Discovery Librarian – Library University of California Berkeley

Job description

Discovery Librarian – Library

Position overview Position title: Associate Librarian, Career Status or Potential Career Status

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and salary point at appointment.

See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: A reasonable estimate for this position is $76,631-$92,345.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: As soon as December 1, 2024.

Start date is flexible.

Position duration: This is a full-time potential career appointment.

Application Window

Open date: September 5, 2024

Next review date: Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Oct 25, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The University of California, Berkeley Library seeks a creative, collaborative, and user-centered Librarian to support world-class research and teaching through the management of the Library’s discovery services.

The Discovery Librarian will design ways to make the Library’s discovery platform, services, and tools more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to the campus community.

They will apply product knowledge, provide expertise in user behavior, identify usage patterns in the Library’s discovery products, and recommend and deploy improvements to the user experience.

In alignment with the Library mission to provide access to scholarly resources, the Discovery Librarian will ingest digital collections, datasets, services, and more into the Library’s discovery environment.

The Environment

The UC Berkeley Library is an internationally renowned teaching and research facility at one of the nation’s premier public universities.

A highly diverse and intellectually rich environment, Berkeley serves a campus community of 30,000 undergraduate students, over 11,000 graduate students, and 1,500 faculty.

With a collection of more than 13 million volumes and a collections budget of over $15 million, the Library offers extensive collections in all formats and robust services to connect users with those collections and build their related research skills.

The Library Information Technology (Library IT) Division, a division within the UC Berkeley Library, is charged with the design, development, management, and maintenance of flexible and reliable technology environments for the Library, specifically: the development and management of digital collections and services and their associated digital discovery and access platforms; creation of digital content; digital preservation tools; the development of a fully accessible and responsive library web presence that applies user experience principles and strategies; the development and support of server based technologies for the delivery of library services; the maintenance of library management and discovery systems; the management of the library’s computing services including desktop support, software, and library labs for library staff and public; and the development and delivery of frameworks and applications to support collaborative storage, delivery, and preservation of information resources.

The digital and library technology applications and collections developed and managed by Library IT are research vehicles that are used by library patrons ranging from UC Berkeley faculty, students, and staff, other institutions and the general public.

The Systems and Discovery Services Department, within the Library IT Division, provides Library-wide support for Berkeley’s Integrated Library System (ILS) Alma, and Primo VE discovery service (branded as UC Library Search).

This department collaborates with employees across the Library to transform and improve the ILS and discovery related workflows, processes, and policies.

The department currently consists of the Head of Systems and Discovery Services and a Senior Analyst.

This position will be part of the Systems and Discovery Services Department.

The Discovery Librarian will report directly to the Head of Systems and Discovery Services.

Responsibilities

In partnership with and under the guidance of the Head of Systems and Discovery Services, the Discovery Librarian will collaborate with stakeholders across the Library to ensure seamless access to the Library’s collections for all users to support research and teaching and to advance the University Libraries’ commitment to equity and inclusion.

This might include identifying pain points and contributing to the development of user-centered access and discovery practices, strategies, and services.

The Discovery Librarian will oversee configurations related to Discovery in Alma, troubleshoot issues reported by users and staff and identify solutions and/or communication opportunities, review ongoing monthly release notes, quarterly feature releases, and annual product roadmaps for Primo VE.

The incumbent will develop and maintain an ongoing practice of usability testing with user populations (including internal Library stakeholders) for UC Library Search.

Based on data, they will propose, test, and implement user interface (UI) enhancements and communicate any changes made with internal and external stakeholders.

In addition, the Discovery Librarian will integrate web accessibility best practices into user experience decisions and perform regular reviews to ensure compliance with ADA and WCAG requirements and guidelines, partnering with subject matter experts to improve and support accessibility as needed.

This role will test and prioritize feature releases for UC Library Search, incorporating subject matter experts when applicable.

They will also identify opportunities to ingest and provide access to collections in discovery, using protocols such as OAI harvesting and discovery import profiles.

They will partner with the Web Team in Library IT and the Library Communications Office as needed to discuss and implement any custom UI solution(s).

As the lead for UC Library Search at Berkeley, the Discovery Librarian will participate in the UC-Berkeley local SILS governance and steering, including the Alma/Primo VE Coordination Team (APriCoT).

Additionally they will facilitate and convene UC Berkeley Library Discovery Working Group (DWG), represent UC Berkeley Library in the UC-wide Systemwide Integrated Library System (SILS) Discovery Operations Subteam, and participate in discovery-related communities of practice as relevant.

The Discovery Librarian will regularly create and share Primo VE analytics reports to facilitate data-driven decisions for the Library, support collection management and statistical reporting as related to discovery, and determine and develop processes for improving speed and quality of product improvements based on available data.

UC Berkeley librarians are expected to participate in library-wide planning and governance, and work effectively in a shared decision-making environment.

Advancement is partially based upon professional contributions beyond the primary assignment; the successful candidate will show evidence or promise of such contributions to the Library, campus, UC System, and profession.

The UC Berkeley Library is committed to supporting and encouraging a multicultural environment and seeks candidates who can make positive and imaginative contributions in a context of ethnic and cultural diversity.

UC professional librarians are academic appointees and are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, the University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT).

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Librarians are eligible for professional development leave, vacation leave, sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel.

The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits.

Department:

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Advanced degree or enrolled in an advanced degree program.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

Advanced degree

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent international degree

• Minimum of two years of experience working in an academic research library

• Experience with one or more library discovery platforms, such as Primo VE, Summon, EBSCO Discovery Service, WorldCat Discovery, etc.

• Experience with or knowledge of integrated library systems, such as Millennium, Sierra, Alma, Folio, TIND ILS, Koha, WorldShare, etc.

• Ability to work effectively in a matrix-based and shared decision-making environment

• Knowledge of the developing trends in library discovery platforms

• Experience with usability and/or user experience testing

• Ability to distill and communicate technical concepts to non-technical staff

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Demonstrated commitment to continued personal and professional development

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and an ability to demonstrate an understanding that diverse perspectives and differences in background, cultures, values, and viewpoints are the foundation for an inclusive environment

The Library is interested in finding the best candidate for the job and recognizes that the successful candidate may be one from a less traditional background.

We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet all of the preferred qualifications listed above.

Other

• This position requires participation in a mix of in-person and all-virtual meetings.

• The incumbent will be required to obtain Primo VE Administrator certification from ExLibris within nine months of being hired.

• If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to the Library Human Resources Department.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.

• Cover Letter

• Statement on Contributions to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging – Statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research, teaching, and service, including information about your record of activities to date, and plans for contributing if hired at UC Berkeley.

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Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Apply link:

Help contact: mailto:

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included.

Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the and the

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law.

Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time.

Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Berkeley, CA

To apply, visit

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Required Skill Profession

Librarians, Curators, And Archivists