Asst/Associate/Professor and Associate University Librarian for Health Sciences and Associate Dean

Job Summary

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) invites applications from innovative, dynamic, and service-oriented librarians who as the Associate University Librarian (AUL) for Health Sciences will provide visionary leadership and strategic management to support the education, research, clinical, and community engagement missions of the Library of the Health Sciences in Chicago and the regional library sites in Peoria and Rockford. Reporting to the Dean of Libraries and University Librarian, the Associate University Librarian for Health Sciences works closely with the Dean to develop long-range planning and implement initiatives that support the health sciences community. 

This tenure system appointment includes the expectation that the faculty member will be actively engaged in and significantly contribute to the profession through research/scholarship and service related to professional and scholarly interests. This includes publication, presentation, and committee work at various levels. Support for scholarship and professional development, including funding, research leave, and mentoring, are provided to foster candidate success (https://library.uic.edu/about/employment/faculty-support). Expectations are further outlined in the norms for tenure track appointments (https://uofi.box.com/v/tenuretracknorms). 

About UIC

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie R1/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 33,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges and the only public law school in Chicago. 

About the UIC Library of the Health Sciences (LHS)

LHS is one of the largest health sciences libraries in the nation and continues to support education, research, and clinical practice in the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Applied Health Sciences, Pharmacy, and the School of Public Health; the UIC Medical Center Hospital and Outpatient Care Center, and other affiliated health care institutions. The Library of the Health Sciences holds more than 725,000 volumes and 5,200 journals and has a dedicated Special Collections department with such distinguished collections as the History of Nursing and Pharmacy Collection, the Kiefer Collection (urology), the Percival Bailey Collection (neurology), and the Nyhus Collection (gastroenterology). 

The Library of the Health Sciences employs approximately 15 faculty and 20 staff in five departments across three locations. Librarians hold faculty status, are active researchers and are engaged in significant campus and professional service. The UIC Library faculty ranks 6th among U.S. academic library faculties in the number of articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The Library faculty is actively embedded in the curricula across disciplines through its liaison relationships with each college. 

About UI Health

The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health) provides comprehensive care, education, and research to train health care leaders and foster healthy communities in Illinois and beyond. A part of UIC, UI Health is a clinical enterprise that includes a 465-bed tertiary care hospital, 21 outpatient clinics, and 11 federally qualified Mile Square Health Center locations. With campuses in Chicago, Peoria, Quad Cities, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana, the health system includes the academic and research activities of the seven UIC health science colleges:  Applied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy; the School of Public Health; and the Jane Addams College of Social Work. 

Duties

• Provide steady and empathetic leadership for the Library of the Health Sciences and foster an empowered and collaborative environment within and across the three health science library locations.
• Define and oversee the delivery of health sciences library services that are responsive to current and future needs of students, faculty, and other library users.
• Provide direct supervision to department heads and indirectly supervise other faculty and staff at the Library of the Health Sciences in Chicago, Rockford, and Peoria.
• Provide mentoring and career development advice to health sciences library faculty and staff.
• Serve as a member of the library’s senior management team to provide strategic and operational leadership for the University Library.
• Partner with academic units outside the UIC Library of the Health Sciences to integrate into curricula, scholarly endeavors, and clinical activities.
• Actively seek opportunities and implement plans for community engagement with the broader Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford health care communities.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with the UIC health science deans, directors. faculty, and hospital personnel.
• Actively engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that support diverse communities and create a welcoming environment for all.
• Collaborate with the AUL for Administration and the Human Resources Associate on various University Library centralized services (i.e., facilities, space planning, etc.).
• Advise the dean on budgetary matters concerning the health sciences library.
• Assist the dean with donor relations and fundraising and solicit funds from external sources through grant applications.
• Coordinate the health sciences libraries participation in NNLM Region 6 through the Partner Outreach Program.
• Represent the library through participation in local, regional, and national cooperative, outreach, and professional activities.
• Represent the health sciences libraries in state-wide committees of academic library consortia and health and medical science library consortia.
• Participate on or lead a variety of campus-wide and library-wide committees and task forces. 

Qualifications

Research indicates that applicants from underrepresented groups are hesitant to apply for positions if they do not meet all the required and preferred qualifications. We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleague develop these preferred skills. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to communicate the ways in which their work fulfills the required qualifications in ways that may not be obvious. 

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association (or from a master's level program in library and information studies accredited or recognized by the appropriate national body of another country).
• Five or more years progressively responsible experience working in a health sciences environment.
• Three or more years’ experience supervising professional staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated teaching and or public presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills contributing to a collaborative work environment.
• Ability to meet the requirements in scholarly research and publication, professional service and librarianship commensurate with a tenure system appointment at UIC. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a health sciences library.
• Experience with the faculty promotion and tenure process.
• Demonstrated record of research, publication, and or professional contributions.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of emerging trends in health sciences librarianship.
• Demonstrated familiarity with scholarly resources used within the health sciences and/or related fields.

SALARY/RANK/CONTRACT:  

Academic rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits for a twelve month appointment include 24 days vacation; 12 days annual sick leave with additional disability benefits; 11 paid holidays; medical insurance (contribution based on annual salary; coverage for dependents may be purchased); two dental plans available; life insurance paid for by the State; participation in one of the retirement options of the State Universities Retirement System compulsory (8% of salary is withheld and is tax exempt until withdrawal); no Social Security coverage, but Medicare payment is required. 

For fullest consideration, apply by Friday, May 20, 2022, with cover letter, C.V., one-page statement regarding DEI training and/or initiatives, and name and contact information for at least three professional references. The position close date is June 10, 2022.

In addition to your cover letter, please share a one-page statement that details any diversity, equity, and inclusion training and/or DEI initiatives that you have either been part of or led.

Questions may be directed to the chair of the search committee, Kellee E. Warren, at kwarre4@uic.edu.

All applicants must submit an online application through https://jobs.uic.edu/. To apply, click on the following link: https://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=163967

The University of Illinois conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity and is particularly interested in
receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people. We do not discriminate on the basis of
sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected
Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899