The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) seeks a visiting program officer (VPO) with a passion for, or knowledge of, advancing open research and scholarship practices within their institution. The VPO will work closely with the ARL senior director of Scholarship and Policy and the ARL Scholars and Scholarship Committee.
In collaboration with ARL staff; committee members; the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) roundtable on Aligning Incentives for Open Science; and the NASEM Board on Research Data and Information (BRDI), the VPO will design and deliver a pilot experience for a cohort of ARL libraries interested in advancing open research practices at their institutions. The pilot Accelerating the Social Impact of Research program will help participants develop a strategic approach for advancing the social impact of science, aimed at building and reinforcing institutional points of influence for open research practices. ARL values a diversity of professional and lived experience; the VPO will solicit a range of viewpoints in order to inform a cohort experience that supports an inclusive research and learning ecosystem.
Expected outcomes for the pilot include:
- Sharing strategies and messaging within the cohort to advance institutional focus on the social impact of open research
- Testing the NASEM toolkit with institutional stakeholders and issuing the results with recommendations to the roundtable conveners
- Sharing approaches among the cohort participants to navigating challenges to open research practices, including researcher skepticism, library budget, and security concerns
- Reporting tangible lessons and results to the ARL membership through written and virtual formats
- Evaluating the pilot program and making recommendations on the efficacy of its structure, format, and potential for expansion
This VPO appointment will require a commitment of 0.25–0.3 FTE for a duration of one year after which an evaluation will be conducted. Following that review, the appointment may be renewed for an additional two years if both parties agree to continuance.
Visiting Program Officer Program
Under the Visiting Program Officer program, the ARL member library supports the salary of the staff person and provides the time needed to participate as a VPO. ARL supports or seeks grant funding for travel or other project-related expenses.
The ARL Visiting Program Officer program provides opportunities for staff in ARL member libraries to contribute to strategic initiatives, 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 to achieve the shared priorities.
To Apply
Interested staff within ARL member libraries should contact Judy Ruttenberg (judy@arl.org) with a 500-word statement of interest, an updated CV or résumé, and a letter of recommendation from their ARL member representative. Applications will be reviewed until June 14, 2021.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 125 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; advances diversity, equity, and inclusion; 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.
