Brittany Hosea-Small for UC Berkeley Library
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and EDUCAUSE recently launched a strategic partnership to better understand how research libraries, as collaborative partners in the research and learning enterprise, can best advance research and learning during these times of significant changes in the production, dissemination, and reuse of digital content. As part of the team, we seek a visiting program officer with expertise in digital research and learning and deep interest in what the future of technological changes will mean for the future of research libraries.
The Initiative
The three partner organizations are focused on understanding how such technologies and emerging disciplines as data science, artificial intelligence, mobility and ubiquitous networking, cloud and ambient computing, augmented/virtual reality, and the internet of things are—and are not—fundamentally transforming the way research and learning occur. More specifically, the partners will focus on understanding the role research libraries are playing and could play in this dynamic context.
This initiative will occur in three phases over 18 months:
- Phase 1: Current landscape analysis and definition of scope
- Phase 2: Identification of priority opportunities for research libraries
- Phase 3: Recommendations
The Position
We seek someone who can commit 6–10 days per month, depending on when roundtables are held, over 18 months and take on the responsibilities for:
- Managing the project work
- Drafting communications for key stakeholder groups in our shared community
- Co-facilitating and writing roundtable report findings
- Assisting with primary and secondary research
- Developing exemplars from across our shared institutions
- Participating in writing the final recommendations
Some travel will be required in 2020.
Visiting Program Officer Program
Under the ARL Visiting Program Officer (VPO) program, the member library supports the salary of the staff person designated as a VPO, and ARL supports the VPO’s travel or other project-related expenses.
The ARL Visiting Program Officer program provides opportunities for staff in ARL member libraries to contribute to special projects and programs, either in whole or in part, in order to advance the agenda of the Association. The program provides highly visible professional development opportunities for outstanding staff members and serves the ARL membership as a whole by extending the capacity of ARL to undertake additional activities.
To Apply
Interested staff within ARL member libraries should contact Mary Lee Kennedy (mkennedy@arl.org) with a 500-word statement of interest, an updated CV or résumé, and a letter of recommendation from their dean or director. Applications will be reviewed until Thursday, September 19, 2019.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 124 research libraries in Canada and the US whose mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication. The Association fosters the open exchange of ideas and expertise, promotes equity and diversity, and pursues advocacy and public policy efforts that reflect the values of the library, scholarly, and higher education communities. ARL forges partnerships and catalyzes the collective efforts of research libraries to enable knowledge creation and to achieve enduring and barrier-free access to information. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
