Assistant Librarian or Senior Assistant Librarian - Business and User Experience Librarian
Position Overview
Organization: University Libraries
Title: Assistant Librarian or Senior Assistant Librarian - Business and User Experience Librarian
Position Details
Position Description
THE LIBRARIES
Serving three campuses, the University of Washington Libraries is one of the largest and most innovative libraries in North America with collections exceeding 9 million volumes, over 1.5 million electronic books, more than 190,000 currently received journal titles, as well as millions of scholarly resources in other formats. Beyond the strength of local collections and digital resources, the Libraries is recognized for its excellent service, innovative learning and research spaces, faculty partnerships, global reach, extensive assessment efforts, and diverse award-winning staff. The Libraries play a significant leadership role regionally as a member of the groundbreaking Orbis Cascade Alliance and throughout the profession, as evidenced by the number of its staff selected for competitive leadership programs and honored by professional association lifetime achievement awards.
UW TACOMA LIBRARY
The UW Tacoma Library engages in the full spectrum of scholarly and teaching activities for the University of Washington Tacoma campus. As such, the UW Tacoma Library plays an essential role in the learning, teaching, research, and community partnership work of the University through access, collections, consultations, digital scholarship support, events, instruction, reference, service, and technology. UW Tacoma librarians work in a matrixed model in which all librarians carry responsibility for a single area of library work, but also contribute to all areas of library. The UW Tacoma Library aspires to be a catalyst for UW Tacoma, with agile and innovative approaches to meeting the changing needs of our students, faculty, and community.
UW TACOMA
One of three campuses of the University of Washington, UW Tacoma is an urban-serving university that shares the University of Washington’s commitment to high quality teaching and research and is committed to participating in the educational, cultural, and economic development of the South Puget Sound. Located largely in renovated historical buildings in Tacoma’s downtown warehouse district, UW Tacoma serves students from diverse racial/ethnic and cultural populations. UW Tacoma’s commitment to equity and inclusion is central to maintaining an atmosphere wherein students, staff, faculty, and residents find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth. UW Tacoma has a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and teaching. Our campus provides a unique environment for the development of creative teaching, research and community collaborations. For more information about UW Tacoma, please visit http://www.tacoma.uw.edu/.
THE POSITION
Reporting to the Associate Dean and Director of the UW Tacoma Library, the Business and User Experience Librarian coordinates user experience projects aimed at improving our student-centered services. The successful candidate will be energized by working in a collaborative, team-based environment with colleagues who are passionate about helping ALL of our students succeed. The Business and User Experience Librarian develops and nurtures strategic partnerships across the Tacoma campus and within the UW Libraries to continuously learn about students’ needs and expectations, playing an active role in developing a culture of evidence-based and informed practice in the UWT Library. The successful candidate is a creative researcher who is excited by UX techniques, tools, and strategies, and demonstrates a broad understanding of how UX can inform spaces and service design. The Business and User Experience Librarian will serve as a subject liaison to the Milgard School of Business and may support one or more additional academic departments, colleges, or schools.
The successful candidate will have the ability to thrive in a future-oriented Libraries environment, and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities. This is a full-time position with a flexible start date.
This position is not tenure eligible. This position is represented by SEIU 925 – Libraries. Please see the SEIU 925 collective bargaining agreement for the Librarian promotion process.
This position is eligible for hybrid work (on campus and remote).
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
- Serve as a subject liaison to the Milgard School of Business and other academic departments. Specific areas will be determined in conversation with the successful candidate and unit needs.
- Engages in the full range of reference and instruction services to University of Washington Tacoma students, faculty, and staff. Plans, delivers, and assesses research support and instruction for diverse students, faculty, and staff whose primary areas of study, teaching, and research fall within the librarian’s academic subject and program responsibilities.
- In collaboration with the UW Libraries Assessment program, leads efforts to assess UW Tacoma Library services and spaces in order to respond to campus instruction and scholarship needs.
- Represents UW Tacoma Library and collaborates with UW Libraries’ Assessment Team on tri-campus surveys and reports.
- Develop and lead creative programming to enhance the library user experience. Foster the development of meaningful library programming in collaboration with internal library partners or other campus partners, particularly with those who operate within the UW Tacoma Library. Provide advice and support for library staff who are providing programming to specific user groups.
- In collaboration with campus and learning commons’ partners, develops, implements, analyzes, and reports on user experience projects and initiatives to support development of services in the Library that support the UW Tacoma academic community.
RANK
Position will be at rank of Assistant Librarian or Senior Assistant Librarian, depending on qualifications and background. See the Rank, Status, Initial Appointments, Renewal of Appointments and Promotions of UW Libraries Librarians tentative agreement in the SEIU 925 Libraries-UW 2023-2026 CBA for librarian rank appointment criteria.
BENEFITS
Librarians are academic personnel and participate in the University of Washington Retirement Plan on a matching basis. This is a full-time, 12-month appointment. Vacation is accrued at the rate of 26 working days per year; sick leave at the rate of 12 working days per year. No state or local income tax. A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
SALARY
The base salary range for this position will be $5,500-$6,500 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. Other compensation associated with this position may include a relocation incentive payment and a moving allowance.
ANTICIPATED START DATE
While we hope to fill the position by Spring 2023, we are happy to work with the successful candidate to explore opportunities for an earlier or later start date.
Qualifications
Required
- Graduate degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent graduate library science/information studies degree.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and a more socially just society and understanding of the contributions a diverse workforce brings to the workplace.
- Experience in providing reference services.
- Evidence of the ability to work with a diverse set of colleagues and external stakeholders in a rapidly changing environment where consultation, collaboration, and cooperation are valued and essential.
- Evidence of excellent communication skills.
- Experience with instruction and commitment to a student-centered teaching philosophy.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in designing or implementing projects that assess user needs or experiences, and generate solutions to improve a service or space.
Preferred
- Experience working in academic libraries.
- Demonstrated ability to assess and improve services.
Instructions
Applications received by 8:59 PDT/11:59 EDT p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2023 will receive priority review. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling biweekly basis at the discretion of the unit.
The following documents are required as part of your application for this vacancy:
- Cover letter (addressed to Laura Lillard, Director, Libraries Human Resources)
- Curriculum vitae or resume (include a telephone number, mailing address, email address and salary requirements)
- List of three references who are knowledgeable of your qualifications for this position, one of which must be your current supervisor (include telephone numbers, mailing addresses, and email addresses, and specify current supervisor)
- Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI) Statement*
* UW Libraries Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI) Statement Guidelines
Equity is a core value of the UW Libraries and an integral component of the Libraries 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. We aspire to become a truly inclusive and equitable organization. In your application, please include a separate statement of no more than 300 words that describes your potential to support and contribute to the Libraries’ commitment to providing equitable services and resources to all people, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status.
University of Washington Libraries Home Page is http://www.lib.washington.edu.
For questions about this position, or questions regarding potential disability accommodations, please contact Laura Lillard at libjobs@uw.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Benefits Information
A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
Privacy Notice
Review the University of Washington Privacy Notice for Demographic Data of Job Applicants and University Personnel to learn how your demographic data are protected, when the data may be used, and your rights.
Disability Services
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.