User Experience & User Assessment Librarian

User Experience & User Assessment Librarian

The University of California, Irvine Libraries seeks an innovative, engaged, collaborative individual to serve in the newly created role of User Experience & User Assessment Librarian. The UX & User Assessment Librarian will play a leadership role in the Libraries' growing culture of assessment. They will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and documenting a wide range of data to contribute to informed decision-making in accordance with the Libraries' user-centered Strategic Initiatives. The UX & User Assessment Librarian supports UX and user assessment projects across the UCI Libraries, provides library staff training and consultation on user assessment and UX strategies, and may contribute to broader library assessment projects as needed. Reporting to the Head of Reference, the incumbent will employ user experience principles and strategies along with appropriate evaluation and assessment tools to continue to develop an inclusive and welcoming experience for all students, faculty, staff, and researchers who use our online and physical spaces. The ideal candidate will be committed to accomplishing these activities through collaborative leadership and cross functional teams. The incumbent is also part of a cohort of subject librarians, participating in general reference and instruction as needed, and may be assigned permanent or interim subject liaison responsibilities depending on interests, background, and library needs.

Qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and life experiences are encouraged to apply. The UCI Libraries is committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and advancing UCI's Commitment to Inclusive Excellence https://www.uci.edu/diversity/.

Key Responsibilities

The User Experience & User Assessment Librarian will be a member of the Reference Department, reporting to the Head of Reference. The core responsibilities of the position are as follows:

* Lead in creating an organizational culture that supports User Experience (UX) design and its direct application to improving the Libraries' physical and online environments.

* Work with employees across the Libraries to design and conduct qualitative and quantitative user needs and usability studies using various methods including online surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations to assess user needs, preferences and trends.

* Collaborate with others in the Libraries, including the members of Libraries' Information Technology Department responsible for UX and the Library Services Platform Coordinators Group, to analyze the library's web presence and discovery service (UC Library Search), and provide input for user-centered enhancements and user assessment processes.

* Collect and manage reports, analytics data and documentation of assessment efforts.

* Coordinate collecting and reporting data for standard academic library statistical reports.

* Assess and advocate for user needs via data-driven research.

* Conduct user research through stakeholder interviews, analytics, and surveys.

* Lead user testing and accessibility reviews of library virtual and physical services and spaces

* May serve as one of the Public Services representatives on the Library Services Platform Coordinators Group.

* Work closely with members of other departments in the Libraries to design user testing, assist with analyzing results, and make recommendations for improvements where warranted.

* Participate in general reference and instruction activities.

* Build liaison partnerships with UCI stakeholders in UX and related applied research fields.

Qualifications

Required:

* Graduate degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or an equivalent combination of an advanced degree and library experience.

* Demonstrated ability or interest in applying user experience assessment theories and methodologies to enhance user experience.

* Demonstrated ability or interest in developing and implementing collaborative learning and application environments for assessment, user experience, or design thinking.

* Demonstrated initiative, flexibility, and ability to work creatively and effectively independently or as a team member.

* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

* Ability to provide effective reference and instruction in a university setting.

* Ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively and to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness within UCI Libraries and the campus.

* Ability to meet the University of California criteria for advancement and promotion.

Preferred:

* 1-3 years of experience applying user experience assessment theories and methodologies to enhance user experience.

* 1-3 years of experience with data collection, management, analysis, and visualization tools and processes.

* Experience with project coordination.

The Reference Department

The Reference Department consists of eight librarians, including the Department Head, and four career staff located in both the Langson Library and the Science Library. Our vision: the Reference Department ensures that all people-regardless of their identity and the nature or method of their query- are supported and empowered to effectively and independently navigate the resources available to them that meet their information needs.

The UCI Libraries

At the heart of the University of California, Irvine's academic community, the UCI Libraries plays a vital role in enabling our outstanding students, faculty and researchers to create new knowledge, develop lifelong learning skills, and make meaningful contributions to society. We value innovation and collaboration, and we are committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. See our Diversity Statement and Plan, https://diversity.lib.uci.edu/diversity-statement-and-plan. The UCI Libraries received the 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, a leader in advancing best practices in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in higher education.

