Assistant or Associate Professor - Systems Librarian

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries is looking for a professional to help lead the evaluation, deployment, and management of the information systems used to fulfill our mission. The Systems Librarian, located in the Digital Strategies department and working collaboratively with a range of people in the organization, will be a primary technology owner for key tools used by the Libraries. In that role, they will work with stakeholders to ensure we are using complex systems as effectively and thoughtfully as possible. They will collaborate with colleagues across the UNL Libraries, the University of Nebraska Consortium of Libraries (UNCL), and the University of Nebraska Information Technology Services (ITS) to plan and implement systems.
 

The Systems Librarian joins the UNL Libraries at a time of change and renewal. We are now into the second year of our strategic plan, have recently created a number of internal leadership positions to grow talent from within, and have an ambitious faculty hiring plan. Reporting to the Chair of Digital Strategies, the Systems Librarian will actively participate in organizational transformation as the Libraries works to build a more equitable and sustainable information ecosystem. The UNCL Libraries are now, for the first time, on a shared library platform, and future directions include envisioning a unified digital repository strategy and vigorous engagement in multi-institution collaborations around data archiving and shared management of library collections.
 

We are looking for applicants with a demonstrated ability to understand technical systems and to engage with their use effectively and critically. As a new position in a recently reorganized library, we welcome applicants at the beginning of their library careers who are willing to learn and grow on the job.
 

The University Libraries creates and fosters inclusive environments for teaching, learning, scholarship, creative expression, and civic engagement. The ability to find, access, evaluate, utilize, and create reliable information resources is central to higher education, the public good, and achieving equity and justice. Libraries faculty are empowered to provide an array of library services, collections, and spaces to meet the diverse needs of students, faculty, and researchers. The Libraries is committed to providing financial and administrative support for faculty professional development and travel. The Systems Librarian will undertake their efforts with attention to how social and structural biases and inequalities are manifest in information resources, access to information, and the management of information.
 

Responsibilities

• Provides technical leadership for and management of a suite of information systems, currently primarily Alma, Primo, and Rosetta, but including other systems used for authentication, digital content management, description, and discovery.
• Serves as lead contact with systems vendors and University data and security partners and leads the team managing data exchange, systems integrations, systems security, upgrades, and maintenance.
• Directs systems-related projects and leads team meetings.
• Collaborates extensively with colleagues in program and technologies areas to optimize systems.
• Prepares and maintains systems logs, reports, and statistical data to assist in evidence-based decision making.
• Provides leadership in the governance of shared systems through the University of Nebraska Consortium of Libraries and participates in related collective activities with the Big Ten Academic Alliance, HathiTrust, Center for Research Libraries, and related groups.
• Actively engages in anti-racist work to advance inclusive excellence and redress systemic inequities.
• Contributes to the knowledge base of the profession through scholarly, professional, and service activities appropriate for the appointment type and rank.

Librarians in the University Libraries have faculty status; the successful candidate will be hired at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor (tenured/tenure-leading). The minimum salary for this position is $61,200.
 

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited institution (or international equivalent); or a terminal degree in another discipline with relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to engage in publication and professional service to meet University tenure and promotion requirements.
• Knowledge of and facility with structured data and data interchange.
• Experience, familiarity, knowledge, and/or expertise with relevant computational methods, software, and tools.
• Demonstrated commitment to and support for a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Experience participating in and leading collaborative teams.
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of current and emerging metadata and tools, such as Bibframe, MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, METS, and EAD.
• Familiarity with library-related access service protocols such as Z39.50, OpenURL, NCIP, DOI, CrossRef, and OAI-PMH.
• Familiarity with scripting tools, languages, APIs, and data interchange formats used in retrieving and transforming data.
• Two or more years of experience with one or more library service platforms, such as Ex Libris Alma.
• Knowledge of contemporary issues around reader privacy and their application in an academic library environment.
• Familiarity with data anonymization and privacy by design.
• Knowledge of best practices in digital accessibility and the WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
   

A vital qualification for these positions is the ability and desire to grow in the knowledge and skills necessary to perform job duties with increasing excellence over time. We encourage applications even when candidates are unsure if they fully meet all qualifications. Applicants should use the cover letter to share how their particular combination of expertise, experience, and skills are relevant to the work described, addressing each of the required qualifications. We are open to a broad range of ways and contexts in which candidates might demonstrate how they meet these qualifications. For example, while candidates might document their demonstrated commitment, experience, and knowledge through work activities - including in positions outside of libraries - they might also speak to coursework, community service, participation in cultural or other organizations, and involvement with student groups, among other possibilities.

Review of applications will begin May 1, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position, go to https://employment.unl.edu, requisition F_230055. You will need to attach your cover letter and curriculum vitae. In your cover letter, please be sure to directly address all minimum required qualifications. Cover letters must also include a description from the applicant that speaks to how their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion could be integrated into this position.

Lincoln, Nebraska, is a city of nearly 300,000 people and the state capital, where residents enjoy a low cost of living, high-quality public schools, and more parkland per capita than most U.S. cities. See https://www.unl.edu/lincoln/ and https://diversity.unl.edu/creating-connections-on-and-off-campus.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln seeks to attract and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse populations we serve. The university fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration so that all individuals can participate and contribute to their full potential.
 

As an EO/AA employer, the University of Nebraska considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See https://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination.