Research Librarian for Criminology and Political Science

The University of California, Irvine Libraries seeks a creative, knowledgeable, collaborative, and user-oriented Research Librarian for Criminology and Political Science (RLCP) to plan and deliver innovative liaison, instruction, reference, and collections services in the social sciences. The RLCP will actively engage with faculty, students, and staff in assigned departments in the School of Social Ecology and the School of Social Sciences, including the following: Criminology, Law, & Society; Political Science; Global & International Studies. The RLCP may engage with additional departments depending on the successful candidate’s areas of strength. This position will require someone with a sound understanding of legal and government research, and of social science research methods and data sources. Qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and life experiences are encouraged to apply. The UCI Libraries is committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and advancing UCI’s Commitment to Inclusive Excellence. 

Key Responsibilities

The RLCP will be a member of the Department of Education and Outreach (E&O), reporting to the Head of E&O. The core responsibilities of the position are as follows:

• Serve as a liaison to faculty and students in assigned subject areas to ensure that their research and information needs are being met, and to promote the Libraries’ services and resources.
• Provide specialized instruction, research consultations, and outreach services to assigned departments and programs.
• Analyze trends in research, teaching, scholarly communications, and publishing in assigned areas.
• Select, assess, and manage collections and resources for assigned disciplines to support teaching and research needs on campus.
• Develop and update subject guides in support of research in assigned subject areas.
• Participate in the Libraries’ instruction program for students enrolled in lower division writing courses and other information literacy initiatives.
• Maintain sufficient knowledge to provide general reference assistance in a variety of modes including in-person and digital reference.
• Collaborate with librarians and staff throughout the Libraries in many departments, including Collection Strategies, Reference, Special Collections and Archives, Digital Scholarship Services, and Communications and Events on projects that further the strategic goals of the UCI Libraries.
• Furthermore, as a member of the Department of Education and Outreach, the RLCP will join a team focused on developing, planning, promoting, delivering, and assessing the Libraries’ information literacy and student outreach programs. The RLCP will keep abreast of trends in information literacy, pedagogy, instructional design, and/or instructional technology to further the mission of the department and the UCI Libraries. 

Qualifications

Required:

• Graduate degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or an equivalent combination of relevant advanced degree and library experience.
• Ability to provide effective specialized reference and instruction in social science subjects, including an understanding of legal research.
• Knowledge of social science research methodologies, data applications and repositories, and legal and government information sources.
• Successful teaching experience in a library or in higher education.
• Demonstrated understanding of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, and interest in critical and emerging pedagogies and new modes of instructional assessment.
• Strong understanding of key issues in collection development and scholarly communications in interdisciplinary studies.
• Strong interest in working with students and faculty.
• Commitment to user-centered library services.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively and to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness within the UCI Libraries and the campus.
• Ability to meet the University of California criteria for advancement and promotion.

Preferred:

• Educational background in criminology, law, political science, or related subject area.
• Experience supporting one or more of the following subjects in an academic library: Criminology, Political Science, Global and International Studies.
• Experience promoting data literacy and/or supporting quantitative research with social science data, such as census data, ICPSR data, government data, and/or international data.
• Experience managing or leading projects.
• Strong interest in critical information literacy or critical pedagogy.

The Education and Outreach Department

The Department of Education and Outreach (E&O) leads the UCI Libraries’ outreach and instruction activities and programs, which emphasize information literacy, research skills, scholarly communication, and critical thinking. E&O coordinates, integrates, and assesses the library’s undergraduate information literacy program, working closely with UCI’s Writing programs and supporting departments. E&O also supports student success initiatives through outreach to student groups and centers, and partnerships with campus programs and units. The Department operates in a collaborative, team-based environment and works closely with members of the Libraries’ Reference, Collection Strategies, Special Collections and Archives, and Digital Scholarship Services Departments in order to fulfill its mission. The Department consists of 5 librarians including the Department Head and 2 library assistants. 

