in Alabama. UA enrolls over 38,000 students. Ranked among the top 60 public universities in the nation in U.S. News and World Report’s annual college rankings for more than a decade, UA ranked 51st among public universities in the 2018 rankings. University of Alabama students continue to win prestigious national awards. Fifty-one UA students have been named Goldwater Scholars, including four in 2017. The University of Alabama has produced a total of 15 Rhodes Scholars, 16 Truman Scholars, 32 Hollings Scholars and 11 Boren Scholars. The University of Alabama is a leader among public universities nationwide in the enrollment of National Merit Scholars with more than 500 currently enrolled. Under the leadership of President Stuart Bell, UA has launched a strategic planning process that includes an aggressive research agenda and expansion of graduate education. UA is located in Tuscaloosa, a metropolitan area of 200,000, with a vibrant economy, a moderate climate, and a reputation across the South as an innovative, progressive community with an excellent quality of life. Tuscaloosa provides easy access to mountains, several large cities, and the beautiful Gulf Coast.

The University Libraries maintains memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Coalition for Networked Information, centerNet, LYRASIS, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, the Digital Preservation Network, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network.  As a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository, the UA Libraries serves Alabama libraries and the public. The University Libraries homepage may be accessed at http://www.lib.ua.edu. 

Prior to employment the successful candidate must pass a pre-employment background investigation.

SALARY/BENEFITS: 12-month tenure-track faculty appointment at the assistant professor rank, depending on qualifications. Salary is $52,000.08-$70,000.00 commensurate with qualifications and experience. Strong benefits including professional development support and tuition fee waiver.

TO APPLY: Applications are accepted online only at https://facultyjobs.ua.edu   

Click Search Positions. University Libraries in Organization drop down box. Please include your application, Curriculum Vitae, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e- mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor.

Position open until filled. Applications received by July 6, 2018 are assured of receiving full consideration.

The University of Alabama is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and is strongly committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. Applicants from a broad spectrum of people, including women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled persons, are especially encouraged to apply.

For questions regarding the search, contact Dr. Millie Jackson, Senior Associate Dean, at [email protected]

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

NOTE: ONLY CANDIDATES THAT APPLY ON THE UA JOBSITE WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Academic Positions Professional Jobs Outside of New England