Scholarly Communications Librarian at the University of Georgia

October 26, 2022
Athens, GA

Does the new guidance from OSTP regarding open access to federally funded research energize you? Would you like to lead the efforts to ensure that campus researchers are well-informed about procedures for deposit of their scholarly publications? Would you like to be a part of an exciting new team that includes scholarly communications, research data management and wrangling, digital humanities, social sciences data and GIS? This new team, Research and Computational Data Management (RCDM), brings together key positions into a new unit at the University of Georgia Libraries that we believe aligns more with current and future research practices. This new unit is the first step on our organizational change journey. As a library, we are looking to reorganize and realign in order to best meet the needs of the changing research landscape along with the needs of our 40,000+ students. The expenditures of the UGA research community totaled nearly $500 million in 2021. If you’d like to be a part of this exciting time at the University of Georgia Libraries, and you have expertise in the area of Scholarly Communications, please consider applying.

An information session will be held on November 10 at noon EST over Zoom Webinar (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q3xrg_fuToayg7YPQqKiYw). Participants can login as anonymous, with attendee names only seen by panelists. If you wish attend but are unable to, please email [email protected] to access a link to the recorded session.

Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion:
In connecting the campus and community with knowledge to facilitate learning and growth, the University of Georgia Libraries, including the University of Georgia Press and The Georgia Review, play a key role in advancing the University of Georgia’s commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. As part of our Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Plan, the UGA Libraries prioritized broadening support for library-wide diversity, inclusion, equity, and access initiatives. Specific commitments include evaluating practices for hiring employees; expanding opportunities for learning and community building among employees around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and providing training on specific issues such as unconscious bias. The UGA Libraries strives to create a safe, positive, and nurturing environment in which differences among employees are acknowledged, explored, respected, and embraced, and where commonality arises through dedication to a mission rather than through individual conformity.

Position Summary:
The Scholarly Communications Librarian will report to the new Head of Research and Computational Data Management (RCDM) and will work as a part of a team to provide access to the scholarship of the University of Georgia community. The Scholarly Communications Librarian will have a demonstrated commitment to open access, a strong understanding of the publishing ecosystem, open educational resources and knowledge of institutional and disciplinary repositories.

Minimum Qualifications:
An ALA-accredited master’s degree in librarianship/ information science or foreign equivalent, or another terminal degree in a related field, i.e. Data Science

Additional Requirements:
1 or more years of experience working in the area of scholarly communications, copyright, open educational resources, research and/or data services or a related position

Salary and Benefits:
Minimum annual salary for this position begins at $62,000. UGA librarians are non-tenured faculty members working on 12-month contracts.

UGA offers an attractive benefits program including a choice of health and retirement plans, dental plan, vision plan, tuition remission, paid relocation, 21 days annual leave, 12 days sick leave, and 13 paid holidays

Duties & Responsibilities:
The Scholarly Communications Librarian will:

  • serve as the lead on policy setting for the Institutional Repository and work to manage the IR as a tool for scholarship discovery and dissemination
  • implement the consistent use of persistent identifiers, including DOIs and ORCID
  • serve as the Open Educational Resources (OERs) contact for the library, working closely to promote and award funding related to open textbooks and other OERs
  • manage the open access fund for graduate student publications
  • provide copyright and contractual guidance related to publication and/or reuse of publications to the UGA community, and
  • provide outreach and education to the research community including the maintenance of related LibGuides, guidance regarding toolsets for researchers, and instruction and/or individual consultations.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([email protected]).

Candidates will be considered at the rank of Librarian I, II, III, or IV.

  • To be considered at the level of Librarian II, candidates must have 2 years of professional experience after completion of their master’s degree in librarianship/information science, or terminal degree.
  • To be considered at the level of Librarian III, candidates must have 5 years of professional experience after completion of their master’s degree in librarianship/information science or terminal degree.
  • To be considered at the level of Librarian IV, candidates must have 10 years of professional experience after completion of their master’s degree in librarianship/information science or terminal degree.

