Faculty Positions

Position Title / Rank: Assistant or Associate Librarian and Head, Research & Scholarship (Open to University of Guelph Internal Applicants Only)

College: McLaughlin Library

Department: Research & Scholarship (R&S)

Date Posted: November 30, 2023
Deadline: January 4, 2024 or until a suitable candidate is found
Please reference AD #23-65

Position Description:

The Library Research & Scholarship team at the University of Guelph invites applications for a continuing appointment-track or continuing appointment position at the Assistant or Associate Librarian level.

The McLaughlin Library invites applications for a dynamic, creative, collaborative librarian to fill the position of Head, Research & Scholarship. This senior leadership position reports to the Associate University Librarian, Research, and is a member of the library’s Strategic Leadership Team. This position provides strategic leadership and oversight for the staff and operations of the Research & Scholarship team, which provides expertise, services, and resources to advance the university’s research mission. This is a forward-looking, transformative role for an individual with a passion for a range of services that engage faculty, researchers, and students at the University of Guelph in support of their research and scholarship.

The Research & Scholarship team (R&S) currently includes the following established and developing/evolving areas of expertise:

  • Research Support: consultations with researchers and research teams
  • Data services: drop-in and appointment support for data, GIS, statistical computing, and web surveys; research data management services; and data creation and visualization
  • Scholarly Communication: activity in scholarly communication broadly encompasses support for researchers in the areas of author rights, copyright, publishing, open access and open educational resources, metrics, and researcher IDs
  • Repository Support: promoting and maintaining data- and institutional- repositories

The incumbent will promote the vision of the library as being central to the University community as a valued facilitator, partner, and catalyst on campus. The core values that drive our vision are learning, service, stewardship, access, innovation, communication, intellectual freedom, and integrity. At the McLaughlin Library, we have implemented a management framework to provide clarity around the expectations of library managers and to develop a shared understanding of library management practices.

Responsibilities & Duties  

  • Provide strategic leadership, operational oversight, expertise, and guidance to a team of approximately 11, including professional librarians, paraprofessionals, support staff, and student staff
  • Develop and adapt strategies to deliver effective, efficient core services to meet the evolving needs of the University of Guelph research community
  • Develop and implement operational procedures, policies, and workflows to guide decision-making and practice in all areas related to the team
  • Lead the team in establishing, managing, and disseminating metrics that represent the impact of R&S core activities
  • Initiate and drive change in line with team, library, and institutional goals and support and nurture a culture and systems that encourage exploration and experimentation /li>
  • Ensure communications and proper consultation and collaboration with researchers, partners in research support, and between R&S and other library teams
  • In conjunction with the Library Executive, the Head acts as a primary contact, spokesperson, and advocate with the academic community and other campus units, and research partners, and a broad range of other organizations for matters related to digital scholarship, support for research, and scholarly communications. In this capacity, the Head contributes to the transformation of the scholarly communication environment to one that is more equitable and accessible.
  • As a member of the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) , participate in the collaborative management of the library, including strategic planning, resource management, administrative coordination that includes policy development, alignment of services and programs with strategic objectives, assessment, and organizational culture and development.

Required Qualifications:

  • ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library & Information Science, or equivalent
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience as a professional librarian in an academic environment, with increasing levels of responsibility (e.g. managing staff, projects, resources, budget)
  • Evidence of substantial professional experience with envisioning, establishing, adapting, implementing, and evaluating/assessing research support strategies or programs, such as data services and scholarly communication
  • Demonstrated experience designing and implementing outreach strategies to actively engage stakeholders
  • Strong leadership and mentoring skills with a demonstrated ability to be a collaborative, inclusive leader who is able to resolve conflict generatively
  • Demonstrated user-centered service philosophy, with experience building partnerships with colleagues, users, and partners on campus and beyond
  • Demonstrated effectiveness in verbal and written communication including an ability to articulate priorities and values across a diverse constituency
  • Excellent time management and prioritization skills
  • Highly developed understanding of and engagement with the trends and technologies in the research and scholarly communication landscape

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience managing a diverse team across multiple employee groups
  • Training or education in leadership or management

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of over 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across over 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture. People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our university community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

Application Process

Assessment of applications will begin on January 4, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials:

  • A statement of interest and vision for the position demonstrating how their qualifications and experience relate to the responsibilities, duties and required qualifications of the position,
  • A curriculum vitae, and
  • Names of at least three references, including one direct supervisor, one peer/collaborator, and one direct report; all for either most recent or immediately prior position. (References will not be contacted without consent).

Please submit application as a single PDF by email to libhire@uoguelph.ca by end of day January 4, 2024.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.

The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9) is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

If you require a medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.