Community Engagement Librarian and Head of External Engagement
New York University: NYU - NY: Division of Libraries
Location
Description
The Community Engagement Librarian and Head of External Engagement will lead the department of External Engagement which aspires to engage external communities of the Division of Libraries’ (DoL) through the development of programmatic opportunities that emphasize anti-racism and rectify inequalities. Using concepts such as critical race theory, queer theories, reparative justice models and feminist practices, to name a few, this new position will incorporate the DoL values and missions of Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Accessibility (IDBEA) into our engagement practices.
This tenure-track faculty position will apply critical teaching and learning practices to its engagement work, and support the coordination of current and new external partnerships. The position will also work to coordinate library-focused NYU-based engagement programs and university-wide initiatives such as NYU Welcome, NYU Reads, and Gallery exhibitions, to name a few. The Community Engagement Librarian and Head of External Engagement will have supervisory oversight of (3-6) full-time administrative staff, including the Associate Director for Annual Fund, Alumni Outreach, & External Engagement to support development, as well as the Assistant Director of Special Events to coordinate events and programming. This position will work closely with the Department of Communications to brand strategic priorities for community engagement, the Reference Services department, and Undergraduate & Instructional Services department to enhance engagement priorities in teaching and learning. This position will be required to provide periodic reference services, library instruction, and participate in Division-wide committees.
Programs of the External Engagement Department include, but are not limited to fundraising, internships, mentorships, gallery exhibitions, events, and collaborative partnerships such as Friends of Bobst, and NYU's Dual Degree program with The Palmer School of Library and Information Science at Long Island University. The External Engagement Department resides in the Teaching, Learning, and Engagement subdivision, and includes a sub-department of Engagement and Development. This position will report directly to the Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning and Engagement.
A list of duties is below:
- Hiring, training, and evaluating 3-6 full-time administrative professional administrative employees within the External Engagement department
- Manage and coordinate engagement offerings, supporting library-based programming and outreach to students and external communities.
- Formulate and continue partnerships with community organizations as well as NYU-based schools, centers, and institutes, such as LIU Palmer School of Library and Information Science, to plan and deliver library programs and services to a broad range of community members, both within and outside the library.
- Steer student engagement activities including site-based welcome programming such as tabling, student-club engagement, and library tours in collaboration with library committee members and partners.
- Explore new types of engagement programs such as fellowships, internships, exhibitions, residencies, mentorship, symposia, conferences, co-sponsorships, and events, in a collaborative manner with cross-functional teams both in and beyond the library.
- Establishes engagement goals, objectives, and performance targets aligned with the institutional strategic plan and priorities. Support budgetary projections to meet goals.
- Maintain and report statistics/metrics for evaluation of library engagement programs.
- Provide in-person and virtual reference desk service, library instruction, and orientation sessions.
- Participate in and chair committees, and develop policies and procedures as needed.
- Produce research and scholarship as a requirement for tenure.
NYU Cluster Hiring Initiative
NYU Libraries is participating in the NYU Faculty Cluster Hiring Initiative
to recruit, welcome, and support new library faculty working across the
Division on timely themes of social importance, such as Inequality and
Anti-racism, Population Health and Health Equity, Open Science and the
Public Good, and Urban Environments and Politics. NYU Libraries will use
the cluster-hire approach to address our goal of building a more
diverse faculty community in a concerted way, with the full weight of
the University’s recruitment and retention toolkit. It also allows us to
mobilize our internal resources, including onboarding, cohort
mentoring, and measures to protect time for research and service, and
bring them to bear to ensure the success of new hires. For full details about the Libraries cluster hiring initiative, see this link.
This particular position is part of our Centering Underrepresented Voices: Anti-Racist Practices in Libraries and Archives cluster. The positions in the cluster are strategically placed in three core areas of librarianship: collections and subject expertise, description and discovery, and engagement and outreach. The cluster will center underrepresented communities' voices by bringing in new collections of African American and Black Diaspora Studies materials in all formats, creating anti-racist descriptive and metadata practices to support the discovery an use of these collections, and promulgating engagement and research services that draw on and support the growth of new knowledge. By approaching collections curation, description, and research support through a lens of inclusion, diversity, belonging, equity, and accessibility (IDBEA), we create a set of interlocking and cohesive supports that enrich the scholarly lives of our communities.
About NYU Libraries
The Division of Libraries values diversity among its faculty, is
committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and
strongly encourages applications from members of underrepresented
communities. We are proud of our organizational culture and are
committed to building and sustaining diverse, inclusive, an
equitable organization that supports a sense of belonging for the
staff and communities we serve. For more information regarding the
Libraries’ commitment to IDBE, see the Libraries’ Mission & Values Statement, our Diversity and Inclusion Values Statement, and our Commitment to Anti-Racism.
Salary/Benefits: Faculty status, attractive benefits package including five weeks annual vacation. Salary commensurate with experience and background. Faculty at NYU, including in the Division of Libraries, have always enjoyed relative flexibility in their work, allowing for moments of remote work as appropriate.
Qualifications
Required
- Minimum one graduate degree (master’s level or higher), by start date, for consideration. A second graduate degree will be required to be eligible for tenure. One of the two graduate degrees must be an ALA-accredited MLS or equivalent.
- Experience managing community engagement projects and/or events.
- Knowledge of trends and issues in library engagement and outreach services.
- Ability to work collaboratively and contribute effectively as a member of a team.
- Commitment to public service, strong problem-solving skills, as well as effective customer service skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to critical librarianship, and values of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Accessibility.
Preferred
- Active participation in professional communities of practice and toward continuous professional development
- Exhibition coordination experience
- Supervisory experience
- Experience in donor relations and stewardship
Application Instructions
We would love to hear from you! To ensure consideration, submit your CV and letter of application, including the contact information of three professional references. NYU Division of Libraries requires all candidates for this position to supply a statement demonstrating their dedication to inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging as part of their application. Access the Diversity Statement prompt here https://nyu.box.com/v/diversity-statement Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Preference will be given to applications received by February 24.
