(3) Research Librarians, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Posted February 4, 2020
The recently reorganized Research & Learning unit at Tufts University’s Tisch Library seeks THREE Research Librarians as part of our growth in support of a new strategic plan.
All three positions will contribute to the efforts of the newly established Collections & Liaison Services Department, which along with User Experience & Student Success and Digital Scholarship comprise the Research & Learning unit.
The Collections & Liaison Services Department is tasked with supporting the research needs of the majority of the Tufts Arts & Sciences and Engineering academic departments. The Research Librarians in these positions will build deep connections with their liaison academic departments, aligning our outreach, instruction, consultation, and collection development to the evolving needs of those departments. Successful Research Librarians will not only partner with faculty and students in their liaison departments to ensure they are making the best possible use of our skills, services, and collections, but will also lead improvement and expansion of library offerings based on assessed unmet need.
We are specifically seeking a:
Successful candidates will:
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Create deep, meaningful relationships with assigned liaison academic departments, building understanding of the scholarly needs of both department faculty and students.
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Spend significant time outside the library attending and contributing to relevant campus and department events, with discretion to experiment and embed library service in support of patron need where and how it is most effective.
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Support individual faculty research projects and assignment design, and advocate for departmental curriculum reviews in hopes of offering more integrated, scaffolded, and impactful information fluency instruction.
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Propose and lead new experimental efforts to offer instruction beyond one-shot sessions (e.g. credit-bearing courses as part of the Tufts Experimental College, train-the-trainer workshops for faculty, multi-part retreats for thesis writers), focused on outreach and support for patrons with advanced research projects.
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Build excellent collections in support of Tufts’ goals to be both student-centered and research-focused, including monograph selection, approval plan management, and database trials and analysis.
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As part of the Collections & Liaison Services Department, help establish clear collections priorities, aligning them with the research and learning needs of Arts & Sciences and Engineering, and increasing and elevating collections from historically underrepresented voices.
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As part of the Collections & Liaison Services Department, plan, sequence, and help lead a number of collections review projects, moving towards sustainable collection curation.
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Teach meaningful, engaging instruction sessions and offer individual research consultations that support both immediate student need and transferrable skills for students’ information lives outside and beyond Tufts.
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Design and maintain instruction materials (e.g. research guides, websites, tutorials, handouts and exercises) that effectively synthesize and demonstrate complex topics, and that provide additional opportunities for self-guided learning.
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Collaborate closely with colleagues across the Research & Learning unit to co-teach, to offer effective referrals, and in support of our cross-department work.
Research Librarian for the Humanities liaison areas will include the Departments of History, English, and Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora. This position will have an additional focus on collections curation work.
Research Librarian for the Social Sciences liaison areas will include the Departments of Child Study & Human Development, Education, and Psychology. This position will have an additional focus on data support, backed up by the Digital Scholarship Department and the Tufts Technology Services Data Lab.
Research Librarian for the Sciences liaison areas will include the Departments of Community Health, Occupational Therapy, Biology, and Chemistry. This position will have an additional focus of offering some back-up support for School of Engineering departments.
Minimum Requirements:
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Master’s in Library or Information Science, or equivalent.
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Minimum of two years of experience providing subject liaison services (instruction, consultation, collection development) in an academic library or other public service environment.
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Relevant subject expertise related to liaison departments (i.e. related undergraduate or graduate degree and/or experience supporting those disciplines).
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Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
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Time management and organization skills to work independently, as well as a collaborative, cooperative instinct.
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Desire to learn about patron needs, recommend solutions to continuously improve library service, and create a compelling, holistic experience of the library.
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Interest in and willingness to adopt the Tisch Library values of Community, Curiosity & Learning, Openness, and Social Justice.
Preferred:
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Experience with large-scale collections review projects.
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Some digital humanities and/or statistical software and methodology experience.
Reporting:
These three positions will report to the Head of Collections & Liaison Services.
Salary Range:
$54,400-$81,700
About Tisch Library:
Tisch Library supports three Tufts’ Schools – Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts – providing collections, expertise, and technology-rich environments to assist the Tufts community in teaching, learning, research, and the creation and dissemination of scholarship.
About Tufts University:
Tufts is a student-centered research university dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge. We are committed to providing transformational experiences for students and faculty in an inclusive and collaborative environment where creative scholars generate bold ideas, innovate in the face of complex challenges and distinguish themselves as active citizens of the world.