Description

The University of Notre Dame and the Hesburgh Libraries are in an exciting time of transformation. With a new strategic framework at the University and Library levels and new leadership at the Provost, Vice President for Research, and Associate University Librarian levels, the Hesburgh Libraries are re-envisioning the future of library services. The Hesburgh Libraries seeks an innovative professional for an exciting opportunity as a Biological Sciences Librarian to advance the strategic framework, provide outreach services, research assistance, and instruction for faculty and students; to develop and manage the related collections; and collaborate with colleagues in the Hesburgh Libraries and across the University.

The Biological Sciences Librarian works with a highly collaborative team that supports the University’s College of Engineering and the College of Science (COS). COS departments include Biological Sciences, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. This position will focus on Biological Sciences, and responsibilities for the remaining departments will be determined based on library needs and both science librarians’ interests and skills. The Department of Biological Sciences “advances human and environmental health, especially in global health, cancer, rare and neglected diseases, and environmental sciences” and works closely with the Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend. COS includes more than 20 research institutes and centers, such as the Eck Institute for Global Health and the Reilly Center.

The position fosters relationships with COS departments, research institutes, and centers and collaborates with various partners in the Hesburgh Libraries, as well as experts and learners in a variety of fields across campus.

The Biological Sciences Librarian reports to the Program Director of Collection Strategy and Acquisitions (CSA) and further serves as the Scholarly Resource Assessment (SRA) Librarian for STEM and Business. As an SRA Librarian, this position works with colleagues in the CSA program and across the Libraries to advance the program’s initiatives and functions related to collection strategy and management.

Responsibilities:

Research Assistance, Outreach, and Instruction 

• Initiate, develop, and foster liaison and outreach relationships with the faculty and students of the relevant departments in the College of Science, and collaborate with other subject librarians on relevant interdisciplinary programs, such as the Neuroscience and Behavior undergraduate program and the Integrated Biomedical Sciences graduate program.
• Develop and deliver course-integrated information literacy instruction in biology-based subject areas.
• Create and maintain subject guides and learning objects to support curricular goals and assess the impact on student learning.
• Participate in the Libraries' shared reference and instructional services.
• Communicate user feedback to the program director/department head, the STEM librarians, other subject librarians, and others in the Libraries, as necessary, for problem-solving and improvement of services and collections.

Collection Strategy and Management 

• Work with the other subject librarians for STEM to make strategic decisions regarding the development and management of the Libraries’ STEM collections, including ongoing assessment of the STEM collections to respond to changing needs of the academic departments and new research initiatives.
• Work with the other Scholarly Resources Assessment librarians to undertake projects of strategic importance to the Libraries’ overall collection development and management activities, including decisions related to large one-time purchases, the addition or cancellation of ongoing subscriptions, monographic ordering, management of legacy print collections, and collaborative collection activities with other institutions, such as shared print projects, as well as policies and procedures to improve these workflows.

Professional Involvement 

• Each library faculty member engages in service to the profession, such as through committee membership and leadership in the library and other appropriate professional organizations, with a commitment to one’s personal continuing growth and development, as well as to shaping the future directions of librarianship.
• Each library faculty member engages in scholarship in librarianship, information science, or other relevant fields and participates in scholarly conversations in outlets such as peer-reviewed journals, trade journals, blogs, and professional conferences.

Salary and Benefits

Faculty appointment, salary, and rank are nationally competitive with peer Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Per the University’s Academic Articles, librarians at Hesburgh Libraries qualify for non-tenure library faculty appointments.  Candidates may learn more about Library faculty status through the University’s “Academic Articles” and the Hesburgh Libraries’ information circular “Criteria for Library Faculty Appointment and Promotion”. Both documents are available in the “Library Faculty Positions” section of Hesburgh Libraries’ Employment Opportunities web page, at https://www.library.nd.edu/employment/

In addition, the University of Notre Dame offers an outstanding benefits package. Candidates can view summaries of benefits at Human Resources’ Benefits Summaries web page, at https://hr.nd.edu/employment/benefit-summaries/. For this role, view the summary entitled “Regular Faculty {Full-Time}.”

