This job has expired

Assistant Professor - Public Library Position

Employer: University of South Carolina
Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Faculty Jobs: Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Instructional Technology & Design, Professional Fields, Library & Information Sciences, Public Administration & Policy
Position Type: Assistant Professor
Employment Type: Full Time
Institution Type: Four-Year Institution

Job Details
Organization

Job Details

Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Information Science

The School of Information Science (iSchool) at the University of South Carolina (UofSC) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant level to begin fall 2022.

Applicants must hold an earned doctoral degree in library and information science or a closely related field by the start date of employment; however, advanced ABDs may be considered with a set date of defense. Applicants must demonstrate a record of, or the potential for:

active engagement with the theories and methodologies currently informing the study of public libraries and librarianship
contributing instructional expertise to the school’s MLIS program; the Ph.D. program; and/or the information science undergraduate major and minor
mentoring graduate students
developing a program of research and scholarship in their specialty area

The School is particularly interested in a candidate with a specialization in Public Librarianship and one or more of the following: - Youth Services and programming - Adult services and programming - Community outreach and library services to under-served populations - Social justice issues - Intellectual Freedom - Emerging technologies - Leadership and advocacy - Collection development and management\

Responsibilities:

Participate in instruction, research, publication, grant writing, and other scholarly activities
Teach in both face-to-face and online environments primarily at the graduate level, with opportunities to teach in the undergraduate program as well
Mentor and advise graduate and undergraduate students
Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community

Minimum Qualifications:

Earned doctorate in library and information studies or related field
Capacity to teach in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs
Ability to conduct scholarly research in the field
Capacity to teach and mentor at the graduate level
Knowledge in creating educational materials for face-to-face and online instruction

Preferred Qualifications:

Teaching experience at the collegiate level
Teaching experience in an online or distance education environment
Professional experience in public libraries
Active involvement in one or more professional organizations appropriate to area of expertise
Experience in procuring grants or external funding
Experience working with doctoral programs

The School of Information Science

The iSchool is an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program offering a Bachelor of Science in Information Science (BSIS), a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), and a Doctorate (PhD) in Library and Information Science. U.S. News & World Report ranked the iSchool #17 in Best Library and Information Studies Programs, as well as #7 for School Library Media and #9 for Services for Children and Youth. The School of Information Science offers a Bachelor of Science in Information Science (BSIS), a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), and a Doctorate in Library and Information Science. Our diverse, engaged faculty and staff enjoy a dynamic and intellectually stimulating work environment within the school. In addition, a rich potential for collaborative and interdisciplinary connections exist across the university, including for example The U of SC Arnold School of Public Health, the College of Education, and our sister school the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Examples of existing faculty research expertise include: information behavior and information practices of marginalized groups; misinformation and disinformation; equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice; LIS Education; accessibility and disability studies; public libraries and cultural heritage institutions; diversity in children's literature; community literacy; school librarianship; knowledge management; international librarianship; social media analysis, big data, and text mining; copyright; medical and health informatics; data analytics; information visualization; health and medical librarianship; critical youth studies; information policy; digital inclusion; and, information access and information poverty.

College of Information and Communications

The College of Information and Communications is home to two nationally recognized schools, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the School of Information Science. The college provides outstanding teaching, research, and community outreach. As such, it is one of only a few universities to combine its communications and information science programs, two rapidly evolving — and converging — fields united by a shared belief that information accessibility is the cornerstone of self-governance. The College has approximately 1,800 undergraduates, 400 graduate students, and more than 100 faculty and staff members. New assets available to faculty and students in both schools include The Social Media Insights Lab and the Biometric and User Experience Lab. Both are designed to facilitate the study of issues related to data, media, and their impact on society.

The University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina in Columbia is the major research institution of the University of South Carolina system and its largest campus, enrolling approximately 35,000 students. The university offers over 320 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional program levels. Founded in 1801, it is among America’s oldest and most comprehensive public universities and is one of only 32 public universities to earn the Carnegie Foundation’s top-tier designations in both research activity and community engagement. South Carolina’s capital city is currently undergoing a number of urban revitalization projects and offers residents a growing range of artistic, cultural, and recreational opportunities.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

Application Process

All applicants must complete an online application at UofSC Jobs: https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/110375. Applications received by January 15, 2022, will be given full consideration and the position will remain open until filled.

Application materials requested include:

A letter of application that addresses teaching philosophy, research agenda, service mission, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Current vitae
List of three references (including name, phone number, and email)

For further information or questions about this position, please contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Jenna Spiering (spiering@sc.edu)

Organization

Working at University of South Carolina

With more than 200 years of history and tradition, the University of South Carolina is redefining itself for decades to come. There's never been a better time to be at South Carolina, the state's flagship university and one of only 62 public universities to receive the Carnegie Foundation's highest designation for research.

