Careers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

General Summary of Position: 

The University Library at UMass Lowell is seeking a creative and collaborative problem-solver to join our team as Research & Learning Librarian: First Year Experience & Instruction Coordinator during an exciting period of assessment and growth. UMass Lowell is a welcoming and diverse community, with a proven track record in providing a world-class education at an affordable price. The newly-formed Research & Learning department supports campus goals in inclusive excellence, and provides outstanding teaching, learning, and research support for our vibrant community.  

As a member of the Library’s Research & Learning team, the Research & Learning Librarian will share our passionate belief in the potential of higher education to transform lives. They are responsible for collaborating on the key departmental activities that support the research, scholarship, teaching, and learning activities of our community. As the First Year Experience & Instruction Coordinator, they are also responsible for leading and coordinating the team’s information literacy instruction initiatives as well as embedding those initiatives in a regular schedule of outreach activities for first-year students. 

We want candidates to know that we are committed to helping our colleagues develop professionally throughout their time at UML; we do not expect all applicants to possess all of the preferred qualifications we list here. We welcome applications from people who embrace lifelong learning and are passionate about providing meaningful and equitable access to information, resources, and services that enable the success of a diverse and engaged community. If you are excited by the prospect of being part of a team that is seeking the best path forward to serve the current needs and future goals of our community, we hope you consider submitting your application to this position.    

The First Year Experience & Instruction Coordinator coordinates the library’s instructional services (e.g., scheduling, training, creation of high-quality instructional materials, outreach, and assessment) as well as development and implementation of outreach and engagement programming for first-year students and others new to the university. They also stay abreast of trends and best practices in first year experience and instructional services and bring this expertise to the Research & Learning team. The FYE&I Coordinator also participates in the shared activities of the Research & Learning team: information literacy instruction, collection development, and support for digital scholarship and scholarly publishing.   

Essential Job Duties: 

Coordinate First Year Experience & Instruction 

• Coordinate schedule and coverage of the department’s in-person and online information literacy classes and workshops 

• Develop ongoing training and support for staff to ensure that instruction is consistent and high-quality across locations 

• Lead development of departmental training and standards for creation of online teaching and learning materials 

• Collaborate with campus programs, groups, and units that focus on student learning in general education coursework (First Year Writing, First Year Seminar in Honors, River Hawk Scholars Academy, etc.) to co-create, coordinate, and provide regular outreach and instruction to first-year students 

• As part of a team, develop and implement outreach, orientation, and engagement programming for first-year students and others new to the university 

• Working with the Assistant Director for Communications & User Experience and other relevant staff across the library, help create a culture of assessment and improvement by implementing regular instructional assessment 

• As the first-year experience and instruction coordinator, stay abreast of standards, best practices, and trends in the profession, and share this expertise and knowledge of trends in first-year experience and instruction with the Research & Learning team and across the library 

Information Literacy Instruction and Support 

• Participate in departmental initiatives around investigating and implementing best methods and practices in education, both in-person and online 

• Teach or team-teach information literacy workshops, at both the undergraduate and graduate level   

• Collaborate on creation and assessment of high-quality online learning objects, such as LibWizard quizzes, short instructional videos, and information literacy exercises for use in support of classroom instruction 

Reference and Research Consultation and Support 

• Support campus research and learning through individual consultations with students, faculty, and staff in-person and/or online 

• Provide high-quality reference support through regular participation in departmental channels, either in-person at the reference desk or online through chat or email 

• Work as a member of the Research & Learning team to share expertise, develop seamless referrals, and ensure follow-through on UML community needs 

Collection Development 

• Participate in the development of Library collections and their alignment with campus research and learning needs by recommending new purchases, assessing existing collections, and supporting vendor negotiations 

• Maintain relationship with assigned stakeholder areas to proactively keep abreast of collection usage and needs in those areas 

• Collaborate on essential departmental initiatives in supporting Open Access programs and Open Educational Resource development 

• Maintain awareness of trends in the field around open access, copyright, and emerging formats 

Research Publication and Digital Scholarship Support 

• Maintain awareness of new trends in the field around issues in scholarly publishing and digital scholarship 

• Participate in departmental initiatives around issues in scholarly publishing and digital scholarship 

• Connect the UML community to appropriate library resources in scholarly publishing and digital scholarship, making referrals to other Research & Learning team members as appropriate 

Stakeholder Engagement 

•  Liaise with an academic college and/or disciplinary area on campus by engaging in activities such as:
  • Attending college or departmental events and meetings, serving as library contact person
  • Collecting and referring service requests from that academic college or area to appropriate departments within the library
  • Ensuring library communications reach as many members of that community as possible
• Analyze stakeholder needs and activities, synthesize into proposals, and make recommendations for new library services and collaborations

• Building effective partnerships with co-workers throughout the University by freely sharing appropriate information and providing assistance when needed. 

• Ensuring optimum service to all internal and external partners in response to all requests for service and information. 

• Maintaining an environment that is welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, nationalities, and roles. 

• Embracing lifelong learning and professional development for themselves and their staff.  

• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Required): 

Education and Experience: 

• A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited library/information program, or international equivalent, by the time of hire.  
• 2-4 years of experience in public services in an academic library. Part-time and pre-professional experience can count towards this experience. 

Skills:  

• Demonstrated experience with library instruction, both online and in-person 
• Demonstrated experience with outreach and instruction aimed at first-year college students 
• Familiarity or willingness to engage with trends and services in academic libraries to support first year programs 
• Commitment to providing equitable service to a diverse community 
• Evidence of working effectively with students, faculty, and staff in an academic community 
• Facility with a range of tools and applications commonly used in providing online reference and instruction 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both orally and in writing 
• Demonstrated success in collaborative environments 
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment 
• Demonstrated critical thinking and independent decision-making skills 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience developing and managing information literacy curricula, at a library- or university-wide level 
• Experience or leadership in assessing learning outcomes 
• Supervisory experience, particularly training and mentoring student workers 
• Experience providing reference services either in-person or online 
• Experience collaborating with diverse groups and library departments to promote student success