For more information about the requirements for the Librarian ranks, please visit this link: Guidelines for Librarian/Archivist Faculty Rank and Promotion

Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification: 

  • A Juris Doctorate (JD) or additional advanced degree
  • Copyright training and/or certification (Creative Commons, CopyrightX, etc.)
  • 1 or more years of experience managing an Open Access fund
  • 1 or more years of experience working in tandem with research data professionals regarding data associated with scholarly publications
  • 1 or more years of experience working with metadata from publishers, APIs, and/or programming languages such as Python or R

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

  • Knowledge of measuring research impact including the use of research metrics and/or Altmetrics
  • Demonstrated commitment to open scholarship, open access and open research practices, including read and publish agreements
  • Demonstrated understanding of OSTP government guidance and its impact on federally funded research practices
  • Demonstrated knowledge of research information management systems (RIMS) and/or Institutional Repositories (IRs) including policy setting, deposit and discovery
  • Ability to create buy-in with researchers and work effectively in an outreach role
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a small team to solve emerging and potentially ambiguous problems
  • Demonstrated understanding of the use of persistent identifiers for publications, data and researcher information

Application Procedure:
Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position must apply at: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/286720

About the University of Georgia
The UGA Libraries advance the University of Georgia’s mission by providing the best possible access to recorded knowledge, actively contributing to the success of students and faculty through teaching and research services provided in physical and virtual environments, exemplifying the University’s strategic priority to serve the people of Georgia and beyond, and upholding the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. A member of the Association of Research Libraries with 75 faculty librarians and archivists, 150 staff and nearly 200 student workers, the UGA Libraries receive more than three million visits per year on average and provide services at nine locations across the Athens campus, among them the Main Library, Miller Learning Center, Science Library, Special Collections Libraries, and Health Sciences Carnegie Library. The UGA Libraries offer nationally distinctive special collections related to Georgia’s history, politics, and public policy, and preserves one of the foremost media collections in public broadcasting. The UGA Libraries provide IT support for GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online (GALILEO), Georgia’s statewide virtual library initiative, and is home to the UGA Press and The Georgia Review literary journal. Visit libs.uga.edu for more information. Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 1,800 full-time instructional faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 40,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.

About University Libraries
The UGA Libraries advance the University of Georgia’s mission by providing the best possible access to recorded knowledge, actively contributing to the success of students and faculty through teaching and research services provided in physical and virtual environments, exemplifying the University’s strategic priority to serve the people of Georgia and beyond, and upholding the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. A member of the Association of Research Libraries with 75 faculty librarians and archivists, 150 staff and nearly 200 student workers, the UGA Libraries receive more than three million visits per year on average and provide services at nine locations across the Athens campus, among them the Main Library, Miller Learning Center, Science Library, Special Collections Libraries, and Health Sciences Carnegie Library. The UGA Libraries offer nationally distinctive special collections related to Georgia’s history, politics, and public policy, and preserves one of the foremost media collections in public broadcasting. The UGA Libraries provide IT support for GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online (GALILEO), Georgia’s statewide virtual library initiative, and is home to the UGA Press and The Georgia Review literary journal.

About the City of Athens
Just 65 miles northeast from Atlanta, Athens is a vibrant college town filled with creative energy. The city is located along the North Oconee River in Clarke County, in northeast Georgia just below the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and only a few hours’ drive from the Atlantic coast. In 1801 it was chosen as the site of Georgia’s first state college and named Athens after the city in Greece. Today, Athens is considered one of the hippest small cities in America as well as one of the most progressive cities in the South.

Nicknamed the Classic City, Athens is best known for great music, a happening food scene, and of course the Georgia Bulldogs, winners of the 2021 College Football National Championship. In the spring, the city’s Twilight Criterium, one of the country’s largest cycling events, attracts both cyclists and spectators. Athfest, a local music festival held on outdoor stages and in venues around town takes place each summer, and the Hot Corner Festival celebrates the African American business community and culture each June. On autumn Saturdays the town swells as football fans flock to cheer on the University of Georgia Bulldogs. In recent years the town is becoming known around the Southeast as a beer destination, complete with great breweries like Creature Comforts and Terrapin. Filled with historic architecture and home to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens is a unique blend of traditional heritage and trend-setting southern culture.

In 1990 the city of Athens and Clarke County combined to form a unified government. Home to more than 100,000 residents, the top three employers include the University of Georgia, Piedmont Regional Healthcare System, and the Athens-Clarke County School District. With more than 12,000 enrolled students, the AthensClarke County School District is proud to serve a diverse population across 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 2 high schools, as well as an early learning center and community career academy.

Special Instructions to Candidates:
Applicants should upload a 1-2 page letter of interest, complete CV, and the names, titles, an contact information for three professional references. three professional references. Applicants who wish to be considered for this position must apply at: https:// www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/286720.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials by November 17, 2022, however, the position will remain open until filled.

The University of Georgia Libraries wish to emphasize that preferred qualifications are not required and we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop preferred knowledge, skills and abilities. Applicants are encouraged to communicate the ways in which their work meets required or preferred qualifications in ways that may not be obvious.

Questions? Email [email protected]

For more information, click here.