The University is located in the heart of South Carolina in the capital city of Columbia, which is the nexus of government, a thriving arts and culture center, a venue for big-time Southeastern Conference intercollegiate athletics, and a community that is reinventing itself with redevelopment projects citywide. Much of the development is tied to land along the scenic, slow-moving Congaree River. Working with government, business, and community leaders, Carolina has developed a unified plan that will allow the University to expand from its origins on the historic Horseshoe to its future-Innovista, a research and innovation district that will stretch to the banks of the Congaree.

Innovista represents a new vision for research by creating a vibrant, urban community where students and researchers, including those from private firms, will live, work, learn, and play. Innovista will represent the University's four core research areas-hydrogen fuel cells, nanoscience and technology, biomedical and public health, and the environment-but will include other initiatives and business partners that serve the knowledge economy. Innovista's first private tenant, for example, is a leader in software applications for the insurance industry and will create several hundred high-paying jobs.

By attracting similar companies and jobs-and by capitalizing on an attractive location for restaurants and residential and retail space-Innovista will help drive the economy and increase per-capita income in the city and state. Recreational space will include a world-class waterfront park along the Congaree River and a new stadium for the Gamecocks' nationally ranked baseball program. Greenway paths for biking, walking, and running already line much of the river area. Innovista's 8 million square feet will blend seamlessly with the Vista, the city's nearby entertainment district of restaurants, bars, shops, and art galleries.

Chartered in 1801, Carolina began classes in 1805 with nine students and a single building, Rutledge College. As the campus grew and buildings were added during the next 50 years, a horseshoe layout was adopted. Today, the Horseshoe is on the National Register of Historic Places, with 10 of its 11 buildings dating to the 19th century. Those renovated buildings house, among other areas, the South Carolina Honors College and Undergraduate Admissions, representing much of the University's current and future lifeblood.

In fact, incoming freshman classes have never been larger or more competitive. The freshmen from fall 2006 set records for their size (more than 3,700) and SAT scores (1171 average). Freshmen enrolling in the Honors College had average SAT scores of 1398. Members of the University's prestigious scholarship programs, Carolina Scholars for in-state students and McNair Scholars for out-of-state students, had average scores of 1449 and 1477, respectively. Total enrollment at Carolina for undergraduates and graduates is more than 27,300, with some 350 degree programs to choose from. Since 1994, Carolina students have earned more than $9.9 million in prestigious national scholarships such as the Goldwater, Truman, Rhodes, and NSF scholarships and the Fulbright Fellowships.

South Carolina's student body is diverse. In fact, Carolina was recently recognized as the state flagship university with the highest percentage of African-American student enrollment in the nation. Research by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education shows African-American students made up 14.7 percent of enrollment in 2004, the latest year available. The JBHE also ranks Carolina eighth in the nation in percentage of African-American faculty at a state flagship university with 4.3 percent.

The University's faculty garnered a record $173.3 million in federal, state, and private funding for research, outreach, and training programs in 2005-06, and several key hiring plans will introduce more talent and expertise to the faculty ranks. An aggressive campus building master plan and the faculty recruiting initiatives will change the collective face of the University and the faces of many of its key teachers and researchers.

South Carolina is recruiting world-class faculty to be endowed chairs-and change agents-for a series of "research centers of economic excellence" in areas such as nanoelectronics, polymer nanocomposites, brain imaging, regenerative medicine, cancer therapeutics, drug discovery, vision research, hydrogen fuel cells, and travel and tourism technology. These centers, some in collaboration with other state research universities and health and hospital systems, are funded with $30 million annually in state lottery money, as well as private matching money. Carolina is in the midst of a faculty recruitment plan to hire 600 new members. The Faculty Excellence Initiative is recruiting 150 faculty, many in interdisciplinary clusters of emphasis, while the Centenary Plan will recruit 100 elite research faculty to lead the University's core initiatives. Additionally, 350 faculty will be hired across disciplines to replace retirees over the next few years.

The University has forged a number of international collaborations in research, and the University's global connections are also strong in academics, particularly in international business. U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked the Moore School of Business best in the nation for its undergraduate and graduate programs in international business; the undergraduate program is No. 1 for the 10th consecutive time, while the graduate program is No. 1 among public universities for the 18th consecutive year and No. 2 overall, continuing a streak of 18 years with a top-two overall ranking.

Send job

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert