Southern Asian Studies Librarian

General Summary: The Southern Asian Studies Librarian is responsible for managing both physical and electronic collections for the region in all subjects to support the University's research and teaching missions.  Collection development and management at the University of Chicago Library takes place in a highly collegial manner and the Librarian will consult and collaborate with other subject specialists and with acquisitions and metadata staff in building and maintaining collections.  The Librarian will develop and provide reference, consultation, collection management, and instructional services for faculty and students in programs across campus that relate to Southern Asian studies. As the liaison to the centers, the Librarian will build and maintain relationships with faculty, students and staff affiliated with the Committee on Southern Asian Studies (COSAS)  https://southasia.uchicago.edu/ and the South Asia Language and Area Center (SALAC) and support various degrees and interdisciplinary programs related to Southern Asian Studies. The Librarian will work with the Director of the Center for Digital Scholarship and others in the library and across campus to provide domain expertise in support of the Library’s digital scholarship services.  The successful candidate is expected to develop expertise in one or more areas of current and emerging importance in academic libraries, for example, scholarly communication, copyright, open access, or data management and preservation. Other responsibilities include service on library and university-wide committees and task forces, and participation in local, regional, and national professional and scholarly organizations.   Essential Functions:

• Provides collection development services including primary responsibility for identification and selection of resources in all formats on Southern Asia
• Works closely and collaboratively with other library subject specialists to build Southern Asian collections to support faculty, students, and staff throughout the University
• Provides coordination and oversight of approval plans supplying materials from the region
• Identifies, develops and provides specialized research support and instruction services for faculty and students doing work related to Southern Asia, including course-integrated library instruction, workshops, and individual research consultations

• Works with the Committee on Southern Asian Studies (COSAS) to identify and prioritize new initiatives for supporting scholarship and teaching
• Collaborates with colleagues in the Center for Digital Scholarship and subject librarian colleagues to provide digital scholarship services
• Serves as a member of the Joseph Regenstein Library reference team, providing general reference services to users via in-person, chat, and email reference queries
• Provides support to cataloging and metadata description staff through language expertise, domain knowledge and familiarity with metadata description standards and practice
• Participates in library-wide, University-wide and divisional committees, task forces, and work groups

Required:

• Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or an advanced degree in the subject area with relevant library experience
• Proficiency in one or more languages from Southern Asia
• Three or more years of relevant library experience

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in Southern Asian studies or related discipline
• Experience in public service and teaching environments
• Experience using digital scholarship methodologies and tools
• Experience in cataloging or creating other metadata descriptions for materials in Southern Asian studies

 

To Apply: Submit cover letter, curriculum vitae, and reference contact information online through the University of Chicago's Academic Recruiting website: http://apply.interfolio.com/95870 . Review of applications will begin after October 30, 2021. Screening of applications will continue until the position is filled or the search is closed. Salary and Benefits: Appointment salary based on qualifications and experience. Benefits include retirement plan, insurance, and paid time off. Questions: Contact Kara Hastings, HR Generalist, khastings@uchicago.edu.