Librarian : Faculty Services (N001013) at North West University

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION 

• The purpose of this position is to provide a general and subject-specific information service to library users, including in-depth assistance to undergraduate, postgraduate students, researchers, and academic staff; to provide instruction and assistance in identifying, evaluating, and interpreting appropriate information sources to become independent information users; to market library services and sources; to identify and recommend relevant information sources for acquisition in collaboration with academic staff, to support research, teaching and learning, support with information literacy instruction, assessment, monitoring and evaluation and evaluation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Advanced and General Information Services

• The provision of a subject-specific information service and in-depth assistance to postgraduates, researchers and academic staff of assigned subjects by making use of the latest databases and subject-related information sources.
• The provision of an alert service as needed.
• Monitoring the latest developments in information technology.
• Dealing with general information requests, the discerning handling of electronic requests, diverse and day users and the use of printed and electronic sources for answering requests from all categories of users.
• Arrange and provide training for academic staff in the faculty.
• Conduct duties at the Information Desk when required.
• Keeping daily statistics of information transactions on the statistical tool.
• Liaison with Faculties regarding their information needs.
• Conducting information needs analysis for the faculty on a yearly basis.
• Articulate and promote, within the library and across campus, the library's role in developing student literacy skills.
• Ad Hoc Tasks requested by the Director Information and Learning Services or Manager Information Services.
• Willingness to work evening shifts and Saturdays.
• Provide monthly Lib Appointment statistics.

Train and educate clients in the use of information resources and services (Information Literacy Support)

• Develop a yearly training plan for library users.
• Organize and conduct information literacy programmes and training workshops for the assigned faculty.
• Co-ordinate and provide training for compulsory modules with information literacy components (e.g. ALDE).
• Continuous informal instruction and orientation to visitors, undergraduate and postgraduate students in the use of the library and information sources.
• Training class groups formally, according to need, in the use of relevant databases to empower them to work independently.
• In collaboration with Faculty Librarians at other campuses develop and conduct generic training sessions for the entire faculty simultaneously.
• Schedule monthly sessions and keep statistics of the group and individual training.
• Participate in library orientation, Open Days and EPEs.
• Formal training of individual users or groups in information skills on relevant information sources to empower them to be skilled in information retrieval.
• Update information literacy statistics on the statistical platforms.
• Attend training initiatives for information literacy when organised.
• Ensure information literacy outcomes are embedded in some modules in the assigned Faculty.
• Conduct information literacy programmes in different student environments.
• Train library users on current technological tools related to teaching and learning.
• Provide guidance to users on inter-library loan (ILL) options.
• Statistical report prepared for the faculty board quarterly.
• Conduct regular training evaluation.
• Market and promote library surveys in the faculty.

Stakeholder Laison and Engagement

• Contribute to the development of a yearly marketing plan.
• Laison with academic staff and researchers of the on their information and training needs, collection building, test databases and introduction of the library and its services.
• Laison with lecturers and researchers of different schools and focus groups with regard to their information and training needs, collection development and trial databases.
• Participate in marketing initiatives on the assigned campus.
• Attendance at Faculty events and meetings including all Faculty Boards, all Faculty Teaching and Learning Meetings and others and providing a report.
• Participation in the ILS Knowledge Sharing Platform.
• Participate in Faculty Librarian meetings with Faculty Librarians at other campuses.
• Plan, support and participate in library marketing events.
• Collaborate with other librarians internally and externally.
• Update library content on assigned platforms.
• Regular onboarding of new academics in your respective faculty.
• Regular faculty visits on predetermined days (rove and roam).
• Tailor- make training programmes to accommodate all students and staff.
• Communicate availability of new research tools to the faculty.

Collection Management and Management

• Implement proactive measures to identify gaps in the collection and make recommendations for acquisition.
• Involvement with the identification and selection of subject related databases.
• Recommendation of new information material.
• Continuous needs assessment of the latest information material.
• Sending recommendations to Information Resources and continuous control of status of orders.
• Management of the available funds in the book budget of the appointed faculties and subject groups.
• Weeding and maintenance of the state and usability of sources and the withdrawal of unused material.
• Identifying latest trends in collection development and management.
• Evaluate collections of information resources of your faculties once per year.
• Draft and submit collection development plan to the Manager.
• Regular attendance of trainings offered by different database vendors.
• Maintain and update different faculty Libguides.
• Regular liaison with the faculty on the availability of their information resources needs.
• Conduct collection review exercises in line with the LIS DOP.

Occupational Health and Safety

• Participate in Library OHS Meetings.
• Be part of an OHS sub-committee (e.g. First Aid).
• Provide regular OHS reports as required.
• Report any OHS matters to the Department OHS Chair.
• Participate in OHS activities, for example fire drill.

Research Support Services 

• Raise awareness in the faculty on Open Access platforms in the LIS such as transformative agreements.
• Collaborate with the research and open scholarship teams to deliver workshops, training sessions, and one-on-one support focused on enhancing their research capabilities.
• Provide advanced information literacy to postgraduates and researchers.
• Arrange for the training of users in the use of citation software in the faculty.
• Co-ordinate ROSS services within the faculty.
• Collaborate with Research Visibility and Open Scholarship (ROSS) unit: Co-host 1 training session per semester with the ROSS unit to educate researchers /Faculty staff on tools and strategies for enhancing visibility.
• Provide researcher and faculty or school bibliometric reports.
• Compile and submit monthly statistics on research support services to Line Manager.

Human Resource Management

• Supervise, develop and train subordinates in collaboration with Manager: Information Services.
• Identify staff training opportunities for assigned staff.
• Participate in the induction of new staff members.
• Coordinate the recruitment of student assistants in the Teaching and Learning Commons.
• Supervision of student assistants and interns.
• Follow up on student assistant contract and claims

Minimum requirements

• A B. Lib, B. Inf, (NQF level 7) or any bachelors’ degree plus postgraduate diploma qualification in Library and / or Information Science (NQF level 8).
• Membership with the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).
• A minimum of four (4) years’ experience in general and advanced information service to academic users on different levels.
• A minimum of four (4) years’ working experience in as many sections of an academic library.

ADDED ADVANTAGE:

• A postgraduate qualification (NQF level 8) in Library and / or Information Science.

KEY FUNCTIONAL/ TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge of different printed and electronic information sources, including the search logic thereof.
• The ability to keep and update relevant information regarding users and information sources ready and effectively.
• Computer literate with sound knowledge of MS Office.
• Knowledge of the latest developments regarding information technology.
• Knowledge of and insight into the academic structure and research activities on the campus.
• The ability to liaise with assigned academic departments on all library matters.
• The ability to function as part of a team or independently.
• Demonstration of language proficiency in order to function optimally in the various multilingual environments of the NWU.
• Strong inclination towards client services.
• Insight into the research needs of postgraduates.
• Time management.
• Good judgement and decision-making skills.
• The ability to interact with users on different levels and to assess users’ information literacy skills.
• Research and analytical skills.
• Comprehension of the broader context of the academic learning environment.
• Knowledge of changing trends in the library environment.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• A love of knowledge and learning, computer / technologically oriented.
• Organizational skills, client-service oriented; ability to provide formal training; adaptability; team player.
• Friendly; good interpersonal relations; ability to function independently and as part of a team.
• Ethical; ability to work at different levels; good insight into the needs of postgraduate users.

Apply by: 12 December 2025