Student Support and Engagement Librarian

Position Summary

The University at Buffalo Libraries seek an innovative, dynamic, and service-oriented undergraduate education librarian to join a team of colleagues who design, deliver, and assess instruction services and programming that support academic success, research excellence, and retention of first- and second-year undergraduates. The Student Support and Engagement Librarian reports to the Head of Education Services and is an integral member of the team charged to ensure the Libraries provide the best facilities, collections, and services that promote student success and contribute to the University at Buffalo’s ambition to become one of the Top 25 public research universities in the country. As the Student Support and Engagement Librarian, you will:
• Provide outreach to and collaborate with university academic support units on campus who focus on first and second-year undergraduates;
• Provide information literacy instruction to students in the UB Curriculum, a core, liberal arts style curriculum grounded in Kuh’s high-impact practices;
• Teach a course, once a year, which focuses on college-level research and writing for sophomore students;
• Envision programs, services, and products that support students from diverse populations through coursework, campus life, and beyond;
• Stay abreast of the latest theoretical, analytical, and applied pedagogical approaches to effectively and respectfully address students’ academic success and retention.

The Student Support and Engagement Librarian will serve as a liaison to centers, initiatives, and support units on campus, as well as work collaboratively with University Libraries’ faculty colleagues and staff, to ensure the instruction program upholds equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility values and a commitment to anti-racist pedagogy. This is a two-year, renewable, tenure-track faculty appointment at the rank of Senior Assistant Librarian in an academic research-oriented environment with expectations for research, publication and service. We invite individuals to apply whose perspectives and experiences will enrich and strengthen our organization. The library serves an increasingly diverse constituency of patrons, and our employees, services, collections, and policies should honor and reflect this diversity. We encourage candidates who thrive in a welcoming multicultural environment to apply.

Outstanding Benefits Package: Working at UB comes with benefits that exceed salary alone. There are personal rewards including comprehensive health and retirement plan options. We also focus on creating and sustaining a healthy mix of work, personal and academic pursuit – all in an effort to support your work-life effectiveness. Visit our benefits website to learn about our benefit packages.

The University at Buffalo: is SUNY’s most comprehensive public research university and an outstanding place to work. UB amplifies ambition for faculty and staff by offering endless possibilities to achieve more. Here, people from all backgrounds and cultures challenge and inspire each other to discover, learn and succeed. Dedicated staff and engaged faculty collaborate to further knowledge and understanding, and develop tenacious graduates who are valued for their talents and their impact on global society. Visit our website to learn more about the University at Buffalo.

Land acknowledgement: The University at Buffalo operates on the territory of the Seneca Nation, a member of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations Confederacy. This territory is covered by The Dish with One Spoon Treaty of Peace and Friendship, a pledge to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. It is also covered by the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, between the United States Government and the Six Nations Confederacy, which further affirmed Haudenosaunee land rights and sovereignty in the State of New York. Today, this region is still the home to the Haudenosaunee people, and we are grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and share ideas in this territory.

The University Libraries: SUNY’s largest academic research library, offer an outstanding array of information resources, technologies, services, and people to support academic achievement. The Libraries play a vital role in the academic success of our students, the teaching and research of our faculty, and the intellectual pursuits of our alumni and community members. Our broad selection of digital and print resources, innovative services, and expert staff support scholarly and creative achievements in new and exciting ways.

The Buffalo Niagara Region: is a major metropolitan area with diverse communities and outstanding assets. Buffalo offers the amenities of a major urban area without the headaches. Friendly folks, quick commutes, charming neighborhoods and a low cost of living are among the benefits of life in the region. Three international bridges connect the Buffalo Niagara region to Canada. Travel to the cosmopolitan city of Toronto is only 90 minutes by car. By air, we are less than an hour to New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

The University at Buffalo is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, disabled individuals, and other protected groups in order to build a culturally diverse and pluralistic University community.
Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, or equivalent, from an ALA -accredited institution;
• Knowledge and application of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework;
• Demonstrated awareness of the challenges and opportunities for justice, diversity, inclusion, equity and access in staffing, services, collections, and physical spaces within the Libraries, the university, and in higher education;
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity in organizations;
• Ability to work effectively with students and faculty from diverse backgrounds within a complex academic environment and commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace;
• Knowledge of trends and services in academic libraries that support undergraduate programs;
• Ability to build relationships with first generation, non-traditional students or international students and encouraging their academic success;
• Ability to pro-actively partner with groups that have a shared commitment to supporting the advancement of first generation, non-traditional students and international students;
• Consultative communication style reflecting excellent oral and written communication skills; Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team-based setting where consultation, flexibility, collaboration and cooperation are essential;
• Evidence of the ability to do research, publication and service consonant with the University at Buffalo’s standards for tenure and promotion.
Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching to undergraduate populations;
• Knowledge of case-based teaching, flipped classrooms and/or other active teaching methods; Experience designing and administering information literacy instruction and incorporating best pedagogical approaches to information literacy;
• Experience applying learning theories and varied pedagogical approaches in higher education settings to diverse populations;
• Experience teaching international students;
• Demonstrated ability to provide academic support to honors students, athletics departments or student athletes, or those making the transition from high school to college;
• Ability to advocate for and provide outreach to students through Equal Opportunity programs, Academic Support Services, or campus accessibility services;
• Previous experience collaborating with campus stakeholders on equity, diversity, or inclusion initiatives; the Office of Academic Integrity to address issues of academic integrity within instruction; or with academic writing centers to provide workshops or services;
• Experience or familiarity with:
• Media creation (video, audio, and visual)
• Teaching through Learning Management Systems (Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, etc.)
• Open access education ( OER ) materials
• Gamification of learning
For more information, click the "How to Apply" button.