Architecture Librarian (tenure track)

The Robert E. Kennedy Library at Cal Poly seeks an enterprising library professional ready to play a key role in teaching 21st century information skills to students in a selective, multidisciplinary polytechnic environment. Cal Poly enjoys a national reputation as the best largely undergraduate public university in the West, with highly selective programs and outstanding students.

Serving as the Library's primary liaison to Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED), the Architecture Librarian will work closely with CAED faculty to develop strategies and learning resources that will help CAED students acquire the information, media, and digital literacy skills critical to their lifelong professional success. The Architecture Librarian will develop assignments for hands-on in-class work, and web-based instruction resources, including web-based research guides; provide expert consultative reference services; and help shape the Library's collections to support teaching and research in the College. The Architecture Librarian works closely with the staff and collections of the CAED Media Resources Center.

The Architecture Librarian will join a collaborative team of library faculty at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on California's beautiful central coast. The successful candidate will bring a strong background in information resources in architecture, enjoy working closely with faculty and students, and will have demonstrated skills in instruction as well as the use of technology to meet student and faculty information needs. Knowledge and experience with using GIS or with visual resources librarianship is preferred.

Job description

Under the general supervision of the Associate Dean for Public Services, the Librarian assigned to the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) leads the overall Library outreach and service activities designed to support the unique information resource needs of the students, faculty and staff of that College. Responsibilities include outreach, instruction and reference, including the use of technology to deliver these services; collection development, and other activities.

Liaison/Outreach Activities

Regularly meets with members of departments within the College of Architecture and Environmental Design to discuss library collections, services, and policies and to encourage involvement in resource acquisition and retention decisions. Interacts with faculty and students in the classrooms, offices, and studios of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Presents and interprets Library services and policies to users from both within and outside the University. Maintains disciplinary currency by engaging in activities (reading, attending departmental seminars, research, conference attendance) to maintain current awareness of research, practice, and pedagogy trends across multiple disciplines within the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

Instruction and Instructional-Technology Related Activities

Develops curricula and teaching resources that will support learning critical information skills needed by graduates of the College; provides orientations, tours, lectures, and web-based guides and tutorials regarding the Library and relevant resources. Participates in new and ongoing projects involving innovative practices in delivering web-based instructional materials to the campus community. Acts as a consultant with faculty and students to assist them in using library resources, conducting online searching, and effectively using instructional technologies, including GIS and image technologies.

Reference & Information Services Activities

Conducts searches and answers reference questions at the reference desk, by appointment, over the telephone, via email and through instant messaging. Works creatively to provide access to a wide range of topics in architecture, city and regional planning, construction management, architectural engineering, and landscape architecture, in collaboration with other Library staff and professionals. Supports faculty and students with maintaining currency in their areas of research, study, and teaching.

Collection Development & Management Activities

Evaluates and selects monographs, serials and digital resources for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Encourages teaching faculty to become involved in acquiring and periodically reviewing information resources. Coordinates activities with other librarian selectors especially in the area of electronic resources. Works with Collection Management staff to oversee budget allocations supporting the students, faculty and staff in the departments of architecture, landscape architecture, construction management, architectural engineering, and city and regional planning. Access to additional funding for shared electronic resources is also available.

Service and Professional Activities

Represents the Library on University, CSU system-wide and professional committees. Initiates and develops contacts outside the University, represents the Library at conferences. Maintains disciplinary currency in the library profession, and participates in activities of national library professional associations (e.g.,ARLIS, SLA, VRA, LOEX, ACRL, ASIST). Contributes to the knowledge base of the profession, especially in areas of expertise.

Required Qualifications

Desired Qualifications

Rank

This full time tenure-track position is available at the Senior Assistant or Associate Librarian level, with an anticipated hiring range of $57,000 - $70,000 plus a generous benefits package. Appointment rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Recent degree candidates are encouraged to apply.

To Apply

About the Kennedy Library

The Robert E. Kennedy Library is a campus hub for information resources, integrating traditional library resources and technology to support the University's evolving academic programs, research interests, and user needs. Annual visitors exceed 1 million. Among the Library's special collections are the California Architectural Archives, including the papers of architect Julia Morgan. In fall 2008, the Library launched DigitalCommons, Cal Poly's institutional repository. Renovations in 2008 and 2009 greatly expanded the Library's Learning Commons, creating new community spaces and a library café, and tripling the size of the Library's popular 24-hour study area. Planning is underway for a major expansion of the Academic Center and Library. The Library partners closely with several other campus organizations, including the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Academic Skills Program, the Honors Program, and Information Technology Services. For more information, see: http://lib.calpoly.edu/

About the College of Architecture

With more than 1,900 students, Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) is the largest program of its type in the nation with seven degree programs in five closely related departments: Architectural Engineering, Architecture, City and Regional Planning, Construction Management, and Landscape Architecture. CAED's nationally ranked programs are distinguished by an active incorporation of hands-on-learning experience and a close instructional relationship with the broad-range requirements of successful professional practice. CAED students complete substantial research projects throughout the curriculum. For more information, see: http://www.caed.calpoly.edu

About Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally ranked comprehensive public university located in San Luis Obispo, California. With more than 18,000 undergraduates and a growing number of graduate students, Cal Poly fosters teaching, scholarship, and service in a learn-by-doing environment where students and faculty are partners in discovery. As a polytechnic university, Cal Poly promotes the application of theory to practice. As a comprehensive institution, Cal Poly provides a balanced education in the arts, sciences, and technology, while encouraging cross-disciplinary and co-curricular experiences. As an academic community, Cal Poly values free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility. For more information, see: http://calpoly.edu

About the San Luis Obispo Area

Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo, along the beautiful central coast of California, with easy access to the ocean, mountains, and wine country. Halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, south of Monterey and Big Sur, San Luis Obispo offers a vibrant, culturally rich small-town community in an extraordinary setting. For more information, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_Obispo