Instruction and Outreach Librarian

18-Mar-2024

Harvard Radcliffe Institute

64556BR

Job Summary

The Schlesinger Library seeks a highly motivated and collaborative individual to join our team as an instruction and outreach librarian.

Reporting to the Head of Education & Outreach, this individual will contribute to the library’s outreach efforts at Harvard and beyond, by participating in the Library’s teaching program, helping to envision and plan events, and developing meaningful social media content tailored to the concerns and interests of the varied audiences and partners of the Schlesinger Library. They will collaborate with research services librarians, curators, and the education and outreach team to promote the Library’s resources to students, members of Harvard’s faculty and staff, researchers, and community partners, and to teach with our collections.

Position Description

• Collaborate with library colleagues, instructors, and members of the Harvard faculty to design and teach class sessions focused on primary sources from the Schlesinger Library’s collections, as well as archival literacy. 
• With the head of education and outreach, develop and implement outreach programs to promote library resources and services to campus and community partners, including Harvard-Radcliffe’s Emerging Leaders Program. 
• Work with Library and Institute colleagues in developing and implementing an integrated, cross-platform social media strategy to promote the Library’s collections, services, exhibitions, and events.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in instruction, outreach, and information literacy. 
• Plan, direct, and promote outreach events and programs. 
• Collect, assess, and disseminate data related to teaching and outreach for internal use and external reporting. 
• Cover regular shifts at the Schlesinger Library reference desk.
• Participate in Harvard Library-wide initiatives, working groups, and committees as a representative of library instruction and outreach services.   
• Pursue professional development and skills training in response to emerging and ongoing needs, enhancing job performance and staying current in the field.

• Responsibilities may include hiring and training, planning, and assigning work for temporary staff and student assistants.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited institution (or equivalent combination of education and experience). 
• 3 years of professional experience in a special collections library or archives, including demonstrated experience in teaching information literacy and /or archival literacy, and in teaching with primary sources.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated experience working with collections and library users from marginalized communities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others. 
• Knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in instruction, outreach, archival literacy, and teaching with primary sources.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team, establish priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously. 
• Strong knowledge of social media platforms, especially Instagram, and familiarity with social media strategies for promoting library services and resources. 
• Ability to take initiative and think creatively.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities and evolving needs of the library and its users. 
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racism.
• Knowledge of assessment techniques and tools for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional and outreach programs. 
• Experience in event planning and/or program management.
• Interest in emerging social media marketing trends.
• Educational background or demonstrated interest in women and gender studies, American history, American studies, or another discipline related to the library’s collecting scope.

Physical Requirements

• Employee must have the ability to sit at a desk for a minimum of seven hours a day and complete tasks requiring repetitive use of hands.
• Standing, sitting, talking, hearing, focusing for considerable lengths of time is required.
• This position requires frequent lifting, pushing, and pulling of boxes up to 50 lbs and requires bending, squatting, stretching, and climbing tall ladder when needed to retrieve materials and reshelve them.

Working Conditions

• Located in a library office setting, there may be limited exposure to dust and mold.
• The work schedule for this position may include occasional work beyond the official business schedule (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00PM).
• Travel to different parts of the University campus and partner sites will be required.

Additional Information

Cover Letter:
Please note that cover letters are required for every application for a position at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Please combine your cover letter and resume into a single document that is uploaded when you are instructed by HARVARD CAREERS, Harvard’s online application program, to “Upload my resume/CV from my computer”.
Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. However, we encourage all interested candidates to apply before January 12, 2024.

Interviews:
We will be conducting interviews virtually and might invite finalist candidates for on-campus interviews. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility with our interview process.

Work Format Details

This role is offered as a primarily on-campus position where the incumbent will be required to be onsite at our Cambridge, MA-based campus regularly. There may be occasional opportunities to work remotely.  Specific schedule will be determined between the incumbent and manager.Any remote work must be performed in a state in which Harvard is registered to do business (CA*, CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA, VT, and WA).

About Us

About the Harvard Radcliffe Institute:

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute is dedicated to creating and sharing transformative ideas across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. The Fellowship Program annually supports the work of 50 leading artists and scholars. Academic Ventures and Engagement fosters collaborative research projects and sponsors lectures and conferences that engage scholars with the public. The Schlesinger Library documents the lives of American women of the past and present for the future, furthering the Institute’s commitment to women, gender and society.

We are proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to achieving our goals through the efforts of a highly skilled, diverse workforce. With outstanding benefits , competitive pay , extensive learning opportunities , and a stimulating and attractive work environment, the Harvard Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University may be exactly the employer you have been looking for.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

386056 Library Professional

Department

Schlesinger Library

Annual Salary Range

https://hr.harvard.edu/salary-ranges#ranges

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Employment, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

At the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success.

We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities to apply to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members.  Our work with faculty, students, and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world’s most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society.

A global leader, the Harvard Library is a pre-eminent research library that acquires, disseminates, and preserves knowledge. Harvard's Library holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding inventories of digital resources. It is the work of the Harvard Library to provide the University's faculty, students, and researchers—now and in the future—with comprehensive access over time.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.