Learning & Inclusion Strategist – University of Minnesota Library

Job ID: 311631
Job Title: Learning & Inclusion Strategist (UL366)
Job Code: 9715
Location: Twin Cities
Empl Group: Acad Prof and Admin
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Qualifications

Required:

American Library Association accredited Master’s degree in Library/Information Science OR equivalent combination of advanced degree (e.g., M.A, M.Ed., or Ph.D. in such fields as Educational Technology, Curriculum & Instruction, Culture & Teaching) and relevant experience.

Proven ability to work successfully with diverse populations and demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.

Demonstrated experience with teaching practices that positively affect student learning.

Experience with learning assessment methods.

Excellent interpersonal, presentation, facilitation, and communication skills.

Preferred:

Experience fostering relationships with colleges and faculty partners.

Experience with collaborative program and service development.

Experience developing services that emphasize access and inclusion.

About the Job

The University of Minnesota Libraries seeks an innovative, energetic and collaborative professional to develop the role of Learning and Inclusion Strategist.  This position will provide strategic direction for the University of Minnesota Libraries relating to teaching, learning, student success, and inclusion. The Libraries believes that taking a universal design approach to teaching and learning is essential for engagement with all students, and diversity and inclusion efforts are inextricably linked to student success.

This position represents a new opportunity within the University Libraries to grow an integrated program that embeds Libraries’ expertise into the campus curriculum, shapes services with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion, and assesses the impact of these programs on student learning. The Learning and Inclusion Strategist serves as the Chair of a new Libraries Teaching & Learning advisory group which draws together expertise from across the Libraries, including program leads, liaison librarians, and archivists, to develop a holistic plan and set of priorities that reflect a coordinated effort to partner with campus stakeholders on student learning. The position is also a standing member of the Libraries Diversity Leadership Committee, a group with membership from across the Libraries that focuses on service development and improvement, enhancing staff engagement with diversity issues, and developing relationships with other units and groups on campus focused on diversity work. The Learning and Inclusion Strategist will also coordinate with and serve as a key liaison to related units on campus involved in the development of critical inquiry skills, teaching and learning strategy, and equity and diversity.

Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Director for Arts & Humanities, the Learning and Inclusion Strategist collaborates with Libraries staff and a diverse community of campus partners to develop programs for learning, student success, and diversity and inclusion. The Strategist works closely with the Instructional Design team, eLearning Leads, Undergraduate Services Librarian, liaison librarians, curators and archivists, and many other stakeholders in the LIbraries in high impact teaching efforts. This position has direct responsibility to:

Build and lead a Teaching and Learning Program centered on practices that are inclusive and effective for all students

  • Assess the impact of Libraries-led teaching practices on student learning through metrics and other indicators, attending to multiple populations and issues of equity and diversity.
  • Enhance teaching and curricular development skills in the Libraries, drawing on cognitive science and student-centered models of learning.
  • Make assessment of student learning a regular and systematic practice of library staff, and connect the Libraries learning assessment activities to similar university efforts.
  • Coordinate the incorporation of educational models, such as the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, in the overall teaching and learning program, including support for a scaffolded approach to work across departments and over the course of a student’s tenure at the university.
  • Direct the activities of the Teaching & Learning advisory group to define a holistic plan and set of priorities for the Libraries teaching and learning program, forming sub-groups as needed.

Identify and foster opportunities to partner on learning, inside and outside of the classroom

  • Work to deepen the curricular integration of a broad array of Libraries expertise, such as content, copyright, information retrieval and analysis, instructional design, eLearning, digital scholarship, data management, collaboration, use of primary sources, and scholarly communication.
  • Coordinate with campus units such as the Center for Educational Innovation, Office for Undergraduate Education, Office for Equity and Diversity, Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence, and Academic Technology Support Services to identify opportunities for partnership with the Libraries on issues of learning and inclusion.
  • Increase Libraries involvement in faculty development around teaching practice, curricular and course design, and experiential learning.
  • Examine teaching practices to identify faculty development opportunities with campus partners and partners within the University Libraries.

Improve or develop services with inclusion in mind, serving to reduce barriers to learning and to create a sense of belonging among all library clientele

  • Utilize student success and user experience data with diversity and inclusion in mind to make recommendations for new services, service improvements, and focused outreach activities.
  • In conjunction with members of the Diversity Leadership Committee and others, foster connections with campus units and committees centered on equity, diversity, and reciprocal engagement.

Position the University Libraries for innovation in learning

  • Participate in or direct development of grant proposals to support particular projects and initiatives, both within and outside the Libraries.
  • Identify opportunities for the Libraries to partner with other campus entities on programming related to learning.
  • Contribute to the knowledge base of the profession through research, publication, and professional engagement.

This is a full-time, 12-month, continuous-appointment track, academic professional position with probationary appointment at the Assistant or Associate Librarian level. The Libraries offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, excellent benefits, and a moving allowance. Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.

Full posting and application information