Working/Functional Title
Head of Health Sciences Librarian II/III Cont.
Position Summary
The Head of Health Sciences is responsible for the supervision of five faculty librarians (four direct reports) and coordination of unit priorities including liaison support and services for the research, education, and teaching missions of Michigan State University (MSU) and the colleges and programs served by the unit. The role has local, state, and national responsibilities. The Head will work with MSU Libraries colleagues; MSU faculty, staff, and administration; and with partner hospital administrators and librarians to advocate for and advance the integration and practice of health sciences librarianship. The Head will also have liaison librarian responsibilities within the health sciences. This position reports to the MSU Libraries’ Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning.
This role will also be critical in ensuring the MSU Libraries remain active in shaping the future of health sciences at MSU via the University’s “One Team, One Health” presidential initiative. This work aims to strengthen the university’s position as a national leader in health sciences by forging strategic partnerships across its research, education, and clinical missions. More information is available at https://www.healthsciences.msu.edu/one-team-one-health
The health sciences unit at MSU Libraries operates primarily out of the MSU Main Library and liaises to the College of Human Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Communicative Sciences and Disorders Program, Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, Public Health, and multiple undergraduate and PhD programs in biological/biomedical sciences. This encompasses approximately 2,000 academically appointed faculty; 10,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and graduate professional programs; and 3,300 medical residents in sponsored and affiliated programs across the state of Michigan. Michigan State University does not own a hospital but has affiliation agreements with teaching and research hospitals across the state.
Some evening and weekend hours may be required.
Essential duties include:
Leadership and Supervision
- Collaboratively shapes and directs the strategic vision of the health science group in alignment with the Libraries’ and University’s strategic priorities.
- Supervises and coordinates the liaison activities of five health science liaison librarians to build an effective team and ensure liaison coverage for subject areas/disciplines.
- Coordinates growth and development of librarians by setting individual goals and objectives, training, responding to professional development requests, performing annual merit reviews, and providing direction toward reappointment and continuous appointment.
Collaboration and Consultation
- Ensure that library collections reflect both the existing and emerging needs of liaison areas and the strategic vision for health sciences at the Libraries and the University.
- Collaborates and consults with other units within the MSU Libraries for any health sciences-related policies, such as cataloging, interlibrary loan, and circulation.
- Engages with stakeholders within and outside of the Libraries on health sciences-focused outreach, services, and collections partnerships.
Coordination and Administration
- Coordinates health sciences group meetings.
- Participates in Teaching and Learning Divisional meetings.
- Participates in MSU Libraries Department Heads meetings.
- In collaboration with the health sciences group, compiles and submits relevant statistics, including those required by the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries and for professional program accreditation needs.
Communication and Representation
- Provides regular communication to the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning and other stakeholders as needed on health sciences strengths, new opportunities, and needs.
- Serves as the MSU Libraries’ representative in the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries.
- Serves as the MSU Libraries’ representative to the Network of the National Library of Medicine – Region 6.
Librarians are appointed as regular faculty in the continuing appointment system. Faculty are expected to independently apply judgment; have excellent oral and communication skills; and demonstrate attention to detail; flexibility; collegiality; the capacity for collaboration; and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in performance of their duties. As faculty, they develop a self-directed program of professional development and scholarly activities related to their position; and serve on library and university committees as elected or assigned.
The librarian will work to advance the initiatives in the MSU Strategic Plan and in the MSU Libraries Strategic Plan. In support of these initiatives, the Libraries serve as a center of activity and engagement on campus, with librarians empowered to support both student development and transformative research activities.
The MSU Libraries Strategic Plan guides our current and future work. The candidate will collaborate with campus partners to help develop a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Michigan State University Libraries serve more than 4,900 faculty, 40,000 undergraduates, and 11,000 graduate and professional students on a park-like campus of over 5,000 acres.
We welcome candidates who meet the minimum requirements to apply and will support their professional development to grow in this position.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Library and Information Science
Minimum Requirements
- Master’s degree in information or library science from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent accreditation from an international institution.
- Experience working with university leadership, including academic deans, chairs, directors, and faculty.
- Three to five years of experience in a health sciences library setting;
- Experience conducting independent scholarship consistent with a library faculty appointment;
- Capacity and commitment to engage independently in continuing professional development;
- Evidence of strong engagement with regional and national health sciences libraries associations;
- Values varied perspectives and experience and actively fosters a collaborative and respectful culture.
Desired Qualifications
- Supervisory experience of faculty and/or staff;
- Experience performing advanced evidence synthesis reviews such as systematic or scoping reviews;
- Knowledge of or experience with health sciences-specific curricular development and teaching pedagogy;
- Experience in or familiarity with NIH open publication and data requirements.
Required Application Materials
Interested applicants should provide the following to http://careers.msu.edu
- A letter of application,
- CV/resume, and
- Names, addresses and email addresses of three references (2 must be present/past supervisors)
Special Instructions
Minimum $90,000. Salary is negotiable. MSU provides generous fringe benefits including health care, dental care, professional development funding, 22 paid vacation days, 9 University holidays, 2 personal observance days, paid sick days, tuition discounts, and relocation reimbursement.
For questions, please contact Jacquelyn Hansen, aholajac@msu.edu, at MSU Libraries' Human Resources Department.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
Professional Misconduct Review
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Website
http://lib.msu.edu
Department Statement
The Libraries are at the center of academic life at Michigan State University, providing expertise, collections, and infrastructure for discovery and creation. We facilitate connections that support research, teaching, and learning in our local and global communities.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
