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Librarian for History, Society, and Culture

Librarian for History, Society, and Culture

Brown University Job Location: Rhode Island Apply By: Open until filled Date Created: 03-08-2022

The Brown University Library is a dynamic center of scholarship and community at the heart of a world class research university. Supporting and collaborating with a broad and diverse academic constituency, the Library is essential for Brown’s mission “to serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry.” Integrating with Brown’s ambitious strategic plans, the Library is a site of innovation that fuels intellectual creativity. Signature Library initiatives include the establishment of the Center for Library Exploration and Research to increase campus and community impact; the Racial Justice Project to assess and counteract the legacies of historical racism in library practice; the Digital Publications Initiative pioneering new approaches to born-digital scholarship; and a revisioned special collections program that is positioning the John Hay Library as a research destination and leader in reparative and community based collecting. We are seeking outstanding library professionals at all levels of the organization who are excited about advancing academic excellence at the highest level, and who will bring a wide array of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities to a scholarly community that is actively committed to being more diverse and inclusive.
The Brown University Library seeks a liaison librarian who will provide program, research, and curriculum-aligned services to the community of scholars, instructors, and students engaged in research and teaching in History, American Studies, and related areas of study. The History, Society, and Culture Librarian is responsible for engaging innovative pedagogy and methodologies for teaching and research, ensuring the library’s general collection is aligned with the needs of affiliated campus units, and engaging with the University’s remarkable collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives. This position supports a number of academic programs, including American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Science Technology and Society, and History, with particular emphasis on the history of North America and the Atlantic. The object of this interdisciplinary work involves examination of history and culture with attention to race, class, gender, and other forms of difference and power. The History, Society, and Culture Librarian carries out the work of the position with actions that foster anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices.
The History, Society, and Culture Librarian is a member of the Library’s Academic Engagement department and works closely with colleagues in Special Collections to support the use of primary and secondary materials for teaching and scholarship. The essential functions of this position are to deliver curriculum-aligned instruction for courses and programs, provide reference and consultative support to users in the domains of responsibility, consult and support students and faculty throughout the research lifecycle, and create a modern general collection through an anti-racist lens for responsible areas of study. This position serves as a primary contact for researchers and instructors in History disciplines and coordinates with colleagues to ensure history scholars have the support they need to be successful.
Reporting to the Director of Academic Engagement, this position joins a vibrant and collaborative team committed to academic excellence, and participates in team-based efforts to support research and teaching in humanities and humanistic social sciences. This work involves close collaboration with other Library departments, including Special Collections and the transformative, newly announced Center for Library Exploration and Research, to provide coordinated and programmatically-aligned services to Brown University and the extended community.
Job qualifications 
  • ALA-accredited master’s degree in library or information science or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Foundation in teaching humanities and humanistic social sciences research methodologies and core information resources.
  • Experience or demonstrated interest in the research and educational mission of academic libraries, including curricular integration of Library programs, researcher support, and innovation.
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility and to advancing these values in instruction, engagement, and professional practice.
  • Considerable experience with one or more areas of study supported by this position, such as American History and Asian-American, Ethnic, LatinX, or LGBTQ+ Studies. Additional knowledge of other geographic, linguistic, or thematic areas is welcome.
  • Excellent communication skills and proficiency with in-person and virtual settings.
Job Competencies
  • Excellence in the following skills: verbal and written communication, interpersonal, planning, organizational, and analytical.
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity and understanding of the contributions a diverse workforce brings to the workplace.
  • Demonstrated success in delivering effective instruction and research support independently and in a team-based environment.
  • Commitment to excellent public services, improving the library user experience, and continuous improvement through assessment.
  • Demonstrated initiative, flexibility, and ability to work creatively and effectively, both independently and as a team member.

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