January 14, 2015
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Richmond, VA
The Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Scholarly Communications Outreach Librarian. The successful candidate for this newly created position will develop and deliver programs that expand the university community’s awareness of mainstream and alternative publishing and emerging scholarly expression mediums (including open access publishing), confident assertion of fair use and author rights in the use of digital and print materials for teaching and research, copyright decisions, metrics and related emerging measures of scholarly impact of publications. The incumbent will work closely with library digital technologies staff responsible for digital publishing and preservation programs and the development of the VCU Libraries’ digital repository and publishing platform, as well as staff throughout the library system engaged in teaching, supporting research, and developing educational outreach to faculty and students. The successful candidate will join a culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber.Located in culturally diverse, historic, and dynamic Richmond, Virginia, convenient to the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the recreation destinations of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Commonwealth University is one of Virginia’s largest universities and among the nation’s leading research institutions. The VCU Libraries, one of Virginia’s outstanding research library systems, advances the University’s teaching, research, service, and patient care mission with innovative services that complement nationally prominent collections in the health and biological sciences, social work, the arts, the history of medicine, and comic and book arts.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Research & Learning, the Scholarly Communications Outreach Librarian will collaborate with colleagues in the VCU Libraries and across the university to support and expand the university community’s understanding of scholarly communications issues. She or he is expected to be active professionally and to contribute to developments in the field. Faculty with the VCU Libraries are evaluated, and promoted, on the basis of job performance, scholarship, and professional development and service. The Scholarly Communications Outreach Librarian will assist faculty throughout the university in the appropriate use of scholarly materials in teaching and research, both in the classroom and online. Specifically, she or he will:
Follow emerging developments in scholarly communications and open access and discern their implications to library and faculty stakeholders, advising library, and university leadership
Design and implement a program of scholarly communications outreach initiatives, and assess the effectiveness of those initiatives and services to the campus
Serve as the chief resource for the VCU Libraries and a resource for the university on matters of copyright, fair use, open access, and compliance issues related to use of scholarly materials
Create and maintain education resources for faculty and students on copyright compliance within a framework of confident, well-informed decisions regarding fair use, and work closely with publication and technology specialists in the VCU Libraries to create appropriate print-based and web materials
Keep abreast of emerging metrics and methods for evaluating the scholarly impact of publications, and educate the university community about these new approaches, including article-level metrics and alt-metric services
Develop close working relationships with the Office of General Counsel, VCU Technology Services, the Office of Research, and other units on issues and programs related scholarly communication
Assist the VCU Libraries’ leadership to develop a vision for policies, strategies, programs, and staffing that supports and advances emerging new modes of scholarly expression by faculty throughout the university, including the development of a VCU-supported publication system.
Qualifications
Required
ALA-accredited graduate degree or accredited graduate degree in an appropriate discipline. Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.
Preferred
Demonstrated knowledge of scholarly communications issues in academic research libraries and of scholarly enterprise at research universities. Experience preparing and delivering instruction and guidance regarding scholarly communications, copyright, evaluation of scholarly impact of publications, open access, and fair use for diverse audiences in an academic setting. Demonstrated record of collaboration and teamwork with diverse constituencies. Ability to work with stakeholders to develop top-tier web-based educational materials on scholarly communications, copyright and fair use, and emerging and alternative avenues for scholarly expression. Demonstrated understanding of the evolving digital context for scholarship, research, and creative expression, as well as teaching and learning as it applies to the use and reuse of scholarly materials. Impeccable presentation, written, and oral communication skills.
Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Libraries
Virginia Commonwealth University is Virginia’s largest research university, enrolling nearly 32,000 students. Located in Richmond, Virginia, VCU offers 41 doctoral, 74 masters, 3 professional, and 64 baccalaureate degree programs. Thirty-two of VCU’s graduate, professional programs are ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best in the nation, with 19 programs ranking in the top 25 and two programs — sculpture and nurse anesthesia — ranked number one. Over 3,200 faculty comprise the University’s teaching force. Research strengths at the University include health and life sciences, education, engineering, social work, behavioral sciences, public affairs, advertising and design, and the fine arts. Sponsored research funding totals over $260 million, placing VCU among the top 100 research institutions in the United States. VCU’s strategic plan embraces an acceleration in the growth of VCU’s library system and includes a new Master Site Plan that envisions additions to both library facilities operated by the VCU Libraries. Construction has begun on a new library building connecting to the existing James Branch Cabell Library, along with major renovations of Cabell Library. The new and renovated spaces will open in late 2015.
Libraries at Virginia Commonwealth University (including the James Branch Cabell Library on the Monroe Park Campus and the Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences on the MCV Campus) employ over 55 professionals and 90 staff with annual expenditures exceeding $20 million. VCU also operates academic programs in Doha, Qatar, supported by a library there, and in various locations throughout the U.S. and the world. The VCU Libraries is a Resource Library in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and a member of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, SPARC, CNI, BioMed Central, NDSA, and the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), a statewide networking consortium for shared access to electronic and print resources. The VCU Libraries has adopted Primo as its discovery layer and is one of the first libraries worldwide to have implemented Alma as its next generation cloud-based system for foundation of its system architecture to enhance access to its collections and services.
Salary: Salary commensurate with experience, not less than $45,000 annually. This is a full-time, non-tenured faculty position. Normal faculty benefits apply, including 24 vacation days annually and choice of retirement and annuity plans. For more information about benefits, see benefits information from VCU Human Resources.
For more information about the VCU Libraries, please visit our home page. Review of applications will begin February 9, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, go to http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/facjobs, complete the application and submit a cover letter, resume, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.