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Scholarly Communications, Data, and Affordable Learning Librarian, Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston, MA 

Posted April 7, 2023

Description

Position Type: Staff Full Time
https://employmentopportunities.umb.edu/boston/en-us/job/518329?&lApplicationSubSourceID=11250 

Reporting to the Head of Reference, Outreach, & Instruction in Healey Library, and working closely with other units across the Library (including Collections, Archives & Special Collections, Library Systems & Discovery Services, Technical Services) and across the University as needed (e.g. IT, the Open Educational Resources [OERs] Working Group, instructional and learning designers, etc.), the Scholarly Communications, Data, & Affordable Learning Librarian will have a strong commitment to user-centered service delivery and to student and faculty success.  The successful candidate will promote awareness, adoption, creation, and support for Open Education and Affordable Learning Initiatives, and for Open Access publishing inquiries.  The successful candidate will also oversee the ScholarWorks Institutional Repository, and will assist faculty and other users with Research Data Management Plans, management of research datasets, and related activities.  These will constitute the bulk of the position’s duties, but this position will also have some assigned areas of focus, including outreach, instruction, reference/research support, and related services within our Liaison Librarian program.  The Scholarly Communications, Data, & Affordable Learning Librarian is a newly created role within Healey Library, and it is expected that the incumbent will be able to play a strong role in shaping the nature of the position as related campus and library programs in these areas grow (e.g. Open Access publishing, OERs, research data management, etc.).  

The successful candidate will be a creative, proactive, and innovative individual who engages and collaborates with our unique and diverse campus community. The capacity for working enthusiastically, flexibly, and creatively in a user-centered environment is essential, and teaching experience is a strong asset.  The incumbent will possess demonstrable ability to work independently and collaboratively with people of diverse backgrounds; strong knowledge of Open Educational Resources and Affordable Learning resources and programs; knowledge of Open Access publishing options and Creative Commons Licensing; experience working with research data; knowledge of the research process and familiarity with a wide range of educational technologies and productivity software; excellent interpersonal skills; verbal and written communication skills and demonstrable organizational and time management skills. The individual will explore new ways of engaging library users and will advocate and provide leadership and vision to improve awareness and reach out effectively to the college and campus community. The successful candidate provides excellent customer service; thinks critically in analyzing problems and developing resourceful solutions; is able to manage a complex workload, can prioritize tasks and complete work on time with minimum supervision. 

Please note that as this is a new position, duties and the proportions of time each area requires are expected to evolve.  We will schedule regular check-ins with supervisors, and facilitate excellent, open, transparent communications to ensure these supervisors are aware of the librarian’s evolving workload, which areas may be growing or changing, and where additional resources should be made available as feasible.  Duties and workload may be adapted and altered, depending on factors such as faculty uptake of initiatives, participation, and interest.  Healey Library is developing an overall Strategic Plan and a Strategic Staffing Plan, and this position will be important to both, as we adapt our services to meet evolving user needs and to support changing trends in higher education and service delivery. 

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: 

OERs/Open Access/Affordable Learning/Scholarly Communications/Research Data (approx. 75%) 

  • Engaging in outreach, instruction, and consultation to support Open Education and Affordable Learning programs on campus, and collaboratively with other libraries within the University of Massachusetts system, the Boston Library Consortium, and other consortia.  
  • Participating in campus, system-wide, and consortial Open Education and Affordable Learning projects.  
  • Managing Healey Library’s communications related to OERs, Affordable Learning, Scholarly Communications, Open Access, and Data. 
  • Supporting faculty in locating OERs and matching them to their syllabi. 
  • Providing consultation and guidance to instructors engaged in adopting, adapting, or creating OERs at UMass Boston. 
  • Developing workflows and documentation for OER supports. 
  • Managing ScholarWorks, the UMass Boston institutional repository. 
  • Assisting interested faculty in the development and adaptation of Research Data Management Plans and management of research datasets, as well as their deposit in ScholarWorks. 
  • Participating in and supporting system-wide and unit-level initiatives, including support for data resources, scholarly communications, Open Access, research impact, knowledge synthesis, and related activities. 

Reference/Instruction & Collections (approx. 20%) 

  • Participating in collection and scholarly resource development in assigned liaison areas. 
  • Participating in Information Literacy instruction in assigned liaison areas. 
  • Contributing to collaborative delivery of library services to students, faculty, and staff. 
  • Contributing to committee service and collaborative projects. 
  • Maintaining awareness of current and emerging trends both in the University and in librarianship, and proactively identifying appropriate service responses. 

Other (approx. 5%) 

  • Other duties as assigned 

Qualifications

Required: 

  • A Master’s degree in library or information science from an ALA- accredited program or equivalent. 
  • Knowledge of (or related academic library experience with) any of the following:  institutional and/or disciplinary repositories, research data management, Open Educational Resources, Open Access, scholarly communications, scholarly publishing, information literacy instruction, collection and resource evaluation, assessment, reference, research support. 
  • Experience in creating online learning objects, including tutorials, instructional materials, and research guides. 
  • Capacity for working enthusiastically, flexibly, and creatively in a student- centered environment. 
  • Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively and inclusively with a diverse population of faculty, staff and students. 
  • Familiarity with current trends in academic library information systems and higher education. 
  • Excellent interpersonal skills; verbal and written communication skills. 
  • Demonstrated organizational and time management skills. 
  • Competency with wide range of educational technologies and productivity software as well as Microsoft Office Suite. 

Preferred: 

  • Understanding of Creative Commons and other open licensing initiatives. 
  • Experience working with or managing digital repository platforms, such as Digital Commons. 
  • Experience with evaluation and review of databases, journals, and other collections. 
  • Experience in classroom teaching, information literacy instruction, and workshop development. 
  • Subject specialization in one or more academic disciplines. 
  • Experience with educational technologies and their applications in academic libraries. 
  • Experience with outreach and marketing services to students and faculty. 

This position may be hired at the Librarian I, II, or III range, depending on the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant.  To view the current contract governing Faculty & Librarians, please see 2020-2023_FSU_Agreement_FINAL_SIGNED_VERSION_5.15.22.pdf (umb.edu).  Salary floors are listed on p. 82 of the contract, and are $54,000 for Librarian I, $60,500 for Librarian II, and $68,500 for Librarian III.  

To Apply

Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references. 

UMass Boston requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to confirm proof of their vaccination status. Exemptions from the vaccine requirement will be permitted only for qualifying religious or medical reasons.  

Applications close: 28 Apr 2023 Eastern Daylight Time 

The University of Massachusetts Boston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any other legally protected class. The University of Massachusetts Boston complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the university operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. 

UMass Boston normally does not provide H-1B visa sponsorship for non-academic positions. 

The University of Massachusetts Boston is committed to providing a safe and secure environment that is supported by qualified employees for all of its students, faculty and staff to carry out the University’s teaching, research and public service missions. As a condition of employment, the University will conduct appropriate background check reviews. For more information, please see the University of Massachusetts Boston campus policy and procedures for employee background reviews. 

UMass Boston requires all employees to be vaccinated and to confirm proof of their vaccination status. Exemptions from the vaccine requirement will be permitted only for qualifying religious or medical reasons. Regardless of vaccination status, you must wear a face covering in public indoor spaces on campus. 

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