The Libraries' physical spaces consist of the Langson Library, the Science Library, the Library Gateway Study Center, and the Grunigen Medical Library (located at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, CA). These locations provide a welcoming and technology enhanced environment valued by students as places for study, research, and collaboration. Together they contain over 3,300 public seats, over 500 public access computers, laptop computers for checkout, and a wide range of multimedia resources including 3D printers. The library collection consists of over 4.3 million volumes, 254,000 journals and serial titles, and an ever-expanding collection of electronic books, databases, and other resources. As part of the University of California system, the UCI Libraries collaborates closely with the other nine UC campus libraries and the California Digital Library (CDL). Our public website, https://www.lib.uci.edu/, is a portal to access e-resources; discover print, archival, and multi-media collections; and connect with reference and instructional services. It also includes cutting edge digital tools and tutorials and numerous subject specific research guides created by subject specialists.

The UCI Libraries employs approximately 140 full-time librarians and staff and many part-time student assistants. We strongly support the professional development of librarians and staff throughout their careers.

The UCI Libraries are a member of the: Association of Research Libraries (ARL), HathiTrust, Center for Research Libraries (CRL), Coalition of Networked Information (CNI), Digital Library Federation (DLF), Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance (PRRLA), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), National Information Standards Organization (NISO), and OCLC Research Library Partnership (OCLC RLP).

University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine, is nestled in over 1,500 acres of coastal foothills, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, between San Diego and Los Angeles and located on the homelands of the Acjachemen and Tongva peoples, https://diversity.lib.uci.edu/land-acknowledgement. Founded in 1965, UCI has over 37,000 undergraduate and graduate students and over 1,800 faculty and staff. Nearly 67% of UCI students identify themselves as Asian American, African American, Chicano/Latino, or Native American. Over 50% of UCI's bachelor's degrees are awarded to first generation college students. The University is committed to serving students from all backgrounds as demonstrated by UCI's Black Thriving Initiative, https://inclusion.uci.edu/uci-black-thriving-initiative/, and its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), https://inclusion.uci.edu/msi/. The New York Times ranks UCI as the #1 college doing the most for the American Dream, and U.S. News and Report ranks UCI among the top ten public universities in the nation. The University offers graduate degrees in more than 100 academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs in addition to the M.D. and J.D.

Salary & Benefits: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience based on the University of California pay scales. Appointment is anticipated to be at the Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, or Librarian rank with a salary of $69,781-$98,667. The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and salary point at appointment. See Table for Represented Librarians at https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/nov-2024-rep-librarian-scales/t26-b.pdf.

Librarians are entitled to two days per month of annual leave, thirteen paid holidays, and one day per month sick leave. The University has an excellent retirement system and offers a variety of group health, life, and disability insurance plans. Benefits are equal to approximately 45% of salary.

Librarians at UCI are academic appointees. Non-managerial librarians are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council - American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This is a represented position.

As academic appointees, UCI Librarians receive potential career status at the time of their initial appointment. Librarians periodically receive administrative and peer review for merit increases based on the following criteria: 1) professional competence and quality of service within the Library; 2) professional activity outside the Library; 3) university and public service; and 4) research and other creative activity.

Consideration will be given to applicants with a wide range of years of experience, including qualified early career librarians.

Deadline for Applications: Applications received by January 3, 2025, will receive first consideration.

To Apply: Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should submit the information requested: a cover letter; complete resume; a statement that addresses past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a list of three references (names and contact information only) via UCI AP Recruit at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09366.

Upon application, candidates should be in possession of proof of their legal right to employment in the U.S. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, verification of legal right to work will be required between the time of final selection and hiring and is absolutely essential in ultimately being hired.

This position description is listed on the UCI Libraries website at https://www.lib.uci.edu/libraries-experience/academic-staff-positions, which includes links to additional websites featuring campus and community information.

Department: https://www.lib.uci.edu/

* Graduate degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or an equivalent combination of an advanced degree and library experience.

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• 
  APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment.
  
  

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.