Description

Furman University seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and innovative library professional for the newly created Scholarly Communications Librarian. The successful candidate will cultivate a network of campus partners to establish priorities, services, and tools for a new scholarly communications program. This position will provide leadership and expertise in the areas of scholarly publishing, open access, affordable learning, and copyright.

Job Duties

Establish a scholarly communications program

Strategically develop a scholarly communications program with a defined list of services, tools, and educational opportunities. This program will be developed collaboratively with stakeholders, informed by university needs and priorities, and communicated clearly to the campus community.

Collaborate with campus partners

Cultivate positive relationships with library and university stakeholders to drive scholarly communications initiatives. Stakeholders may include academic departments and institutes, the Faculty Development Center, the Furman Humanities Center, the Center for Engaged Learning, the Office of Grants and Research Administration, University Marketing and Communications, the Development Office, Enrollment Services, the Office of Institutional Assessment and Research, and Information Technology Services.

Promote Furman’s research and scholarly achievements

Enhance the discoverability of Furman’s scholarly and creative output by identifying and documenting the work of the Furman community, tracking research metrics, and maintaining a robust institutional repository. This position will also lead a team in the organization of the annual Furman Scholarship reception, an event that celebrates the scholarly and creative output of Furman faculty and staff.

Manage institutional repository in Digital Commons

Lead the strategic enhancement of Furman’s institutional repository, Furman University Scholar Exchange (FUSE), currently housed in Digital Commons. This will involve:

•       Establishing guidelines and workflows for the consistent collection, dissemination, and preservation of the scholarly and creative output of Furman University. 
•       Leading all aspects of the institutional repository including ingest/harvest, metadata standards, policies and procedures, and assessment.
•       Supervising students and/or interns in the upload and management of IR content.
•       Collaborating with the Digital Collections Center and Special Collections and Archives on specific projects, as needed.
•       Recognizing the breadth, limits, and ethical use of AI in the creation of scholarly output.

Advocate for Open Access (OA) and affordable learning

Promote open access initiatives, publishing models, and affordable learning options that make research freely available to the public and/or mitigate costs for the Furman community. This will involve:

•       Administering and growing the Library’s Open Access Fund.
•       Promoting and tracking use of Read and Publish Agreements. 
•       Supporting the adoption, creation, and/or dissemination of open education materials (OERs).
•       Offering educational programming, workshops, and one-on-one consultations.
•       Assisting researchers in crafting OA language for grant applications and supporting researchers in complying with OA funder mandates. 

Provide advice on copyright and author rights

Provide guidance to the campus community on questions related to intellectual property, copyright, and fair use. Assist in helping authors understand licensing agreements and their intellectual property rights. This position does not offer legal advice but informs members of the campus community on the application of copyright law in academic work.

Participate in faculty responsibilities

As a non-tenured 12-month faculty member, the successful candidate will:

•       Consistently attend faculty, staff, and special meetings.
•       Serve on library and university committees and working groups.
•       Actively pursue professional development including publishing, presenting, and participating in professional organizations.
•       Make informed decisions related to AI.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• ALA-accredited MLIS or equivalent degree
• Three years of relevant work experience
• Knowledge of current trends and issues in open access, copyright, and other areas of scholarly communication
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate positive professional relationships
• Demonstrated ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively with colleagues
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic library experience
• Experience managing an institutional repository
• Familiarity with accessibility best practices