General Summary

Illinois State University’s Milner Library seeks a dynamic and engaged individual to join the Arts and Humanities Subject Group as the tenure-track Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian at Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian will cultivate partnerships within the library and across campus to identify and meet the informational needs of the School of Communication, the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program. In addition to their own research and scholarship, the Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian will engage undergraduate and graduate students in the learning process by teaching instruction sessions and workshops, creating online guides and digital learning objects, providing research consultations, and practicing embedded librarianship where possible. They will work closely with the Instruction and Student Engagement Department to support COM 110: Communication as Critical Inquiry, which is required for all students. The Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian will develop and maintain diverse, representative collections for the assigned subject areas, supporting curricular needs.

This is a tenure-track faculty position. Milner Library faculty members have responsibilities in the areas of librarianship, scholarly and creative activities, and service as outlined in Illinois State University Faculty Appointment, Salary, Promotion and Tenure Policies (https://provost.illinoisstate.edu/resources/tenure-promo/) and Milner Library's Department and College Faculty Status Committees’ Criteria for Evaluation, Promotion, and Tenure. Faculty members are supported through the efforts of Milner Library’s Faculty Research and Development Committee.

The library and university are committed to increasing the representation of Black people, Indigenous people, People of Color, women, persons with disabilities, members of LGBTQIA+ community, and those embodying any and all expressions of gender identity and sexuality. Successful candidates will show a commitment to serving and/or addressing issues related to underrepresented populations. Women, veterans, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and People of Color are encouraged to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Act as the subject liaison to the School of Communication, the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, serving as primary library contact for administrators, faculty, students, and staff;
• Pursue relationships with the chairs, directors, and/or faculty library liaisons;
• Oversee all aspects of collection development and maintenance within subject area(s);
• Plan, develop, conduct, teach, and assess library instruction sessions in alignment with information fluency outcomes;
• Develop and maintain learning objects;
• Participate in general and specialized reference and research services, as well as provide in-depth consultation with faculty and students in liaison departments, programs, and schools.
• Serves on library, university, and professional association committees as needed.

Milner Library

We invite all interested applicants to review Milner Library’s current Strategic Plan, Mission and Vision statements, and explore the Values we include in our work.

Diversity Statement
Illinois State University and Milner Library are strongly committed to the continued development and implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices for our faculty, staff, and student communities. We seek innovative and supportive colleagues to help us build a culturally diverse Redbird community in an engaged multicultural environment.

People who work at Milner are

The workers at Milner Library are actively engaged in scholarship and creative activity and engaged in other collaborative projects at all levels of the university.  They value the diverse strengths and identities of our students and recognize that to succeed, students need to see themselves and their work reflected in Milner Library’s atmosphere, spaces, services, and collections.  They strive to create equitable and inclusive practices to support students’ learning and belonging

• Milner Library Annual Report, 2021
• Milner Library News Feed
• Milner Library IDEA Committee
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2022
• Milner Library faculty and staff publications on ISU ReD

People who work at Milner grow their careers through

• Tuition remission for up to 8 credit hours of classes per semester
• Professional Development funds for conference travel, lodging, registration fees, and other professional development opportunities.
• University Research Grants to support new faculty with funds to develop their research
• An active mentorship program and strong record of faculty receiving tenure and promotion
• Monthly meeting-free days to work on research, scholarship, and creative activities
• Sabbaticals are possible for Milner faculty members.

People who work at Milner improve their work-life balance through

Flexible schedules and mental health assistance

• Flexible schedules
• Wellness participation
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Spouse/Domestic Partner and Dependent support

• Domestic Partner Benefits
• Dependent Tuition Waiver (up to 50%)

Family support

• ISU Daycare Center
• ISU employee discounts at local daycare centers

Family Medical Leave Act protected leave of absence

Additional Information

Illinois State University: Illinois State University http://www.illinoisstate.edu, founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois. There are approximately 21,000 students in the six colleges of Illinois State University. In our most recent strategic plan Educate ∙ Connect ∙ Elevate, we have committed our resources to realizing seven core values: Learning and Scholarship, Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, Collaboration, Individualized Attention, Civic Engagement, and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our University being the first-choice public university in Illinois for high-achieving, motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Also visit the University’s metrics of excellence at (http://illinoisstate.edu/pointsofpride/).

Bloomington-Normal Community: Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a metro population of approximately 172,000. The community is also home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, State Farm Insurance’s International Headquarters, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and electric truck manufacturer Rivian Motors. The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems and its citizens’ high level of educational attainment, as well as its parks and recreation, health care, vibrant fine arts scene, job growth, economic opportunity, historic sites, and low crime rates. SmartAsset ranked Bloomington IL, in the top 20 of the most livable cities in the U.S. (2022). Zippia named Bloomington, IL, as #1 on their “Happiest Cities” list (2020), and Best Choice Schools listed the area on its “30 Small College Towns with Great Quality of Life” (2020). Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from Indianapolis, two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis, and an hour from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield; many of these locations are accessible from Bloomington-Normal via the Amtrak located 1 block from ISU’s campus. For more information on our community, please visit (http://visitbn.org/).

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree from an ALA-accredited graduate program or an ALA-recognized international equivalent
• Evidence of reference and/or liaison work that demonstrates a strong public services commitment
• Demonstrated experience with teaching information fluency
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Evidence of training in or ability to engage in presentations, publications, creative activities, and/or service
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with others in a strongly collegial and participative environment

Desired Qualifications

• Professional experience as a subject librarian in humanities and/or social science fields
• Degree(s) in humanities and/or social science fields
• Experience/knowledge of embedded librarianship
• Experience supporting both undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty