Search Postings

Division Name: Academic Affairs
College/Unit: Milner Library
Campus Location: Normal, IL

Job Summary

Illinois State University's Milner Library seeks an innovative, forward-thinking, and collaborative Social Science and Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian for a renewable 12-month, non-tenure-track faculty position. The Social Science and Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian, reporting to the Head of Liaison Services, provides dedicated support for the School of Communication, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and a growing and engaged portfolio of undergraduate interdisciplinary minors—including Women and Gender studies, Latin American and Latina/o studies, African American studies, Native American Studies, Civic Engagement and Social Change, and many more. The Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian will provide these constituents with specialized research support, tailored information fluency instruction, and intentional collection development to ensure equitable access to Milner’s resources and services. Responsibilities for this position include:

• Serving as library liaison to the School of Communication and the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences; providing dedicated support to administrators, faculty, students, and staff.
• Serving as the primary library contact for all Interdisciplinary Studies Minors; providing dedicated support, as time and budget allows, to administrators, faculty, students, and staff.
• Pursuing collaborative relationships with the chairs, directors, faculty, and/or staff in all departments, programs, and relevant groups.
• Participating in campus outreach and engagement programing and events that support student recruitment, success, academic preparedness, and retention.
• Proactively communicating with all relevant constituents about library matters, resources, and services
• Overseeing all aspects of collection development and maintenance within subject area(s), including purchasing, de-accessioning, and budgetary management for the materials in liaison departments and units.
• Planning, developing, conducting, teaching, and assessing library instruction sections in alignment with information fluency outcomes.
• Participating in general and specialized reference and research services, as well as providing in-depth consultation with faculty and students in liaison departments, programs, and schools.
• Assisting library colleagues with integrating scholarly communication initiatives and teaching with primary sources from Special Collections and University Archives into liaison activities.
• Participating collaboratively on projects, goals, and activities that serve the strategic priorities of Milner Library and the Liaison Services Department
• Serving on library or university committees as needed.

Additional Information

University Benefit Highlights:

- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life (eligibility determination)
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid benefit time

Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be revie

Illinois State University: Illinois State University (illinoisstate.edu), founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois. There are approximately 21,000 students in the six colleges of Illinois State University. In our most recent strategic plan Educate ∙ Connect ∙ Elevate, we have committed our resources to realizing seven core values: Learning and Scholarship, Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, Collaboration, Individualized Attention, Civic Engagement, and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our University being the first-choice public university in Illinois for high-achieving, motivated students seeking an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Also, visit the University’s points of pride at (http://illinoisstate.edu/pointsofpride/). For several years in a row, Illinois State University has been named one of the “Great Colleges to Work For,” according to a survey released by The Chronicle of Higher Education. ISU, the only four-year public university in Illinois to be included on this list, earned the honor in the following categories: collaborative governance; compensation and benefits; confidence in senior leadership; facilities, workspace, and security; job satisfaction; professional/career development programs; respect and appreciation; supervisor/department chair relationship; teaching environment, tenure clarity and process; and work/life balance.

Milner Library: Milner Library supports Illinois State’s academic programs with a service-focused staff of nearly 80, an institutional budget of approximately $9 million, and a collection of over 1.4 million volumes, nearly 700,000 e-books, and nearly 100,000 electronic journals and several digital collections. Milner Library also houses the University Archives, and its Special Collections hosts the Circus & Allied Arts collection, one of the best of its kind in the world. It is a member of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois whose I-Share integrated library system offers resource sharing across 88 member institutions with over 15 million unique bibliographic records and 38.17 million item records. Milner Library’s annual gate count exceeds 600,000, and it is a clearly beloved destination on campus.

The Library is woven into the fabric of the campus at every level, actively supporting the campus strategic plan (“Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State”) and mentioned in the campus facilities plan and the campus capital campaign plan—all evidence of institutional commitment to excellence in its library.

Milner Library serves a diverse population of students and campus stakeholders. Candidates who have experience working with a range of faculty, staff, and students, and can contribute to the culture of openness, belonging, and mutual support are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will foster a culture of belonging that is welcoming to all members of the community. ISU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply

Bloomington-Normal Community: Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a population of approximately 167,000. The community is home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, and State Farm Insurance’s International Headquarters. The community is also home to Rivian Motors, a company that builds electric vehicles. The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems and its citizens’ high level of educational attainment and its parks and recreation, health care, job growth, economic opportunity, and low crime rates. Forbes magazine, in a review of the best places for business, ranked Bloomington-Normal the 15th best place for business out of 168 small metros listed. Bloomington was placed on CNNMoney's list of the 100 Best Places to Live and was ranked #2 on Kiplinger’s list of Top 10 cities in the U.S. Normal was ranked #3 on the list of Best Small College Towns in America by College Values Online. Huffington Post named Bloomington one of the “11 Amazing Cities You’ve Never Thought To Live In, But Should.” Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from Indianapolis, two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis, and an hour from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield, many of which locations are accessible by Amtrak. For more information on our community, please visit, visitbn.org/. 

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$58,000 - $66,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Required Qualifications

1. Advanced degree in Library and Information Science from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited graduate program or an ALA-recognized international equivalent.
2. Evidence of reference and/or liaison work that demonstrates a strong public service commitment.
3. Demonstrated experience with teaching information fluency.
4. Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
5. Ability to work independently and collaboratively with others in a strongly collegial and participative environment.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Professional experience as a subject librarian in social science fields.
2. Degree(s) in social science fields.
3. Experience supporting both undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty.

Work Hours

Varies

Proposed Starting Date

December 1st, 2025

Required Applicant Documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume/CV
• Reference list (3 professional or academic references)

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

For full consideration apply by October 3, 2025. Initial review of applications will begin then and continue until the position is filled.

Applicants for this position must be authorized to work in the U.S. without ISU sponsorship. Sponsorship for work authorization will not be considered for this position.

Contact Information for Applicants

Milner
Tracy Berner
taberne@ilstu.edu

HR
Lexi Marquez
emmarq1@ilstu.edu

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.