Finally, the University of Notre Dame supports the needs of dual career couples and has a Dual Career Assistance Program to assist relocating spouses and significant others with their job search. Candidates can view summaries of this program at Human Resources’ Dual Career Assistance Program web page, at https://hr.nd.edu/employment/dual-career-assistance-program/

Environment

The University of Notre Dame is a highly selective global Catholic doctoral research university with very high research activity whose idyllic campus is located in northern Indiana’s Michiana region, and about 90 miles east from Chicago. For more information about the University of Notre Dame, please visit the University of Notre Dame homepage at http://nd.edu/

The Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame advances institutional priorities by utilizing a talent process that maximizes professional and personal potential, implementing innovative services that further intellectual inquiry, and facilitating access to knowledge across a wide range of scholarly resources in numerous disciplines and formats.

As the primary library system on Notre Dame's campus, Hesburgh Libraries is a dynamic organization that features the flagship Hesburgh Library. Hesburgh Library, along with the Main Building and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, is one of three iconic buildings that define the skyline of the Notre Dame campus. It also features the world-famous Word of Life mural (affectionately known as “Touchdown Jesus”).

The Hesburgh Library building houses the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship, the Medieval Institute Library, Rare Books & Special Collections, University Archives, and the Visual Resources Center. The Hesburgh Libraries organization also includes three specialty libraries located across the Notre Dame campus (Architecture Library, Business Library, and Music Library).

In 2022, the Hesburgh Libraries developed a new mission, vision, and strategic framework [pdf] designed to help advance Notre Dame's aspirations to become one of the world's leading research universities while prioritizing human and professional flourishing. Within this new framework, each member of the library community plays a key role in advancing strategic goals and objectives, sustaining critical operations, and defining shared values.

The Hesburgh Libraries organization employs nearly 200 people, including more than 50 library faculty members, and has been a longstanding member of several organizations, including Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), Northeast Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), HathiTrust, and the OCLC Research Library Partnership.

Additional information about Hesburgh Libraries can be found on the Libraries’ website https://www.library.nd.edu/employment/. For additional information about working at the University of Notre Dame and various benefits available to employees, please visit http://hr.nd.edu/why-nd. 

Diversity and Inclusion

We expect that the successful candidates will increase the diversity of voices within research libraries, higher education, and cultural heritage institutions. Through their materials, applicants should clearly demonstrate how they have embodied, fostered, or implemented an equitable culture that considers diversity to be a competitive advantage.

While the University of Notre Dame welcomes and actively seeks Catholic intellectuals, what the University asks of all its scholars and students is not a particular creedal affiliation, but a respect for the objectives of Notre Dame, and a willingness to enter into the conversation that gives it life and character. Therefore, the University insists upon academic freedom that makes open discussion and inquiry possible.

The University of Notre Dame is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).

Application Instructions:

This position posting and application instructions can be found on the Interfolio website: http://apply.interfolio.com/132235

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the application period ends on October 23, 2023.

Interested candidates should assemble four (4) items, in the following sequential order, in a single, unlocked Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file:

(1) A formal letter of application (3 pages maximum), addressed to:

Michelle Savoie 
Personnel Specialist
Hesburgh Libraries
University of Notre Dame
284 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame, IN 46556

(2) A résumé or curriculum vitae (15 pages maximum);

(3) Final, accepted, or complete draft publication or comparable non-confidential writing sample (10 pages maximum); and

(4) The name, title, institution, and email address of three (3) professional references. At least one of these references must have been your direct supervisor within the past three years. (Hesburgh Libraries search representatives will begin contacting professional references once selected candidates accept an invitation for a campus visit.)

Please name the submitted Acrobat file as follows:

hesburghlibraries_BSLibrarian_lnamefirstinitial (Example: hesburghlibraries_BSLibrarian_savoiem)

Failure to comply with these directions may disqualify your application from being considered or delay review of your materials.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration.  The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace.  We strongly encourage applications from female and minority candidates and those candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.  Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).

Background Check 

This appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.  Applicants will be asked to identify all felony convictions and/or pending felony charges.  Felony convictions do not automatically bar an individual from employment.  Each case will be examined separately to determine the appropriateness of employment in the particular position.  Failure to be forthcoming or dishonesty with respect to felony disclosures can result in the disqualification of a candidate.  The full procedure can be viewed at https://facultyhandbook.nd.edu/?id=link-73597.