Job posting: Physical Sciences Librarian and Head of Steacie Science and Engineering Library, York University, Toronto [Confessions of a Science Librarian]

Come work with me! Be my department head!

Here’s the full posting:

Position Rank: Full Time Tenure Stream – Assistant/Associate/Senior Librarian
Discipline/Field: Head of Steacie Science and Engineering Library
Home Faculty: Libraries
Home Department/Area/Division: Steacie Science and Engineering Library
Affiliation/Union: YUFA
Position Start Date: October 1, 2017

Physical Sciences Librarian and Head of Steacie Science and Engineering Library, York University Libraries, York University

York University Libraries seeks an innovative and visionary leader who will inspire the librarians and staff of the Steacie Science and Engineering Library to match the ambition of York’s growing Science, Engineering and Health faculties.

The Steacie Science and Engineering Library has 4.5 full-time librarians and 5.5 full-time support staff and is one of seven libraries in four buildings within the York University Libraries system. It attracts half a million visitors a year and provides specialized resources, research support and information literacy sessions to York’s science, engineering and health programs. Steacie Library takes pride in its extensive information literacy program and successful community outreach events such as its Hackfest, the Ada Lovelace Day Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, Open Access Week and Science Literacy Week.

This is a continuing appointment with an expected designation of Assistant, Associate or Senior Librarian, depending on qualifications. York offers a competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and an exceptional benefits package.

The appointment as head of the Steacie Science and Engineering Library is a five-year term (with possibility of renewal), providing leadership and direction for the department, working collegially with librarians and consultatively with department staff.

Responsibilities include oversight of daily library operations, dealing with staffing levels, mentoring and enabling goal-setting, promoting leadership at different levels, fostering implementation of best practices, and regularly reviewing department structures and procedures to ensure excellence and quality user experience. The department head represents Steacie Library as an advocate of the Libraries; serves as a point of contact for the science and engineering community on campus and externally; and builds partnerships with faculty, university administration and other campus units.

York University Libraries released a new five year strategic plan in 2016 and is currently engaging in a restructuring process. The department head will embrace and implement the plan and lead an ambitious agenda to position Steacie Library as an innovation hub to support the growing Science, Engineering and Health faculties. The candidate will also lead Steacie Library and its staff through this period of change by aligning departmental goals and institutional vision in support of the Libraries’ strategic priorities, and by representing the departmental perspective system-wide.

The successful candidate will act as liaison with the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, and Science and Technology Studies (STS), and the Division of Natural Science, and will build relationships with students, researchers and instructors in these undergraduate and graduate programs. The candidate will support teaching, learning and research; provide information literacy instruction; work with colleagues to provide, promote, manage and evaluate library services, resources and collections; and foster an understanding of the research culture, data needs and publication trends of science and technology researchers. The candidate will also participate in project and committee work for the Libraries and the university, and in external cooperative and professional activities. Some evening and weekend hours may be required.

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

• an ALA-accredited MLIS or equivalent with graduation year of 2007 or later;
• academic background in the physical sciences or equivalent library professional or work experience in these subject areas;
• demonstration of a progression of leadership responsibilities and evidence of building effective working relationships with institutional colleagues;
• demonstrated understanding of information literacy and research competencies in science and STS;
• demonstrated understanding of the research culture of science and technology, including scholarly communication, publishing trends and corresponding needs of faculty and researchers in the physical sciences;
• demonstrated expertise with relevant information sources in science and technology, particularly for chemistry, physics and astronomy, including chemical structure searching;
• understanding of the changing role of academic libraries in higher education and an ability to envision innovative and creative methods of integrating and employing digital technologies;
• established record of research, publication and professional development;
• strong public service philosophy and evidence of professional initiative and leadership;
• strong written and oral communication skills;
• ability to work collegially with a diverse population of colleagues and patrons; and
• ability to handle multiple responsibilities and manage priorities.

The position is available from 1 October 2017. All York University positions are subject to budgetary approval.

Librarians at York University have academic status and are members of the York University Faculty Association bargaining unit (http://www.yufa.ca/).

York University is an Affirmative Action (AA) employer and strongly values diversity, including gender and sexual diversity, within its community. The AA program, which applies to Aboriginal people, visible minorities, people with disabilities, and women, can be found at www.yorku.ca/acadjobs or by calling the AA office at 416-736-5713. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

People with disabilities and Aboriginal people are priorities in the York University Libraries Affirmative Action plan and are especially encouraged to apply. Consideration will also be given to those who have followed non-traditional career paths or had career interruptions.

The deadline for complete applications is 2 June 2017. Three letters of reference will be requested by 26 June and required by 17 July for candidates who may be interviewed. Interviews will be scheduled in the last two weeks of August.

A letter of application with a current curriculum vitae should be sent to:

Chair, Steacie Librarian Search Committee
York University Libraries
516 Scott Library
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, ON
M3J 1P3
Fax: (416) 736-5451
Email: [email protected]

Posting End Date: June 2, 2017

I’m on the search committee for this posting, so I can really only answer the most basic questions. If anyone would like to speak to someone internally about the York environment, etc., please let me know and I can pass you along to someone. My email is jdupuis at yorku dot ca.