The UCI Libraries

At the heart of the University of California, Irvine’s academic community, the UCI Libraries plays a vital role in enabling our outstanding students, faculty and researchers to create new knowledge, develop lifelong learning skills, and make meaningful contributions to society. We value innovation and collaboration, and we are committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. See our Diversity Statement and Plan(https://diversity.lib.uci.edu/diversity-statement-and-plan). The Libraries’ physical spaces consist of the Langson Library, the Science Library, the Library Gateway Study Center, and the Grunigen Medical Library (located at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, CA). These locations provide a welcoming and technology enhanced environment valued by students as places for study, research, and collaboration. Together they contain over 3,300 public seats, over 500 public access computers, laptop computers for checkout, and a wide range of multimedia resources including 3D printers. The library collection consists of over 4.3 million volumes, 254,000 journals and serial titles, and an ever expanding collection of electronic books, databases, and other resources. As part of the University of California system, the UCI Libraries collaborates closely with the nine other UC campus libraries and the California Digital Library (CDL). Our public website (https://www.lib.uci.edu/) is a portal to access e-resources; discover print, archival, and multi-media collections; and connect with reference and instructional services. It also includes cutting edge digital tools and tutorials and numerous subject specific research guides created by subject specialists. The UCI Libraries employs approximately 140 full-time librarians and staff and many part-time student assistants. We strongly support the professional development of librarians and staff throughout their careers. The UCI Libraries are a member of the: Association of Research Libraries (ARL), HathiTrust, Center for Research Libraries (CRL), Coalition of Networked Information (CNI), Digital Library Federation (DLF), Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance (PRRLA), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), National Information Standards Organization (NISO), and OCLC Research Library Partnership (OCLC RLP). 

University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine, is nestled in over 1,500 acres of coastal foothills, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, between San Diego and Los Angeles and located on the homelands of the Acjachemen and Tongva peoples (https://diversity.lib.uci.edu/land-acknowledgement). Founded in 1965, UCI has over 37,000 undergraduate and graduate students and over 1,800 faculty and staff. Nearly 67% of UCI students identify themselves as Asian American, African American, Chicano/Latino, or Native American. Over 50% of UCI’s bachelor’s degrees are awarded to first generation college students. The University is committed to serving students from all backgrounds as demonstrated by UCI’s Black Thriving Initiative (https://inclusion.uci.edu/uci-black-thriving-initiative/) and its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and a Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) (https://inclusion.uci.edu/msi/). The New York Times ranks UCI as the #1 college doing the most for the American Dream, and U.S. News and Report ranks UCI among the top ten public universities in the nation. The University offers graduate degrees in more than 100 academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs in addition to the M.D. and J.D. As academic appointees, UCI Librarians receive potential career status at the time of their initial appointment. Librarians periodically receive administrative and peer review for merit increases based on the following criteria: 1) professional competence and quality of service within the Library; 2) professional activity outside the Library; 3) university and public service; and 4) research and other creative activity. 

Salary & Benefits: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience based on the University of California pay scales. Appointment is anticipated to be at the Assistant or Associate Librarian rank with a salary of $58,365 - $87,043. Librarians at UCI are academic appointees. Non-managerial librarians are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This is a represented position. Librarians are entitled to two days per month of annual leave, thirteen paid holidays, and one day per month sick leave. The University has an excellent retirement system and offers a variety of group health, life, and disability insurance plans. Benefits are equal to approximately 45% of salary. Consideration will be given to applicants with a wide range of years of experience, including qualified early career librarians.  

Deadline for Applications: Applications received by January 18, 2022 will receive first consideration. 

To Apply: Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should submit the information requested: cover letter; complete résumé; a statement that addresses past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a list of three references (names and contact information only) via UCI AP Recruit at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF07258 Upon application, candidates should be in possession of proof of their legal right to employment in the U.S. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, verification of legal right to work will be required between the time of final selection and hiring, and is absolutely essential in ultimately being hired. This position description is listed on the UCI Libraries web site at https://www.lib.uci.edu/current-librarian-and-administrative-vacancies with links to additional web sites featuring campus and community information. 

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

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