Assistant Professor in University Libraries - Fine & Applied Arts Librarian/Fine Arts Library B[...]

University of Oklahoma; Norman (OK); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Oklahoma seeks a Fine & Applied Arts Librarian for its Norman campus. This role will serve as the liaison librarian for the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, manage the Fine Arts Library, and develop outreach programs. The ideal candidate will possess a Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program, experience in academic libraries, and strong organizational and communication skills. This position fosters collaboration within the fine arts community and supports library instruction initiatives.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of professional experience in an academic library.
• Strong organizational, project, and time management skills.
• Experience in providing instruction to undergraduates.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the liaison librarian for the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.
• Develops and maintains working relationships with faculty and students.
• Manages the Fine Arts Library and supervises branch staff.
• Provides research assistance and instruction to various user groups.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Project management

Instruction and teaching

Interpersonal skills

Research skills

Education

Master’s degree in library and information science

Advanced degree in music or fine arts

Job description

Fine & Applied Arts Librarian

Location

University of Oklahoma, Norman campus

Position Responsibilities

Teaching

• Serves as the liaison librarian for the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.
• Serves as librarian‑in‑residence within the Fine Arts Library. Ensures the library is open the maximum number of hours possible during the week. Provides on‑site consultations for faculty and students and coordinates library‑related public programming including events and exhibits.

Relationship Development

• Develops and maintains positive working relationships outside the library with administrators, library representatives, faculty, and students in academic and affiliated units for assigned subject areas. Meets and/or communicates regularly with administrators and library representatives.
• Communicates regularly with department faculty and students through email, departmental websites or other channels as appropriate. Attends departmental meetings of academic departments, schools, and colleges and/or holds regular office hours in academic departments, schools, and colleges if applicable.
• Establishes and sustains positive working relationships with all levels of staff – administrators, faculty, staff, and student employees – within the library.

Scholarly Communication

• Develops and maintains working knowledge of scholarly communication and open access developments and trends as well as local, statewide, regional, and national initiatives in order to be able to consult with faculty and students and provide support for campus‑level initiatives.
• Works with Open Educational Resources Coordinator and other librarians to identify, review, and promote open educational resources for teaching and research.
• Compiles and maintains academic profiles for assigned units. Manages special projects or initiatives related to academic units as assigned.

Collection Management

• Develops and manages print, electronic, and recorded media collections in assigned areas in accordance with current collection management policies.
• Manages and reviews approval plan profiles on a regular basis.
• Manages allocations for the purchase of library materials for assigned subject areas.
• Works with disciplinary teams, the Head of Acquisitions, and the Collections Strategist Librarian to prioritize purchases and coordinate collection management projects as necessary.
• Participates in library collection review projects.
• Develops and curates physical and virtual community collections that feature collection resources on a focused or timely topics and in support curricular initiatives.
• Performs regular assessment to maintain sustainable and usable collections for faculty and students.

Research Support

• Provides research assistance to primary constituency on the use of library and related resources in person (by appointment) or remotely (via chat, phone, and email) to primary constituency.
• Responsible for responding to Email‑A‑Librarian inquiries in assigned disciplinary areas.
• Collaborates with scholars on advanced research projects or digital scholarship projects as appropriate.
• Participates as a team member in digital scholarship projects as appropriate.

Instruction/Information & Data Delivery

• Teaches instructional sessions within credit courses in assigned departments and/or works with individual students and small groups outside of credit courses as requested.
• Develops and provides specialized instruction on library and related resources and the literature of a field through classes, group training sessions, and workshops sponsored by the library or related organizations.
• Conducts tours and orientation sessions for new and prospective students, faculty, and other patrons.
• Develops and maintains subject and course guides and special topic guides for the library website and appropriate university websites and systems.
• Develops and maintains online tutorials and open educational resources for use within library and university online venues and in support OU online learning initiatives.

Other Liaison Duties

• Contributes content for the library website.
• Compiles and submits activity reports and statistics for liaison activities related to research consultations, instructional activities, outreach programs, and other activities in a timely manner into public services statistics system, ensuring accuracy and completeness. Creates reports related to activities as requested.
• Develops and maintains subject and interdisciplinary knowledge and knowledge of academic librarianship. Keeps abreast of new technologies/trends and how they may apply within academic libraries and to assigned disciplinary fields. Attends and participates in professional and scholarly conferences, workshops, and webinars.
• Performs special duties as assigned.

Branch Management

• Responsible for the management of the Fine Arts Library, including daily management of library services and operations and supervision of branch staff.
• Participates in development library and branch policy. Implements library policies and practices within the Fine Arts Library.
• Participates in research and scholarly activity through presentations, publications, or creative activities.

Professional, University & Administrative Service

• Participates in library and university committees and task forces related to primary job assignment as appropriate or assigned.
• Serves and participates at the local, state, regional, national and/or international level in professional and scholarly associations as appropriate to position and experience.
• Maintains up‑to‑date professional knowledge and skills in areas related to primary job assignment by participating in appropriate professional development and continuing education activities in the library, on campus, and within the library profession.

Job Titles Position May Supervise

• Graduate research assistants
• Staff

Qualifications

Required Education

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA‑accredited program or a terminal degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., doctorate).
• Three or more years of professional experience working in an academic library setting.
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain positive working relationships with all levels of staff—administrators, faculty, staff, and student employees—within the library and university.
• Advanced degree in music, fine arts, performing arts, or related discipline.
• Experience working in a fine arts or music library.
• Strong organizational, project, and time management skills to lead and/or coordinate multiple projects.
• Experience in providing instruction to undergraduates in face‑to‑face and online environments, with an emphasis on teaching students about library resources and services and information and data literacy in one‑on‑one and in group settings.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trends in library instruction and information and data literacy and instructional technology concepts, trends, pedagogies, and assessment.
• Experience developing online subject guides to library resources and/or Web content for users.
• Understanding of the academic library’s role in teaching, learning, and research and knowledge of current and emerging trends in higher education, undergraduate education, academic librarianship, scholarly communication, library services trends, and undergraduate services.
• Ability to perform detail‑oriented tasks, analyze needs and develop action plans, and coordinate with appropriate personnel as required.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively via email and telephone.
• Demonstrated technology proficiency and capabilities working with personal computers and software, the Web, social media, and library‑relevant information technology applications.
• Interest in participating in professional development and continuing education activities, professional and scholarly associations, and presenting, and publishing on work‑related topics.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Be curious— demonstrating a genuine interest in the research and creative work of fine arts faculty and students, and in the evolving landscape of academic librarianship.
• Be adaptable — responding effectively to shifting priorities, various patron needs, and emerging technologies in both library services and fine arts disciplines.
• Be approachable— creating a welcoming environment in the Fine Arts Library that encourages faculty, students, and staff to seek out research assistance and collaboration.
• Be proactive— anticipating the needs of the Fine Arts community rather than waiting for requests, and taking initiative in developing new services, programs, and partnerships.
• Be collaborative— working comfortably across boundaries with library colleagues, academic departments, and campus partners to achieve shared goals.
• Be organized— managing competing responsibilities — from branch operations to collection development to instruction — with consistency and attention to detail.
• Be a connector— building meaningful relationships across campus that position the Fine Arts Library as an indispensable hub for creative and scholarly activity.

Discrimination: The University, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, gender identity/expression (consistent with applicable law), age (40 or older), religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, housing, financial aid, and educational services.