Discovery & Systems Librarian

Job no : R-0000001342

R-0000001342

Position Title :

Discovery & Systems Librarian

Faculty or Staff : Staff

Staff

Full Time or Part Time :

Full time

In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote :

Hybrid

Minimum Starting Rate of Pay :

$66,933.00Rate of pay commensurate with experience

Start Date : 10 / 01 / 2024

10 / 01 / 2024

Job Description :

Mount Holyoke College’s Library, Information, and Technology Services (LITS) Division empowers a diverse and inclusive learning community equipping every person to purposefully engage the world.

We connect people with the information, expertise, spaces, and technologies that enhance their work and fuel scholarly endeavor.

Mount Holyoke College is part of the Five Colleges, Inc. Consortium along with Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Reporting to the Head of Discovery Services, the Discovery and Systems Librarian will join a collaborative team that connects the Mount Holyoke Community to the many information resources available to them virtually and in person.

As a member of the Discovery Services department within Discovery & Access (DnA), this person works to maximize best possible cross-system functionality, partnering with colleagues to optimize all aspects regarding the discovery of and access to electronic and physical resources.

In close collaboration with others in LITS and across the Five Colleges, the Discovery and Systems Librarian guides and directs the management and integration of the Library’s suite of discovery and digital access platforms with remote access & authentication systems.

This person strives for optimal systems’ integration in support of exposing the broadest range of information resources to our users with the overarching goal of providing seamless, user-friendly library services within the Five Colleges environment.

Each member of the Discovery Services department actively promotes the commitment of the College and LITS to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by implementing best practices in the maintenance of and in providing access to the Libraries’ materials and resources.

The Discovery and Systems Librarian will join LITS and the Five Colleges Libraries during our third year fully live using the open source library services platform FOLIO, hosted by EBSCO.

The consortial undertaking offers us a unique opportunity for collaboration with our Five Colleges colleagues as we continue to evolve workflows, refine, and imagine the possibilities of our single tenant FOLIO instance together.

Primary Position Responsibilities :

Provides technical leadership to collaboratively manage a suite of information systems employed by the library.

Serves as lead contact with systems vendors and LITS colleagues to facilitate systems integrations (including library specific hardware), troubleshooting, security, and system upgrades.

Consults with colleagues in LITS to gather input and implement improvements to public facing library interfaces.

Works closely with the Head of Discovery Services in bridging the gaps between systems, discovery, and access.

Devises and brings forward need-based solutions and workarounds to address system limitations.

Works with DnA colleagues to create need-based queries and reports.

Works closely with and is backup for the Head of Discovery Services concerning electronic resources, including all aspects of management, access, and troubleshooting.

Keeps abreast of new trends, tools, and applications as well as engages in professional development opportunities.

Contributes to a continuous process of assessment to ensure DnA’s success in advancing the College’s evolving goals in light of pedagogical, information, and technology changes.

Maintains a high level of quality customer service standards responding to questions and problems.

Actively contributes to Five Colleges working groups, FOLIO SIGs, and local meetings. May need to travel to participate in consortia and professional meetings and events.

Furthers the College's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals by engaging with colleagues to create a welcoming, inclusive, accessible, and user-centered environment in which a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff can thrive.

Participates in and attends major campus-wide or LITS sponsored events, which may be held at night, on weekends or holidays, which are part of every employee's core responsibilities.

Performs duties primarily onsite; however, a hybrid work schedule in alignment with the College’s Flexible and Adaptive work processes may be possible.

Performs related duties as assigned, including serving as backup to DnA colleagues as needed.

Required Education and Experience :

MLS / MLIS from an ALA-accredited program, or education and experience sufficiently relevant to substitute for the ALA-accredited degree

3-5 years of library experience, preferably in an academic environment

Familiarity with general practices and standards for library cataloging, metadata, and technical services workflows

Experience with integrated library systems, e-resource management systems & principles and other library technologies, such as but not limited to Link Resolvers, EZProxy, OpenAthens, Shibboleth, ILLiad, or ARES, etc.

Familiarity with at least one programming or markup language (such as, but not limited to XML, Perl, JSON and / or PHP), the workings of APIs, and SQL

Demonstrated ability to set priorities, juggle multiple tasks without losing track of any, and to guide projects to fruition

Demonstrated ability to learn, implement, and instruct others about or in the use of new technologies

Demonstrated ability to introduce, nurture, and establish change

Excellent listening, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to understand the needs of staff and explain complex concepts to staff with differing levels of expertise

Preferred Qualifications :

Experience with transferring bibliographic records between systems and using MARCedit.

Experience using OCLC Connexion and WMS (WorldShare Management Services).

Familiarity with image-based or text-based digital repositories (such as ContentDM, MDID, Omeka, Digital Commons, DSpace, Fedora, etc.).

Experience using collaborative tools such as Github, Slack, and Confluence.

Demonstrated ability to support and foster development of colleagues.

We are actively building an organization that values the following skills and abilities. We want to talk with candidates who see themselves broadly reflected below :

Works effectively in both independent and team environments.

Embraces the opportunity to grow within a collaborative, accessible, and culturally diverse environment.

Possesses a love of learning, the ability to think critically with a dash of ingenuity, and enjoys learning new technology skills.

Retains the open-mindedness to change their mind and has the confidence to admit to not knowing something as well as to learn and move on from mistakes.

Shows sensitivity to the diverse needs of others at all skill levels.

Appreciates that there are implications in library discovery that relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Exhibits excellent and creative interpersonal, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills, and an enthusiastic service orientation.

The physical demands of the position include :

• Ability to operate office equipment and computers to perform essential duties and responsibilities.
• Ability to work with printed materials.
• Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force frequently and to move objects. Ability to independently lift up to 25 lbs occasionally.
• Ability to perform activities such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; using a computer terminal;

and extensive reading.Ability to effectively communicate and exchange information digitally / electronically or in-person.

Background Checks :

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college.

As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants :

Apply online; application materials must include :

• A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
• A complete resume or curriculum vitae
• For faculty positions, statements on mentoring, teaching, and research will also be required.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)

Mount Holyoke College, the leading gender-diverse women’s college, is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status.

We are a diverse community of staff, faculty, and students, united in our mission to offer an intellectually adventurous education in the liberal arts through academic programs that are renowned internationally for their cross-disciplinary excellence, experiential approach, and commitment to diversity.

Mount Holyoke College is a welcoming and inclusive environment that values and respects individuals of all backgrounds. As an EOE, we encourage members of historically underrepresented groups or nontraditional backgrounds to apply for open positions at our institution.

The College has a long-standing tradition of providing women and other historically underrepresented groups with access to an innovative educational experience that prepares students for purposeful leadership by integrating hands-on opportunities into the curriculum.

We firmly believe that diversity enriches our community and enhances our ability to prepare students for success in an increasingly globalized world.

We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all qualified applicants and to building an exemplary workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body and the communities we serve.

Our ultimate goal is to produce graduates who are capable of engaging thoughtfully, effectively, and boldly with the world.