Library In State Jobs in Oklahoma (NOW HIRING)

Position Classification:

Regular, full-time, salaried, exempt and benefit-eligible staff position. For more benefit information visit Why Work at UCO?

General Schedule:

This position typically works 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at UCO's main campus in Edmond, Oklahoma. 

Job Description: The Director of Research and User Engagement (DRUE)

1. Developing and evaluating integrated information services 
2. Advancing research within and across disciplines 
3. Fostering student learning and academic success
4. Empowering a culture of assessment and efficiency

The DRUE provides inspirational and strategic leadership, expert policy alignment, and program development as the library continues to reimagine services for seamless delivery.

Information services is defined broadly and embraces scholarly endeavor, student academic success, information literacy in information analysis and management, scholarly communication, and activities that help users examine research problems and identify, interpret, and manage relevant information resources.

The DRUE leads and motivates the Research and Learning librarians and other staff while directing their efforts with student learning, eLearning initiatives, research support services, and user services. The DRUE also provides visionary and innovative leadership for the Information Desk, Interlibrary Loan, and Stacks Management departments.

The DRUE is a member of the Chambers Library senior leadership team and reports to the Executive Director (ED). The DRUE represents the library in areas of strategic importance and plays a critical role in articulating and executing a creative and forward-looking vision of the library in support of UCO's mission to help students succeed.

As a senior leader, the DRUE builds and sustains successful collaborations, employs creative approaches, mentors and empowers employees, fosters cross-departmental functions and relationships, and resolves organizational barriers while promoting user-centered service.

Department Specific Essential Job Functions:

• Collaborates to develop the library's overall strategic goals
• Advances students' academic success by designing ample opportunity for development of information seeking and evaluation skills
• Oversees work to set priorities for the library's research and learning initiatives and establishes criteria for evaluating success in all aspects of user engagement
• Inspires development, promotion, application, and evaluation of services and programs for the library's integration with formal and informal curriculum initiatives
• Guides the library's application of best pedagogical theories and practices to promote undergraduate, graduate, and professional student education through work with internal/external partners
• Leads the development, promotion, execution, and assessment of a variety of progressive and innovative activities directly supporting students, faculty, and researchers, including using in-person, virtual, and other modalities to deliver expert library research assistance
• Works with external entities to develop coalitions and strategic partnerships that ensure the effective support of research and enduring contributions to student academic success
• Promotes the use of data-driven analyses for effective decision making
• Keeps apprised of developments in AI or other advancements that may impact library user experience
• Actively serves on and contributes to university, state, national, and global committees and professional organizations
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications Required:

• MLIS from an ALA accredited program
• Minimum of five years of working experience in an academic library environment
• Evidence of progressively holding leadership roles for a minimum of 2-3 years in an academic library or similarly relevant setting
• Demonstrated knowledge of issues and trends in library support of research, scholarship, student learning, and academic success
• Demonstrated understanding of the library's role in supporting academic success and in developing, providing, and evaluating research services and programs for students, faculty, and researchers related to the identification, use, interpretation, and management of information and data
• Demonstrated ability to develop new models of library support for student learning
• Demonstrated leadership experience, flexibility, and collaboration in a rapidly changing environment and efficiently respond to unforeseen circumstances
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain deep partnerships to serve shared goals
• Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills
• Demonstrated record of effective priority setting and policy coordination

Qualifications Preferred:

• Additional graduate or doctorate degree
• Familiarity with standard library assessment methods and methodologies
• Experience with instruction in a library or other classroom setting

Physical Demands:

Reasonable accommodations (in accordance with ADA requirements) may be made, upon request, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.