Research and Education Librarian - Virginia Commonwealth University

The Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Research and Education Librarian for the Health Sciences Library.The Research and Education Librarian is responsible for supporting the research and education mission of VCU Libraries by providing interdepartmental support for programming, research, and education initiatives for health sciences programs. The position will be located on the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus and will be responsible for liaising with programs in the School of Pharmacy. The liaison librarian will have the opportunity to bring new ideas into practice. This position will work collaboratively to provide research and instructional support for faculty, staff, and students. The successful candidate will join an exceptionally talented, culturally and academically diverse community.  

Located in culturally diverse, historic, and dynamic Richmond, Virginia, convenient to the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the recreation destinations of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Commonwealth University is one of Virginia's largest universities and among the nation's leading research institutions. VCU Libraries, one of Virginia’s outstanding research library systems, advances the university’s teaching, research, service, and patient care mission with comprehensive digital and print collections and nationally recognized innovation in its facilities, advanced media and technology resources for its community. In February 2018, the Association of College and Research Libraries recognized VCU Libraries with the ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. In 2020, the Health Sciences Library received the Medical Library Association’s Research Advancement in Health Sciences Librarianship Award.

Diversity and Inclusion
VCU’s commitment to diversity is one of the institution’s unique strengths. Our student body is one of the most diverse in Virginia in terms of race and ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and one of the four themes of our Quest 2025 Strategic Plan is “Diversity driving excellence.”  The United States Department of Education has designated VCU as a minority serving institution effective July 1, 2022. VCU is committed to building an increasingly diverse faculty and leadership team, and is actively engaged in partnerships with diverse communities in the Richmond metro area. VCU Libraries is purposeful in our efforts to advance diversity and inclusion and expects that the Research and Education Librarianwill be a leader in fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all members of the VCU community. The successful candidate will receive support for research, service, and professional development and will have ample opportunity to pursue diversity and inclusion related opportunities in those areas.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Head, Research and Education, the Research and Education Librarian will serve as liaison librarian to the School of Pharmacy, providing research and instructional support for faculty, staff, and students of VCU’s Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus. The successful candidate will work with programs including PharmD, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, and related graduate and dual degree programs. 

The successful candidate will:

• Foster relationships with students, staff, faculty, and leadership within assigned areas. 

• Ensure services are relevant to evolving research and teaching demands in assigned subject areas by monitoring faculty interests.

• Partner with faculty to develop and deliver instruction sessions, materials, learning objects, and workshops using creative, inclusive, and active adult learning strategies.

• Provide support for the growing clinical and community-based participatory research demands of faculty, staff, and students on the MCV campus. 

• Provide in-depth and on-demand research consultations including providing support for systematic reviews and grant seeking for individuals and small groups. 

• Collaborate across VCU Libraries to shape and promote library outreach, programs, and services beyond liaison assignments.

The Research and Education Librarian is expected to be active professionally and to contribute to developments in the field. Faculty with the VCU Libraries are evaluated and promoted on the basis of job performance, scholarship, and service.

Required Qualifications: 

• ALA-accredited graduate degree or accredited graduate degree in another appropriate discipline. 

• Ability to effectively search databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, or other biomedical databases.

• Experience delivering instruction or training effectively and incorporating emerging technology, active learning theory, and adult learning styles theory.

• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU. 

Candidates need not meet preferred qualifications to be fully considered. We value many individual and unique skills that would strengthen the VCU Libraries and our teams.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Undergraduate or graduate degree or previous work experience in a related discipline.

• Experience as a liaison librarian or reference librarian to health sciences programs in an academic health sciences or research library.

• Familiarity with specialized sources and research methods for health sciences or pharmacy.

• Experience conducting systematic reviews, supporting grant seeking, and knowledge of best practices for community-engaged research. 

• Evidence of creativity, initiative, and flexibility when working independently and in teams. 

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with academic and clinical faculty. 

• Experience at urban research institutions, HBCUs, or minority-serving institutions is desired.

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience, not less than $60,000 annually. This is a full-time, non-tenured faculty position. 12-month faculty benefits apply, including 24 vacation days annually and choice of retirement and annuity plans. Relocation assistance is available.  Librarians are provided a generous professional development allowance. For more information about benefits, see the Faculty Benefits page.  

Interviews: Initial interviews, if held, will be conducted virtually. We anticipate inviting finalists to campus. 

Learn about the position in an online information session
We are hosting information sessions for interested applicants in advance of the April 29, 2024 review date.

Please consider joining one of these sessions to learn more about the position, meet Teresa L. Knott, Associate Dean, VCU Libraries and Director, VCU Health Sciences Library, and get answers to your questions about the position.

Join one of our info sessions via Zoom:

Friday, April 12, 2024 | 3:00-3:30 pm EDT

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | 1:00-1:30 pm EDT

The attendee list for each Zoom session will be hidden and those asking questions may do so anonymously. Live captioning will be provided. To attend a session, please complete the confidential form to receive a Zoom link.

Questions? Please contact Teresa L. Knott at tlknott@vcu.edu.

Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Libraries

As one of only 64 public universities with academic medical centers to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity,” Virginia Commonwealth University ranks among Virginia’s largest research universities, enrolling over 28,000 students. Located in the heart of Richmond, VCU offers 44 doctoral, 68 masters, 3 professional, and 71 baccalaureate degree programs. Thirty-four of VCU's graduate and professional programs are ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best in the nation, with 29 programs ranking in the top 50 and sculpture and nurse anesthesia ranked number one. Over 2500 faculty comprise the University's teaching force. Research strengths at the University include health and life sciences, education, engineering, social work, behavioral sciences, public affairs, advertising and design, and the fine arts. Sponsored research funding totals over $460 million, placing VCU among the top 100 research institutions in the United States.  

Libraries at Virginia Commonwealth University, including the James Branch Cabell Library on the Monroe Park Campus and the Health Sciences Library on the MCV Campus, employ over 60professionals and 64 staff with annual expenditures exceeding $22 million. VCU also operates academic programs in Doha, Qatar, supported by a library there, and in various locations throughout the U.S. and the world. The VCU Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, Center for Research Libraries, Coalition for Networked Information, National Digital Stewardship Alliance, Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, and the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), a statewide networking consortium for shared access to electronic and print resources, as well as a Resource Library in the Network of the National Library of Medicine, among others.  The VCU Libraries uses the following packages for its system architecture: Alma, Primo, Digital Commons, ArchivesSpace, ILLiad, and Omeka. 

The MCV Campus, located in historic Court End near state and local government and financial centers, is home to the VCU Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Population Health; VCU College of Health Professions; the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research; and VCU Health. VCU Health includes VCU Medical Center, a Magnet Recognized hospital with 812 inpatient beds, outpatient clinics, a Level 1 trauma center, and over 800 providers in 200 specialty areas, many of national and international renown, as well as the Children’s Hospital at VCU and Massey Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. In addition to multidisciplinary centers for cancer, cardiology, neurosurgery, and transplantation, VCU Health offers virtually every form of contemporary medical service.

For more information about the VCU Libraries, please visit our home page at https://www.library.vcu.edu/. Review of applications will begin May 1, 2024and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, go to https://www.vcujobs.com/, complete the application and submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and the names, email addresses, addresses, and telephone numbers of three professional references.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an urban research institution with a richly diverse university community and commitment to multicultural opportunities.  Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation or disability.  

Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Full time equivalent: 1.0
Tenure: Ineligible
Rank: Open
Months: 12
Department: University Libraries 

Salary: $62,000- $70,000