What are the responsibilities and job description for the Instructional Design Librarian position at The University of Kansas?
Position Overview
The University of Kansas (KU) Libraries invites applications for a tenure-track librarian to join the faculty. The Instructional Design Librarian will lead efforts to coordinate, design, and distribute reusable and asynchronous learning objects to enrich and expand library instruction efforts. This position will also monitor and assess the impact of library instruction interventions through data collection and analysis, contributing to changes to improve student learning outcomes.
One of the three goals of KU Libraries 2024-2028 Strategic Plan is to “forge partnerships and experiences that equip students as engaged, critical thinkers who thrive in the classroom and beyond.” The Instructional Design Librarian works with colleagues to advance this objective and related strategies to transform and expand library instruction in support of student success and enrich and elevate student research and learning experiences. Using pedagogical best practices, the Instructional Design Librarian will make key contributions to Libraries efforts to design, support, and implement comprehensive information literacy instruction that is aligned with the institution’s learning outcomes.
The Instructional Design Librarian is a member of the Research & Learning department at KU Libraries and reports to The Head of the Center for Faculty Initiatives and Engagement. As a member of the Research & Learning department, this position contributes to student success initiatives and faculty engagement efforts. This position works closely with colleagues in the libraries’ Research Engagement Division and beyond to accomplish shared goals and works to strategically address the libraries’ priorities.
Any of the following related experience will improve the effectiveness of a successful candidate:
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment. This is a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track faculty position. Rank considerations are based on professional performance, research, and service experience sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of Assistant Librarian or Associate Librarian.
See the Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks document: http://policy.ku.edu/libraries/criteria-academic-ranks-library-faculty. Additional information about the Libraries promotion and tenure procedures can be found at the following website: https://policy.ku.edu/ku-libraries/promotion-and-tenure-procedures-faculty
Job Description
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (70%)
Engages in service to the Libraries, the University and to professional organizations by participating in committee work, projects, and other contributory achievements.
Required Qualifications
Required Qualifications for All Candidates
ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent from a foreign institution by date of appointment OR a PhD in library and information science from an LIS program that also offered an ALA-accredited master’s degree at the time the PhD was awarded.
Appointment at the Associate Librarian rank requires a review of the candidate’s materials to ensure work at the level documented in KU Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks of Library Faculty
Additional Candidate Instructions
Applicants should attach a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor) to this online application. Please use your cover letter to address how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. An online application must be completed to be considered for this position.
Review of applications will begin on June 4th, 2025. Please submit a complete application no later than midnight on June 3rd for consideration.
Contact Information to Applicants
Tonia Morgan
morgt@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
Minimum salary $60,000, final determination commensurate with experience
Application Review Begins
Wednesday June 4, 2025
Anticipated Start Date
Monday August 4, 2025
The University of Kansas (KU) Libraries invites applications for a tenure-track librarian to join the faculty. The Instructional Design Librarian will lead efforts to coordinate, design, and distribute reusable and asynchronous learning objects to enrich and expand library instruction efforts. This position will also monitor and assess the impact of library instruction interventions through data collection and analysis, contributing to changes to improve student learning outcomes.
One of the three goals of KU Libraries 2024-2028 Strategic Plan is to “forge partnerships and experiences that equip students as engaged, critical thinkers who thrive in the classroom and beyond.” The Instructional Design Librarian works with colleagues to advance this objective and related strategies to transform and expand library instruction in support of student success and enrich and elevate student research and learning experiences. Using pedagogical best practices, the Instructional Design Librarian will make key contributions to Libraries efforts to design, support, and implement comprehensive information literacy instruction that is aligned with the institution’s learning outcomes.
The Instructional Design Librarian is a member of the Research & Learning department at KU Libraries and reports to The Head of the Center for Faculty Initiatives and Engagement. As a member of the Research & Learning department, this position contributes to student success initiatives and faculty engagement efforts. This position works closely with colleagues in the libraries’ Research Engagement Division and beyond to accomplish shared goals and works to strategically address the libraries’ priorities.
Any of the following related experience will improve the effectiveness of a successful candidate:
- Degree or certificate in Instructional Design, Instructional Technologies, Educational Technologies or equivalent.
- Educational learning theory, instructional design methods, and/or instructional technologies in a library or educational setting.
- Delivering information literacy instruction that supports student learning and success.
- A variety of information and digital literacy concepts, skills, and competencies, including data literacy, to advance foundational research practices in an academic setting.
- Designing and creating learning objects
- Assessment techniques used to evaluate the effectiveness of student learning interventions.
- Learning management systems (e.g. Canvas)
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment. This is a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track faculty position. Rank considerations are based on professional performance, research, and service experience sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of Assistant Librarian or Associate Librarian.
See the Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks document: http://policy.ku.edu/libraries/criteria-academic-ranks-library-faculty. Additional information about the Libraries promotion and tenure procedures can be found at the following website: https://policy.ku.edu/ku-libraries/promotion-and-tenure-procedures-faculty
Job Description
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (70%)
- Collaborate with Libraries’ and campus partners to coordinate, design, and distribute, reusable, asynchronous learning objects to be strategically integrated into courses and curricula. Maintain the open availability of learning objects through open licensing (e.g. Creative Commons) and integrate open pedagogy principles into library instruction initiatives.
- Identify colleague needs for training and mentoring to establish best practices for creating, adapting, and using learning objects and educational technologies.
- Provide professional development opportunities for improving the design and delivery of curriculum-aligned, pedagogically sound, technology-appropriate information literacy learning experiences. Maintain awareness of the instructional design landscape and serve as local expert to monitor evolving best practices and pedagogical methodologies.
- Work with colleagues to coordinate the ongoing assessment of student learning and its relation to librarian educational interventions. Monitor and assess the impact of library instruction programs through data collection and analysis, making adjustments as needed to improve student learning outcomes.
- Cultivate relationships with campus partners to identify pedagogical needs, share resources, and improve information literacy student learning outcomes.
- In collaboration with colleagues, supports researcher needs through consultations and training across disciplines. Responds to instructional and research needs across disciplines as part of the Research & Learning team. The librarian promotes the integration of information literacy into the curriculum, measures student learning outcomes, and assesses programming in support of student success.
- Works as a member of the Research Engagement Division by contributing to programs such as student programming and events, Sprints, open access initiatives, KU ScholarWorks, Software and Data Carpentries.
- Works collaboratively as a member of project teams and other groups to advance the libraries’ strategic priorities. Fosters a highly collegial, collaborative, and open environment that supports colleagues and productive change.
- Contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity.
- Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant-supported inquiry, or editorial work (see Promotion and Tenure Procedures at KU, Spring 2017).
Engages in service to the Libraries, the University and to professional organizations by participating in committee work, projects, and other contributory achievements.
Required Qualifications
Required Qualifications for All Candidates
ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent from a foreign institution by date of appointment OR a PhD in library and information science from an LIS program that also offered an ALA-accredited master’s degree at the time the PhD was awarded.
Appointment at the Associate Librarian rank requires a review of the candidate’s materials to ensure work at the level documented in KU Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks of Library Faculty
Additional Candidate Instructions
Applicants should attach a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor) to this online application. Please use your cover letter to address how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. An online application must be completed to be considered for this position.
Review of applications will begin on June 4th, 2025. Please submit a complete application no later than midnight on June 3rd for consideration.
Contact Information to Applicants
Tonia Morgan
morgt@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
Minimum salary $60,000, final determination commensurate with experience
Application Review Begins
Wednesday June 4, 2025
Anticipated Start Date
Monday August 4, 2025
Salary : $60,000
