Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Research Librarian for the Health Sciences


The University of California, Irvine Libraries seek a creative, knowledgeable, proactive, collaborative, and user-oriented Research Librarian for the Health Sciences to develop and manage electronic and print collections and plan and deliver innovative reference and instruction services in the health sciences for the Ayala Science Library on the main campus and the Grunigen Medical Library at the UCI Medical Center in Orange.    

The Research Librarian for the Health Sciences supports the educational, research and clinical needs for the following areas:  the School of Medicine, the Programs of Nursing Science and of Public Health, and the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Working in a collegial environment with other librarians for the health sciences, the successful candidate will have sole responsibility for developing the print and electronic collections in the subject-specified areas listed above as well as participate in a team approach to provide instruction, reference, liaison and outreach to faculty and students.

The Research Librarian for the Health Sciences will be based in the Ayala Science Library and be a member of the Collection Development Department, reporting to the Head of Collection Development. 

Duties and Responsibilities

In the area of collection development, the Research Librarian for the Health Sciences will be responsible for the selection, assessment, and management of collections and resources in the School of Medicine, the Programs of Nursing Science and of Public Health, and the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. This position also works collaboratively with other campus librarians for the health sciences, in order to understand and meet faculty and students’ information needs as well as promote the Libraries’ services and resources.   On a University of California system-wide level, the Research Librarian for the Health Sciences will be a member of the UC Health and Life Sciences selectors group, providing input and making decisions on health and life science resources and topics that pertain to our consortium.  The candidate will also develop and update subject web pages in support of health sciences research.  The successful applicant will also work collaboratively with the UCI Libraries’ technology centers to identify and provide the multimedia resources and services to support the research and teaching needs of the health sciences.

In the area of reference, the Research Librarian for the Health Sciences will provide specialized and general reference service, supporting information needs in the health sciences.  The candidate may provide up to ten hours of reference service weekly, including responding to in-person, telephone, and electronic inquiries as well as providing specialized research consultations for health sciences related questions. The candidate is also expected to maintain sufficient knowledge to provide effective general reference assistance. Occasional evening shifts are required.

In the area of instruction, the Research Librarian for Health Sciences will provide and promote specialized instruction services to students and faculty in the health sciences.  The candidate also participates in the Libraries’ information literacy initiatives and general education programs to assist campus and community users in improving their critical thinking, information-seeking, and research skills.

Qualifications

Required:
·         Graduate degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or an equivalent combination of relevant advanced degree and library experience.
·         Educational background in the health sciences; or experience performing reference, instruction, and/or collection development for these subjects.
·         Substantial knowledge of health sciences resources, including scholarly communication issues and trends in this area.
·         Ability to provide effective instruction in the use of health sciences resources.
·         Strong interest in working with students and faculty.
·         Commitment to user-centered library services.
·         Strong interest in information technology, instructional technology, electronic resources, multimedia resources and services, especially in the health sciences.
·         Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
·         Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team within a dynamically changing environment.
·         Ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies.
·         Ability to meet the University of California criteria for advancement and promotion.

Preferred:
·         Experience assessing, evaluating, and negotiating digital resources for the health sciences.
·         Skill in developing, organizing, and maintaining web-based information resources.
·         Experience using health science resources in the provision of reference, instruction, or collection development.

Collection Development Department

The Collection Development Department consists of 8 librarians and 1 FTE library assistant.  The Collection Development Department is committed to developing, delivering, and preserving the Libraries’ collection of significant and diverse research resources.  This department is dedicated to building a research library of excellence by overseeing and directing collection development activities, managing library collections, and fostering relationships with faculty, students and staff engaged in the production of knowledge.

The Libraries

The UCI Libraries are committed to innovation and excellence and are in a major period of change.  The Libraries consist of the Langson Library, the Ayala Science Library, the Library Gateway Study Center, and the Grunigen Medical Library.  These buildings contain over 3, 600 public seats for study and research and provide more than 600 public access computers.  The UCI Libraries have a staff of approximately 140 FTE plus approximately 30 student assistant FTE.  The library collection consists of over 3.4 million volumes and over 86,000 journals and serial titles and an aggressively expanding electronic resources collection.  The UCI Libraries are a member of the:  Association of Research Libraries (ARL), California Digital Library (CDL), Coalition of Networked Information (CNI), Center for Research Libraries (CRL), Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC).

University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine, is nestled in over 1,500 acres of coastal foothills, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, between San Diego and Los Angeles.  Founded in 1965, UCI has more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,500 faculty members.  Nearly 67% of UCI students identify themselves as Asian American, African American, Chicano/Latino, or Native American.  The University offers graduate degrees in more than 100 academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs in addition to the M.D. and J.D.  UCI’s academic programs are ranked nationally among the top universities; several doctoral programs are ranked in the top ten.

Librarians at the University of California Irvine are academic appointees and receive potential career status at the time of their initial appointment.  Librarians periodically receive administrative and peer review for merit increases based on the following criteria: 1) professional competence and quality of service within the Library; 2) professional activity outside the Library; 3) university and public service; and 4) research and other creative activity.

Salary & Benefits:  Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.  Preferred appointment level:  $47,544 - $70,956 (Assistant Librarian I – Librarian I).  Librarians are entitled to two days per month of annual leave, thirteen paid holidays, and one day per month sick leave.  The University has an excellent retirement system and offers a variety of group health, life, and disability insurance plans. 
Consideration will be given to applicants with a wide range of years of experience, including qualified early career librarians.

Deadline for Applications:  Applications received by January 4, 2012 will receive first consideration, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.

To Apply:  Electronic applications are preferred.  Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should send their application materials including: cover letter; complete résumé; and the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of three references, with a statement of each reference's professional relationship to the applicant, to: 

Library Human Resources
UC Irvine, P.O. Box 19557
Irvine, CA 92623-9557
confidential fax (949) 824-3270

Upon application, candidates should be in possession of proof of their legal right to employment in the U.S.  In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, verification of legal right to work will be required between the time of final selection and hiring, and is absolutely essential in ultimately being hired.

This position description is listed on the UCI Libraries website at http://www.lib.uci.edu/about/jobs/librarian-vacancies.html, with links to additional Web sites featuring campus and community information.

The University of California, Irvine is an equal opportunity employer
committed to excellence through diversity

No comments: