Director of Digital Initiatives and Scholarship/Assistant Librarian

Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) Walter E. Helmke Library (library.pfw.edu) seeks a knowledgeable, proactive, and collaborative individual to work independently and in a team environment. The Director of Digital Initiatives and Scholarship will oversee all library digital initiatives and locally created digital collections, scholarly communication and digital publishing, digital scholarship, the Digital Arts + Humanities Lab, and other digital initiatives as they arise.   The full job description can be found here https://library.pfw.edu/c.php?g=915923&p=6641975.

The University and Fort Wayne Region

Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) is the largest university in northeast Indiana, offering twenty-five graduate and more than one hundred undergraduate Purdue University degrees and certificates to more than ten thousand students of diverse ages, races, and nationalities. PFW seeks to develop and nurture that diversity by maintaining an inclusive community that recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person, fostering tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect. The university is designated as northeast Indiana’s Metropolitan University and is committed to responding to the economic development needs of the region and enhancing quality of life.

PFW is located in Indiana's second-largest city, Fort Wayne, with a city population of 270,000. The city enjoys a diverse, active, and well-supported arts community and flourishing downtown district is home to several minor league sports teams and has miles of pathways and trails that highlight the city and the three rivers that flow through it. Fort Wayne is consistently cited for its high quality of life and status among the lowest costs of living in the nation. For more information, visit https://www.pfw.edu/about/fort-wayne/

The Library

Helmke Library, which sits at the heart of the PFW campus, is an independent library with a variety of cooperative agreements with Purdue University’s main and regional campus libraries.  The library contains a new digital scholarship lab, high-end computer lab, group study rooms, and meeting and instructional spaces.  The library plays an active role on campus, partnering with faculty for the teaching of information literacy, collaborating with academic and student affairs units to promote library services and resources, and providing expertise in digital collections, scholarly communication, open access, and copyright. See the library website for more information: https://library.pfw.edu/.

Responsibilities  

The Director will: Seek opportunities to collaborate and establish partnerships in areas of digital scholarship and digital initiatives and provide resources and expertise to support student and faculty teaching, research, and content creation. Supervise the digital initiatives team and Digital Arts + Humanities Lab, including full-time staff and student workers.  Develop policies and long-term goals for digital collections and oversee day-to-day activities for digitization and ongoing maintenance of digital collections. Seek grants and additional methods of funding for digital projects.  Conduct workshops, consultations, instruction, and other project support for digital scholarship on campus. Promote faculty and student engagement in digital scholarship and digital humanities across the campus.  Offer assistance and resources to support faculty and student research and explore digital pedagogy, particularly in the arts and humanities.  Stay informed on digital scholarship, scholarly communication, and open publishing trends, practices, and tools.  Share this expertise with library colleagues and faculty across campus.  Provide scholarly communication support and services, including education, guidance on publishing, author rights and permissions, and copyright law.  Serve as copyright consultant for faculty and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), and provide copyright expertise to students, staff, faculty, and community.  Support and promote open educational resources for a range of emerging scholarly outputs.  Identify and collaborate with appropriate campus partners on programs and policies to support open access and open educational resources.

The Director will also serve as the liaison librarian for English Literature and Linguistics, and other areas as needs arise.  As such, the individual in this position is expected to participate in the Library’s research services, instructional program, and collection development activities which provide the Library’s foundation for student and faculty achievement at Purdue University Fort Wayne.  He/she will participate in activities which reinforce the Library’s mission, including Library planning and committee activities, outreach and marketing projects, and other initiatives as they evolve, and maintain team-based working relationships with colleagues.

The Director is also part of the Library Management Team.  Responsibilities include coordinating day-to-day operations of the library with a focus on his or her own department, establishing or updating library policies and procedures in line with its mission and goals, and working with campus leaders to advocate for the library’s needs and continued integration into campus life.

The Library is committed to advancing diversity in all areas of faculty effort, including librarianship, research, teaching, and service/engagement.  Candidates should address at least one of these areas in their cover letter, indicating their past experiences, current interests or activities, and/or future goals to promote a climate that values diversity and inclusion.

As a University Faculty member, the Director of Digital Initiatives and Scholarship must fulfill the requirements necessary for reappointment, promotion, and tenure as set forth in Senate Document SD 16-41.

Qualifications

An ALA-accredited master’s degree in library or information science field is required.  Preference is given to candidates with experience in academic library settings and a documented knowledge of digital humanities and grant writing.  Must demonstrate excellent written and interpersonal communication skills; a strong commitment to customer service and outreach; project management experience and success in fostering teamwork, collaboration, and creativity; knowledge of resources related to liaison areas; knowledge of archival theory and practice; and a philosophical and practical understanding of the technical aspects of digital initiatives and scholarship.

Salary and benefits

The salary and benefits package is competitive.  The start date is July 1, 2021.

Application

Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, the names and contact information of three current references, a 1-2 page teaching philosophy, and evidence of effective librarianship including teaching experience.  All candidates who are interviewed should prepare a 45-60 minute presentation on their vision for how the digital initiatives and scholarship unit of Helmke Library can best serve the research and educational needs of the Purdue University Fort Wayne community.  Materials should be submitted online via the following link: https://careers.purdue.edu/FW/go/FW-Faculty/7720100/

Application deadline

Applications must be received by December 7, 2020, to be considered. Employment is contingent on a satisfactory background records check and available funding.  

PFW is an EEO/AA employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.