Senior Assistant Librarian (AI Librarian), Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Library at San José State University, (San José, California)

Posted September 18, 2024

Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track, Non-Instructional Faculty (Coach/Counselor/Librarian)
Location: San José

Position Rank and Title: Senior Assistant Librarian, AI Librarian

School/Department Name: University Library

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $90,000 – $95,000. Librarians in the CSU system enjoy full faculty status and as such are eligible for campus service opportunities, sabbaticals, and additional benefits. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision plans; generous paid leave (24 vacation days and one personal holiday per year and one day of sick leave per month); and membership in CALPERS, the largest retirement system in the country. Librarians are represented under Unit 3 of the California Faculty Association (CFA). See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: January 6, 2025 preferred

Application Deadline: October 11, 2024 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Library at SJSU welcomes applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position as Artificial Intelligence (AI) Librarian. The AI Librarian leads the integration and development of AI technologies at SJSU Library to improve teaching and learning activities, research support, information access, and scholarly communications. This role involves creating AI literacy programs, advocating for the ethical use of AI, and supporting various AI-related initiatives. The AI Librarian collaborates across campus, the CSU system and with LIS colleagues on projects involving transformative technologies, ensuring the library stays at the forefront of emerging trends and innovations. Librarians at SJSU are faculty who are expected to engage in library and university governance and scholarship, which are requirements for tenure and promotion. This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum on-campus presence of three days a week.

Why would you want to join us, and what can you expect?

The expert faculty and staff at the King Library are highly committed to excellence and service. You can expect to join a dedicated team of professionals with many opportunities to grow, develop, and lead innovative and student-/faculty-centered programming and services. As a joint library facility (the SJSU King library shares space with the main branch of the San Jose Public Library system) and a member of the 23-campus California State University system, there are possibilities to collaborate with multiple external stakeholders and partners across the full spectrum of librarianship.

The King Library and San José State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all applicants include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how these statements will be evaluated.

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent international degree by the time of hire
Experience in planning, designing, and implementing AI tools for library services, particularly using Large Language Models (LLMs)
Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders in a rapidly changing technological environment
Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in user experience research and/or user experience design, especially with a focus on serving student and faculty users of academic libraries.
Demonstrated ability to engage in professional and scholarly activity to meet requirements for tenure and promotion.
Familiarity with AI development tools, especially LangChain, Streamlit, and OpenAI API.

Key Responsibilities

Integrate AI and other digital technologies into library services and spaces to improve library operations and user experience.
Design and provide programs enhancing the use of AI, digital tools, and library digital resources across disciplines and within interdisciplinary activities.
Evaluate the user experience with AI and other technology tools to ensure they effectively enhance accessibility and usability of library resources and services.
Create and disseminate resources for the ethical use of AI in alignment with campus academic integrity policies.
Represent SJSU Library at the campus, state and national levels in AI-related conversations and initiatives.
Collaborate with technology providers and other libraries on projects and best practices.
Stay abreast of emerging AI technologies relevant to library services and campus academic programs.
Participate in and support research projects related to AI
Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement.

What we look for in a potential candidate

We are looking for collaborative, forward-thinking, and adaptable colleagues. We value empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are ready to assist the King Library in meeting its student-centered and mission-driven strategic plan.

The University is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We ask all applicants to include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how the statement will be evaluated.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

How to Apply:

Application Procedure:

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

Letter of interest
Curriculum vitae
Diversity statement (1-2 pages)
Three references with contact information (only finalists’ references will be contacted)

Refer to https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/librarian-position-faqs/home for more information about the position. Interested candidates who would like to learn more about the position, library, or University are encouraged to attend one of two information sessions. We will begin with a short presentation about the position and the library, and then will open it up to your questions. Anonymity will be ensured as the participants list will be hidden.

Thursday, September 26 at 12:00-1:00 pm PDT or
Thursday, September 26 at 6:00-7:00 pm PDT.

Further inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Ann Agee, [email protected]