Senior Librarian - Information Services at North West University

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 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. Assist the manager in managing staff in the section.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Information literacy training

• Organise and conduct information literacy programme and training workshops for library users.
• Participate in library orientation.
• Formal training of individual’s users or groups in information skills on relevant information sources to empower them to be skilled in information retrieval.
• Update statistics on statistical platforms. 

Advanced and general information service

• The provision of a specialised information service and in-depth assistance to all students, researchers lectures and support staff of the appointed faculties and subject groups by making innovative use of the latest database and subject related information sources.
• Monitoring of the latest developments in information technology.
• Dealing with general information requests, diverse and day users and the use of printed and electronic sources for answering requests from all categories of users.
• Keeping daily statics of the information transactions on the statistical tool.
• Liaison with the Faculties regarding their information needs.
• Develop and maintain the subject specific Libguides to ease communication with users and to make research information available in the creative and interactive way.
• Ensure staff and the student surveys are conducted at all three campuses in collaboration with the Senior Manager: OPQ.

Human Resources

• Supervise, develop and train subordinates in collaboration with Manager: Information Services.
• Identify staff training opportunities for stuff in the DLIS.
• Participate in the induction of new staff members.
• Coordinates the recruitment of student assistance in the teaching and learning commons.
• Follow up on the student’s assistance contracts and claims. 

Collection Development and Management.

• Implement proactive measures to identify gaps in the collection and make recommendations for acquisition.
• Involvement with the identification and selection of subjects related database.
• Recommendations of new information material.
• Continuous needs assessment for 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. 

Liaison, Marketing and outreach.

• Continuous liaison with the deans of the faculty’s directors, lectures and postgraduates’ students to ensure proactive needs assessment and marketing of the library services.
• Liaison with lectures and researchers of different schools and focus groups with regard to their information and training needs, collection development and trial database.
• Proactive liaison with users with regard to publications and articles relevant to their specific subjects or fields of research.
• Lead the marketing initiatives on the assigned campus.
• Create awareness of the information services in liaison with faculties, postgraduate and undergraduate students.
• Attendance at faculty events and meetings including faculty Boards, Faculty teaching and learning meetings and others.
• Involvement in the Cop for information and Learning Services. 

Occupational Health and Safety.

• Participate in Department 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.

Information Literacy Support.

• Co-coordinate the activities in the Teaching and Learning Commons in collaboration with the managers: Information Services.
• Monitor the information literacy instruction activities on all campuses that they adhere to the NWU Information literacy Guidelines and best practices.
• Monitor the capturing of Information literacy training.
• Conduct bench-marking literacy and provide reports on information literacy, instruction, policies and practices.
• Track and monitor teaching and learning analysis from the different platforms and report periodically for all campuses.
• Together with the Librarian: Undergraduate identify standards and best practices for information literacy instruction and support.
• Promote the integration of information literacy in the curriculum and assessments.
• Initiate the developments of various teaching and learning modalities and platforms for information literacy instruction in collaboration with the Director: DLIS and Librarian: Undergraduate Support.

Minimum requirements

• A B.Bibl. or a B.Inf or a bachelor’s degree in Information Science (NQF level 7).
• Membership with LIASA.
• A minimum of four (4) years’ work experience in general and advanced information service to academic users on different levels.

ADDED ADVANTAGE

• A postgraduate qualification in Library or Information Science or appropriate subject area.
• Knowledge of information literacy standards and trends.
• A minimum of four (4) years’ work experience within various sections of an academic library.

KEY FUNCTIONAL/ TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge of different printed and electronic information sources.
• The ability to keep and update relevant information regarding users and information sources ready and effectively.
• Computer literate with sound knowledge of MS Office, MS Teams and web technology.
• Knowledge of the latest developments regarding information technology.
• Knowledge of and insight into the academic structure and research activities in faculties.
• Extensive knowledge of the various databases and information searching.
• 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 teaching and learning.
• Insight into the research needs of postgraduates.
• Time management.
• Good judgement and decision-making skills.
• Research and analytical skills.
• Comprehension of the broader context of the academic learning environment. 

KEY 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 on different levels; good insight into the needs of postgraduate users.