Community Engagement Librarian (Tenure-Track) - Oakton College

The Community Engagement Librarian engages in information literacy instruction and outreach focusing on learning and success for students in Business and Career Technologies, Workforce Readiness, Entrepreneurship, and Small Business Development pathways both on our campuses and throughout the Oakton community, helping the library meet the college’s strategic goal to Enhance Workforce Readiness and Community Engagement. The Community Engagement Librarian will develop, implement, and evaluate best practices for library research guides, library website, and front-end development, prioritizing and improving accessibility and equity for students with disabilities and related barriers; and will engage with students in-person and online via class sessions, reference, and at appointments at times and in formats that will support their success.

Duties of the position include:

  • Develops, implements, and evaluates library outreach to Oakton College District 535 through community engagement activities such as partnerships with public libraries and community organizations.
  • Develops, implements, and evaluates accessibility of library services and resources.
  • Selects for purchase print books, e-books, and audio books to support the curriculum, and regularly deselect materials that are out of date to ensure our collection is relevant; educate business and career technologies, workforce readiness, small business development, and entrepreneurship students and faculty about recently purchased materials.
  • Teach Information Literacy across disciplines as in-class library research instruction sessions and scheduled workshops, and guide the library’s teaching related to business and career technologies, workforce, and entrepreneurship.
  • Engage with students directly in reference, in-person and online, by appointment and drop-in
  • Develop Learning Commons programs and services in support of business and career technologies, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and small business development pathways in collaboration with the Learning Center and library faculty and staff.
  • Advise the library and college facilities on how best to make the Learning Commons accessible to all users, particularly those with disabilities.
  • Develops, implements, and evaluates the best practices for library research guides, library website, and front-end development, prioritizing accessibility and equity.
  • In collaboration with Library chairs and coordinators, develops guidance around spaces, programming, materials, and tools to best support students with disabilities using library materials and services.
  • Participates in and promotes the development and evaluation of the information literacy program, including the development of accessibility standards for library services.
  • In collaboration with library department chairs and coordinators, develops instructional videos, tutorials, and research guides.
  • Teaches individual student research drop-in and scheduled consultations.

Applicants must be strong communicators and effective classroom facilitators who enjoy teaching in a student-centered environment.

Candidates committed to working in a culturally competent environment are especially valued at Oakton. Cultural competence integrates and transforms knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services provided.

Applicants should be prepared to work in collaboration with a library team that is engaged in and committed to anti-racist work throughout the college and addressing equity gaps in library instruction and services. Applicants should be current and skilled in their use of evolving technologies, active in promoting critical thinking, and committed to challenging our students to be knowledgeable, ethical, and capable global citizens. Oakton is seeking enthusiastic faculty who are committed to innovation in college-level teaching and learning, and interested in non-traditional delivery of instruction. The College expects full time faculty to be professionally competent, have strong leadership qualities, participate in professional development activities, and to engage in institutional and departmental service. Computer proficiency is required. The individuals hired will be available to teach in the evening and/or on weekends, at Des Plaines, Skokie, or Online.

Essential Functions of the Position:

  • Preparation of course presentations and instructional materials, for lecture, and laboratory and clinical functions (as appropriate),
  • Delivery of instruction, including being prepared for and meeting courses and laboratories (if appropriate) at scheduled times,
  • Consultation with and evaluation of students,
  • Participation in department and/or institutional assessments of student learning,
  • Participation in department and/or institutional surveys,
  • Participation on appropriate standing and/or ad hoc committees within the position 's assigned department and division,
  • Participation in college-wide activities, such as a college-wide committee or task force, faculty governance, accreditation studies, student activities/clubs/organizations, planning and/or implementation of college-wide professional development activities, college-related external professional meetings and activities, planning and/or implementation of college-related social or fund-raising functions, and other college-related activities mutually agreed upon by the Dean and the faculty member,
  • Compliance with institutional procedures.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:-

  • Master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience in an academic library, & experience in the area for which the individual is being hired, e.g., cataloging, reference, etc.
  • Familiarity with online systems (experience with SpringShare suite products and/or Alma/Primo VE is strongly preferred)
  • A second master's degree and teaching experience-
  • Evidence of experience in library-related community outreach, especially in support of small business development and entrepreneurship, is strongly preferred-
  • Certification and/or demonstrated experience in accessibility and/or Universal Design for Learning is strongly preferred

Additional Information:

We encourage applications from candidates who reflect the increasing diversity of Oakton's student body, who will enhance and promote engagement with other cultures, and have a demonstrated commitment to working with and as part of a multicultural faculty and diverse student body.

The full-time faculty member's workload during the nine-month academic year is 30 lecture hour equivalents (LHEs). The average teaching load is 15 LHEs in the Fall and Spring semesters.

The academic calendar consists of 169 working days; instructional days total 153 of the working days within the academic calendar. Four days are used for instruction, final student evaluations, or course culminating activities. Two days are designated for grading, and one day is associated with commencement which is assigned on a three-year rotation. The remaining nine days are designated for professional development, course preparation, student orientation, assessment, advising, registration, and/or college or departmental activities.

The faculty member is expected to have a minimum of 10 regular office hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.

The College expects full time faculty to participate in professional development activities and to engage in institutional and departmental service.

Compensation

The hiring range for full time faculty is based on a 9 month, no overload contract. Additional pay is received for teaching overloads and summer assignments. The minimum salary is $52,827 and the maximum is $68,912.

A comprehensive benefit package is available which includes medical, vision, and dental insurance; flexible spending; term life insurance; tuition waivers and reimbursement; retirement; paid holidays; sick days; sabbatical leave; and a four-day summer work week.

Appointment to a faculty position is contingent upon approval by the College's Board of Trustees.

The anticipated start date for this position is Fall 2023.

Oakton College requires all employees to adhere to a Vaccination/Testing Mandate and Mask Requirement.

Oakton College does not currently have a work from home policy and employees are required to report to campus.

Application Instructions:

To become an applicant, interested individuals must complete the online application linked from the posting found on the Oakton website.

Electronic copies of a cover letter, resume/cv, list of three (3) references with contact information, two letters of recommendation and transcripts must be submitted by the applicant via uploading to the Oakton employment website. Please indicate the position code (LIB-22) on the cover letter. Uploaded documents need to be under 2 MB in size and in either .doc, .txt, or .pdf format. A total of 8 separate documents may be uploaded to an application file that has been successfully submitted to the College.

TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED:

An UNOFFICIAL copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application by the applicant.

Recommendation letters may either be original documents with signature or e-mailed from the reference to. Official transcripts or a placement/credential file should be e-mailed to . Official transcripts or placement/credential files sent by postal mail should be sent to:

Oakton College
Library faculty (LIB-22)
c/o Human Resources Department
1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016

***Official transcripts for all degrees earned are required prior to appointment.***

Please contact Matthew Robitaille, Employment Coordinator at 847.635.1868 or if you encounter any difficulties with electronic submission of these documents.

Once posted positions are removed from the website, no additional applications will be accepted

Interviewees will be reimbursed for expenses associated with travel in excess of 50 miles to the interviews.

Oakton College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution, committed to employing competent, qualified individuals. Oakton College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, socioeconomic status, sex or gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation in admission to and participation in its educational programs, college activities and services, or in its employment practices.