Librarian Assistant jobs in Petaluma, CA

Faculty Employment Opportunity

Job no: 532661

Work type: Non-Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track

Location: Sonoma

Categories: Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time, Non-Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track, Unit 3 CFA – California Faculty Association

University Library    

(Tenure-Track) Senior Assistant Librarian    

Starting August 1, 2024

Our Commitment

Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and we endeavor to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.

Guided by our core values as a university: diversity, sustainability, community engagement, and adaptability, Sonoma State University (SSU) offers an education that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth. SSU is a public liberal arts and sciences university. As the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the state of California, we are committed to preparing students for a life of active citizenship and public service. We have a vibrant campus life characterized by a lively co-curriculum that fosters broad-based intellectual and artistic opportunities in which the campus as a whole is actively engaged.

Sonoma State University is committed to creating a community in which bias and intolerance have no place.  It is our expectation that all students, faculty, and staff work together to honor this commitment and hold each other accountable to create an open and inclusive environment.

We are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our students’ assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. The successful candidate will be one who can collaborate with faculty, staff, administration, and students to achieve these goals. We are especially interested in candidates committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Library Faculty Responsibilities

In addition to duties of the position and scholarship, library faculty are expected to engage in service to the University, profession, and community. These responsibilities include promoting discovery of and access to information; supporting students in finding, accessing, evaluating, and attributing information; and providing guidance for research, publication, and scholarly communication.   

Sonoma State is committed to the Teacher/Scholar model and places an emphasis on library faculty support of undergraduate research and other professional opportunities for students.

Library faculty are also expected to foster our commitment to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 through excellent teaching, advising, and mentoring. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the University’s Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Policy and the University Library’s Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Policy.  During the first two years of the probationary period the assignment will be reduced by 20% for probationary faculty members, in order to assist in establishing their programs of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, and carrying out other activities that would support them in meeting the requirements for retention, tenure, and promotion. All faculty are required to have the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

The Library

The Sonoma State University Library promotes teaching, learning, research, and scholarly communication at the University by integrating the library with student success programs and instruction. One of 23 libraries in the California State University System, the Sonoma State University Library holds over 700,000 items, comprising print and electronic monographs, serials, and audiovisual material. The library’s mission is to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and transformational learning.

The University Library is undergoing transformation with a deep commitment to improving the campus learning environment. We welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and historically underrepresented in university libraries to join our organization of 4 library faculty, 20 staff, and approximately 20 student assistants. We take pride in the collaborative nature in which our students, staff, and faculty work together in a professional and supportive environment to ensure one another’s success.

The University Library is committed to ensuring that our library is a welcoming and inclusive place for all of our students, faculty, staff, and community members. Sonoma State is a minority-serving institution, having the federal designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). We strive to provide equal access to educational opportunities and commit ourselves to anti-racist and social justice objectives in service to our communities.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to see the department’s web page at: library.sonoma.edu 

Duties of the Position

Reporting to the Dean of the Library, the Access Services Librarian works collaboratively with the Interim Senior Director of Library Services to provide leadership and direction for the staff in Access Services. The guiding vision for this position is to ensure impactful, inclusive, and adaptive library services. This position coordinates circulation, course reserves, resource sharing, room booking, and space use in the library, evaluating services and designing new services in response to campus needs. This position will lead highly collaborative efforts across the Library and campus to enhance access to and awareness of library materials and spaces for research, instruction, outreach, and programming. The Access Services Librarian will have space to experiment, reflect, and iterate as they develop inclusive approaches to providing library resources and services. 

The person in this position will: 

• Provide coaching, feedback, and guidance to the Access Services team and student assistant program, which includes activities in circulation, course reserves, space use, and resource sharing. 
• Employ culturally responsive practices to center the needs of historically underserved and marginalized communities.
• Devise and execute assessment tools and strategies to improve access services and to ensure services are meeting the needs of students and serving the university mission.
• Work collaboratively to develop and revise policies and processes for library services as needed, maintain awareness of campus policies and procedures that impact library use and services, and work with other units and departments to ensure library policies are aligned with campus policies and procedures.  
• Coordinate, manage, and evaluate the use of library spaces, including study rooms, exhibit spaces, and other public-facing spaces, and work collaboratively with library administration, faculty, and staff to implement changes and ensure library spaces are being used effectively. 
• Manage circulation-related functions in the library’s unified management system, including keeping opening hours up-to-date, updating loan rules, and troubleshooting circulation issues.
• Act as faculty lead for student assistants working in the library, including developing and maintaining a training program and working closely with administrative managers and other staff.  
• Review library website content regularly to ensure current information on established policies and procedures, library hours, etc., and create content as needed.
• Represent Sonoma State University on system-wide committees and working groups related to library systems and services and keep abreast of changes related to system-wide policies, best practices, and procedures. 
• Contribute to campus, state, regional, or national committees, and participate in research, publication, or creative activities, and other professional and scholarly activities in pursuit of meeting the library’s tenure requirements for scholarship, service, and leadership.

This is a 12-month, full-time, tenure-track faculty position at the Senior Assistant Librarian level with attendant expectations for professional competence, service, and scholarly and creative contributions to the field. The successful candidate will be held to the tenure and promotion requirements of the University Library.

Professional Qualifications

To be recommended for appointment, the candidate must have:

• Master's degree in information and/or library science from an ALA accredited school, or equivalent degree.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills, including facilitation, consensus-building, and communication.
• At least 2 years experience in access or public services and familiarity with best practices for access services.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Ex Libris’s Alma library management system and willingness to contribute to monitoring and configuring the system as needed.
• Familiarity with Springshare’s suite of library software, including LibAnswers, LibCal, and LibGuides.
  
• Knowledge of best practices for library assessment and evaluation of library services.

Rank and Salary

Service credit depends upon academic preparation and professional experience. The anticipated salary range for this 12 month position is: $90,312 - $93,648.

Required Application Materials

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae

Official transcripts will be required at the time of hire. Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee’s identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU.

CSU Out of State Policy

Sonoma State University, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon the date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, go to jobs.sonoma.edu and click on the Staff & Faculty Career Opportunities link. Find and select the faculty position you are applying for to view the description and select Apply Now. If you have not previously applied, you will be prompted to create an account. You can use this account to apply to multiple positions. Once you have submitted the application, a confirmation email will be automatically sent to you. Please do not send materials to facultysearch@sonoma.edu. If you encounter difficulties during the application process, please email facultysearch@sonoma.edu.

Application Deadline

First consideration will be given to applications received by January 3, 2024. The position will remain open until filled.  Early response is encouraged.

Contact Information

Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: facultysearch@sonoma.edu

Questions concerning this position may be directed to:

Rita Premo: premo@sonoma.edu

Please refer to the requisition job number on all correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.

The ADA Coordinator is also available (hraccomodations@sonoma.edu) to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.

The University

Sonoma State University's beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 23 campuses of the Californian State University System. As members of the largest public higher educational system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education.

Other Information

The university is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status.

This position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

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