Prairie Research Institute Librarian
Clinical Assistant or Associate Professor
Funk ACES Library
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Position Available: This position is available as soon as possible and eligible for a hybrid work schedule; for more information, consult the Library's Guidelines and Workflows .This is a regular, 100%, twelve-month, specialized faculty specialized faculty appointment, in the University Library. Clinical faculty are primarily engaged in librarianship and do so from the perspective of a practitioner.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Statement: The University Library of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign values diversity of thought, perspective, experience, and people, and is actively committed to a culture of inclusion and respect. We are dedicated to the practices of social justice, diversity, and equality, and we strive to overcome historical and divisive biases in our society and embrace diverse points of view as assets to the fabric of our community. All positions will be called on to contribute to building this environment in the Library and throughout the campus community, and we encourage candidates who share these values to apply. Additional information can be found on the Library’s DEIA webpage: https://www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/deia/
Position Summary: The University Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks a dynamic and collaborative individual to serve as the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) Librarian. The Prairie Research Institute comprises five state scientific surveys and conducts transformative research in numerous scientific disciplines, including geology, ecology and biodiversity, hydrology and water, and weather and climate.
Reporting to the Head of the Funk ACES Library, the Prairie Research Institute Librarian will be primarily responsible for coordinating library services offered to the Prairie Research Institute. These services include collection development, liaison activities within the Institute and the University Library, reference services, and engagement with the university community and beyond. The successful candidate will also be involved in strategic initiatives to enhance and measure the impact of the Institute’s research output. The Prairie Research Institute Librarian will be based in the Funk ACES Library and work closely with other subject specialists and units across the University Library to provide robust research support for the Prairie Research Institute.
Early-career librarians are encouraged to apply.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serves as the primary liaison between the University Library and the Prairie Research Institute.
- Provides research support and instruction for PRI staff.
- Actively participates in PRI’s committees and leadership teams and collaborates with appropriate University Library groups to promote Institute researcher data and information stewardship, scholarly communication and publishing, professional/organizational identity, and impact assessment, as well as data and institutional repository services.
- Develops strategies for increasing access, visibility, and impact of PRI’s publications, including those in conference proceedings, journals, reports, and data publication. These strategies may involve print and digital platforms, as well as other relevant and emerging technologies.
- Performs collection development and manages natural history materials funds, working collaboratively with other subject specialists within the University Library on collections-related initiatives as needed.
- Participates in reference, outreach, and other user-focused services and initiatives, as well as Graduate Assistant training and mentoring, as part of the Funk ACES Library and the Library’s Life Sciences Division.
- Contributes to Library-wide information, instruction, and research support services, with emphasis on services related to research data, scholarly communication, and digital repositories.
- Participates in Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) initiatives through the University Library’s BHL membership.
- Represents the Library in consortia, national, and international committee work as needed; for example, the opportunity to participate in the Data Curation Network.
- Engages in research and professional service activities at an appropriate level for clinical faculty in the University of Illinois Library.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited institution or advanced degree in a relevant subject area.
- Experience providing research and/or reference support.
- Experience with applications and resources used in academic libraries and research environments (e.g., citation managers, LibGuides, research impact and metrics).
- Experience in creating and maintaining web content.
- Demonstrated ability to work collegially and cooperatively with others in a team environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree or professional experience in a discipline relevant to PRI’s research.
- Knowledge of measuring research impact.
- Experience in collection development, analysis, and management.
- Familiarity with data and/or research repositories.
- Knowledge of curation principles for digital objects, including documents, maps, photographs, and data.
- Experience providing research and reference services in an academic or research library.
- Experience with instructional design, library instruction, and creating and/or implementing lesson plans and learning objects.
- Record of participation in relevant professional organizations and continuing education.
Environment: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library is a leader in the delivery of user services, and active programs in information, instructional, access, and scholarly services that help the library to maintain its place at the intellectual heart of the campus. The library also holds one of the preeminent research collections in the world, encompassing more than 13 million volumes and a total of more than 23 million items. The library is committed to maintaining the strongest collections and service programs possible, and to engaging in research, development, and scholarly practice - all of which support the University's missions of teaching, research, and public engagement. The library employs approximately 90 faculty members, and more than 300 academic professionals, staff, and graduate assistants. For more information, see: http://www.library.illinois.edu/.
The Funk ACES Library is in a beautiful, distinctive building that opened in 2001. It serves as the hub library for life sciences on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and is closely linked with the Veterinary Medicine Library. The Funk ACES Library serves the students, faculty, and staff in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES); the School of Integrative Biology; the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology; the Department of Landscape Architecture; the Department of Urban and Regional Planning; the Prairie Research Institute; and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. The current staff includes 6 librarians, 6 staff members, and 6 graduate assistants from the School of Information Sciences.
The Prairie Research Institute is a unique, multidisciplinary, dedicated research unit that brings together expertise in geology, ecology and biodiversity, archaeology, hydrology and water, weather and climate, pollution prevention, and sustainable energy. Many specific research responsibilities are defined in the Illinois state statutes, with PRI gathering and stewarding long-term datasets on the Illinois environment. PRI is the home of the State Scientific Surveys: the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and their associated State Scientists; it also oversees the Illinois Water Resources Center. The work of the PRI supports decision-making for the state of Illinois and beyond. Research activities are funded by a combination of state appropriations, and competitive grants from state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations. Although PRI is not a teaching unit, its researchers do advise graduate students in campus departments including the College of ACES and School of Integrative Biology.
Salary and Rank: Minimum starting salary for clinical faculty positions in the Library is $60,000 and is commensurate with credentials and experience. The University of Illinois Library is committed to competitive salaries and attending to equity in compensation within the organization. The successful candidate will join the University Library as a Clinical Assistant or Associate Professor.
Terms of Appointment: Twelve-month appointment; 24 annual vacation days; 12 annual paid holidays; 12 annual sick-leave days (cumulative), plus an additional 13 sick-leave days (non-cumulative) available, if needed, each year; health insurance requiring a small co-payment is provided to employee (with the option to purchase coverage for spouse and dependents); required participation in State Universities Retirement System (SURS) (8% of annual salary is withheld and is refundable upon termination), with several options for participation in additional retirement plans; newly-hired employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security and are subject to its deduction.
Campus and Community: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 2,765 faculty members who serve 33,000 undergraduates and 15,000 graduate and professional students. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu.
The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 126,638 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: https://illinois.edu or https://www.champaigncounty.org.
Application Procedures & Deadline Information
Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. To ensure full consideration, all required application materials must be received by 6:00pm (CST) on March 1, 2024. Please create your candidate profile, upload a cover letter, your curriculum vitae, and the names and email addresses of four professional references by the close date. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered.
For further information about this specific position, please contact 217-265-0244. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.
