Web Services Librarian

Title:                     Web Services Librarian

Category:            Librarian (Open Rank)

Department:      Digital Programs and Initiatives

Salary Range:    Position is budgeted for a salary range of mid $60,000 to mid $70,000 and commensurate with experience and appropriate ranking for faculty.

Benefits:             22 Days Annual Leave, 15 Days of Sick Leave, 3 Days Personal Leave, 15 Paid Holidays, Tuition Remission, Health, Dental, Vision, and Prescription

As the largest university library system in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore area, the University of Maryland Libraries serve more than 37,500 students and 4,200 faculty of the flagship College Park campus. The University of Maryland Libraries share the teaching, learning and research goals of the university. Its role as a key academic resource is evident in its service to the academic community and its actionable strategic plan. Recent membership in the Big Ten Academic Alliance is particularly meaningful to the University Libraries and will further propel the university’s ascendancy in academic excellence.

The University of Maryland Libraries are committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We support university and library efforts to create a more just campus environment, understanding the unique, interdisciplinary focus of libraries and archives as collectors and curators of the historical, literary, artistic, and scientific record. We provide collections, services, and programs that reflect the diversity of our community, heighten cultural awareness, and incorporate the histories, experiences, and expressions of those who have been historically marginalized and/or underrepresented. We work to ensure equitable access to our facilities, resources, and services.

Nature of Work:

Reporting to the Manager, Digital Programs and Initiatives (DPI), the Web Services Librarian is charged with leadership, project management, and hands-on work related to the planning, coordination, design, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of the Libraries’ website and other major online user interfaces. Through user experience (UX) assessment methodologies and web usage analytics, this position will chart a path of continuous improvement for the Libraries’ web presence that adjusts to evolving user needs, effectively utilizes new web technologies and practices, and reflects the Libraries’ core values, including a commitment to inclusive design.

The Web Services Librarian will engage with the UMD Libraries’ community of learners and scholars to articulate solutions that meet the diverse and evolving needs of online users. This position will collaboratively develop a shared vision and a philosophy for the Libraries’ web presence, which will drive most of the sites’ architecture, organization, and design. The incumbent will coordinate with personnel from across the Libraries to improve the Libraries' virtual environment and web presence, and lead a cross-unit advisory group on matters related to strategic goals, initiatives, design, content, and usability of the Libraries’ web properties. Among others, the incumbent will work closely with the Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach, the Discovery Strategies and Systems Librarian, Digital Services and Technologies’ (DST) web designers and developers, and library administration and management. The Web Services Librarian will communicate requirements and design needs with the technical development team and will check in with that team on a regular basis to adjust and revise requirements, as needed. The incumbent will also directly supervise the Libraries’ Web Designer, support their development, and deploy their skills to projects and assignments effectively. 

As a cross-library position, the Web Services Librarian is responsible for overall analysis, design, integration, content coordination, and evaluation of the Libraries' online user interfaces. Where appropriate, this includes implementation, integration, evaluation, and improvement of user-interface customizations and integrations of proprietary library products affecting: discovery/searching of information resources, interlibrary loan, room reservations, library research guides, and other functional areas. The position works closely with technical as well as public-facing colleagues to integrate both proprietary and open source platforms into the Libraries’ interfaces.

Minimum Qualifications: 

Education:

• Master's degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution of higher education or a non-US equivalent by the start of employment, or an advanced degree with two years relevant experience.

Experience:

• Two years of professional experience designing and developing websites or other web-based applications.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of current web technologies and best practices
• Knowledge of best practices for usability testing, web analytics, and other UX assessment methodologies 
• Knowledge of current web accessibility standards
• Knowledge of information architecture design, taxonomy/ontology creation, and writing content for the web
• Ability to manage CMS-driven websites
• Ability to write and design web content using, at a minimum, HTML and CSS
• Ability to manage complex technical projects
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills

For the full position description and faculty requirements, please go to http://www.lib.umd.edu/hr/employment-opportunities/staff-faculty-positions.

Position is appointed to Librarian Faculty Ranks as established by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. Rank at appointment is based on the successful applicant’s experience and relevant credentials. Applicant must meet the Libraries' requirements for promotion, which includes a commitment to professional development, service, and self-directed research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.  For additional information, consult the following website: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/2014-ii-100b.html .