Head of Library Community Engagement

Job Description:

Reflecting Brown University’s values and commitments to Providence, Rhode Island, and the region, the Library’s strategic goals call for establishing a systematic approach to positive impact in our broader community.  The Head of Library Community Engagement is responsible for building and implementing collaborative and strategic programs and initiatives with the Rhode Island community that will have collective, lasting impact for both the local and Brown communities.   A new category of work at the Library, community engagement will be one of the key activities of the Library’s new Center for Library Exploration and Research (CLEAR).

The Head of Library Community Engagement will oversee programs that connect the resources of the Brown University Library to local schools, community organizations, public libraries, and the people they serve, as well as facilitate relationships with and among the community to inform and shape the Library’s work.  Collaborative partnerships involving Library staff, faculty, students, and campus community engagement experts will leverage Library core capacities and resources to address community-identified needs; produce long-term, sustainable initiatives that will have a positive impact on the community and the Library; and provide Brown students with a formative social and educational experience.    

The Head of Library Community Engagement will also form and sustain deep relationships with community organizations and members.  As a provisional framework, community engagement is envisioned through three main channels: 

• K-12 Education:  Activities that support teacher training, educational enrichment, and access to Library resources that contribute to Brown’s commitment to strengthening education in Providence and beyond, and connect with other K-12 initiatives on campus.  Without precluding other possibilities, developing education-focused activities will be the first priority.

• Library Projects and Programs:  Strengthening community outreach/engagement as a regular component of Library initiatives involving collections, digital projects, exhibitions, etc. while at the same time identifying new opportunities from engagement activities to inspire and shape the content of Library projects and include the participation of community partners.
• Other Partnerships:  Working with other campus community engagement specialists to identify how the Library can help increase the impact of their work with community organizations in Providence and beyond. 

Reporting directly to the Deputy University Librarian and joining the Library’s leadership team, the Head of Library Community Engagement will collaborate closely with Library colleagues, a network of community engagement practitioners across campus, and the substantial number of students and faculty who actively commit time and effort to community-facing work. The position also involves managing program resources and working with Library senior leadership and campus partners to raise additional grants and gifts to support this work.

   

Major Responsibility:

Program Strategy and Development

• Understand community stakeholder needs and opportunities, and the landscape of community engagement activities that are currently active at Brown.
• Identify the kinds of Library resources, programs, activities, and support with potential for addressing the needs identified by partnering educational institutions and community organizations, and determine how the Library can be strategically and sustainably positioned to have genuine impact.
• Identify the institutional structures at the Library and beyond that will be required to establish and support a successful community engagement program.

Relationship Building and Outreach

• Community: Build and maintain relationships with community organizations and institutions to identify the kinds of activities that draw upon the Library’s particular expertise and capabilities to have an impact on community-prioritized needs. Identify and activate the ways in which the community can meaningfully inform and impact the work of Brown University Library.
• Campus: Participate in Brown’s community of practice and partner network of school and community engagement practitioners across a number of departments and centers (the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and the Swearer Center for Public Engagement as well as staff in many other units including the Summer/Pre-College division, the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities, a number of academic and clinical departments and centers, and the Undocumented, First-Generation, and Low-Income Student Center).
• Students: Build connections with students pursuing the Engaged Scholarship option (enabling students who are passionate about communities and the challenges they face to design courses of study and action as part of their concentration), and extra-curricular student organizations that do community-facing work.
• Library: Convene Library colleagues who have been involved or are interested in activities with schools and community groups. The Head of Exhibitions and Engagement will be a key partner.

Program Coordination and Management

• Budget Management: Plan and manage program resources effectively.
• Assessment: Work with the Library’s Director of Planning and Assessment to develop metrics and assessment tools for initiatives. Coordinate with partner units (e.g., the Annenberg Institute for School Reform on educational assessment and the Swearer Center for Public Service on assessment of community engaged learning). Work with the assessment staff of community partners to ensure that data collection is also aligned with their needs.
• Advisory Board: Work with senior Library leadership to establish and maintain an advisory board for Library community engagement.

                                                  

Professional Development

• Monitor the development of local, national, and international trends relevant to the theory and practice of community engagement, particularly involving libraries
• Participate in discussions, programs, training, and other activities with colleagues in similar positions at Brown and at other institutions
• Represent the Library in professional organizations and meetings
• Contribute to knowledge in the field through professional publications and forums

Job Qualifications

Education and Experience

• BA required; advanced degree or significant related professional experience required.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional work.
• Participation in and knowledge of successful community-based programs and partnerships.
• Experience working at or with libraries (academic, school, public, or community), or similar institutions for public knowledge (e.g., museums, schools).
• Familiarity with the Providence, Rhode Island, and regional communities is desirable

Job Competencies

• Collaboration, team orientation, and partnership-building 
• Creative approach to program development and problem solving
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and to advancing these values in instruction, engagement, and professional practice
• Written and oral communication; ability to speak to multiple audiences
• Non-English language competency relevant to communities in the Providence/RI area desirable (e.g., Spanish, Portuguese; see https://statisticalatlas.com/state/Rhode-Island/Languages for more information)
• Budget management
• Data analysis and assessment

Please include a cover letter when applying for this position.

Background check - Criminal and education background check satisfactory to Brown University.

In order to maintain 90% or greater universal vaccination rates on campus, all newly hired employees at Brown University must receive the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before they begin work, unless they are approved for a medical or religious exemption. For more information, please visit the Healthy Brown site.  

Recruiting Start Date:

2021-08-29-07:00

Job Posting Title:

Head of Library Community Engagement

Department:

University Library

Grade:

Grade 11

Worker Type:

Employee

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

37.5

Position Classification:

Hybrid Eligible

Submission Guidelines:

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any staff position at Brown University you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact [email protected] .

EEO Statement:

Brown University is an E-Verify Employer.

Brown University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community; as an EEO/AA employer, Brown considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.