Located in Middletown, Connecticut, Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges with 3,000 undergraduates and 200 graduates. Established in 1831, Wesleyan is known for its rich, open, and interdisciplinary curriculum. Wesleyan has a long-standing commitment to creating a dynamically diverse campus comprised of students from all racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Within this intellectually stimulating environment, the Wesleyan University Libraries play an important role. The circulating collections support advanced study across the curriculum, while our rich and varied unique collections provide opportunities for both innovative research and creative inspiration. We provide a home away from home for many, offering spaces for quiet reflection, group work, and arenas for meetings and performances.

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Academic Services, the Humanities & Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian works in collaboration with departmental colleagues to realize the library’s liaison and user experience programs.

As liaison to the humanities and interdisciplinary studies programs, this position actively communicates and builds relationships with faculty and students in language & literature departments; American Studies; Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; as well as the Center for the Humanities and College of Letters.

This position works closely with the social sciences liaisons. Together they are responsible for outreach, engagement, and user experience. Their efforts help students and faculty discover, understand, and contribute to the voices included (and excluded) from the record of knowledge. They inform the curation of exceptional collections. They also initiate and participate in efforts that create a positive student experience.

Responsibilities include:

Design, provide, and assess multimodal instruction on the use and understanding of humanities and interdisciplinary resources, concepts, and tools across the curriculum.

• Promote and provide reference and in-depth research support.
• Develop creative pathways to ensure that users are aware of library services, collections, and initiatives, including broader developments in scholarly communication and digital initiatives.
• Build relationships with campus partners and students in order to design, provide, and assess outreach and engagement programs that help all students.
• Ensure that all students are aware of and have a sense of agency and belonging with regards to services, collections, and spaces.
• Support the evolution and growth of analog and digital collections to meet the needs of faculty and students, and represent the diversity of contributors in the field.
• Build relationships with members of the Wesleyan community and beyond to share information and develop complementary or interconnected services that relate to the Library and/or support the overall success of the entire Wesleyan community.
• Engage in professional development to maintain current knowledge of trends and changes in academic public services and scholarship.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Minimum qualifications:

Masters degree in Library/Information Science, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
In-depth knowledge of humanities fields, especially literature and literary criticism
Experience (professional or graduate student experience will be considered) in providing library research support

Knowledge of information resources used in the study of the humanities
Knowledge and understanding of how trends in scholarly publishing and academia are impacting library services, collections, and physical spaces
Excellent interpersonal skills
Effective communications skills with the ability to present publicly
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-based environment
Demonstrated commitment to work within a diverse environment and interact collegially with individuals of different backgrounds
Strong user-service orientation and desire to work with constituents in an academic environment
Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends

Preferred qualifications:

Terminal degree in the humanities or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
Experience providing humanities research support in an academic or special library, or research program
Experience providing engagement and outreach services specifically for underserved populations
Experience in developing collaborative outreach programming in person and/or online channels
Working knowledge or fluency in a foreign language(s)
Knowledge of information resources used in the study of the social sciences
Experience providing group instruction