Community Engagement Librarian
Department: National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Southwest Region, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library
Rank and Salary: Assistant Librarian - Librarian ($55,014 - $109,983)
Position Availability: Immediately
Application deadline for first consideration: June 18, 2020
The UCLA Library seeks a collaborative, motivated, and knowledgeable Community Engagement Librarian to support the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us National Program in the Pacific Southwest Region (PSR).
The NNLM is funded through a cooperative agreement (grant) with the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The Regional Medical Library (RML) functions administratively as a division of the UCLA Library. The mission of the NNLM is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health, by providing equal access to biomedical information to all U.S. health professionals and by improving the public's access to health information. The Pacific Southwest Region of the NNLM includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. Territories in the Pacific. The RML facilitates resource sharing and cooperative projects among a network of nearly 600 libraries in this region, including academic medical libraries, hospital and healthcare organization libraries, and a growing number of public libraries with consumer health collections. The NNLM staff provides outreach programs including exhibits at conferences, classes in health information access, referrals to network libraries, and demonstrations of NLM databases and resources, including PubMed/MEDLINE, MedlinePlus, and ClinicalTrials.gov.
Position Duration: through April 30, 2021 with a possibility of extension up to a total of 2 years
Position Duties
Reporting to the Associate Director, the Community Engagement Librarian coordinates all aspects of the NNLM All of Us National Program in the Pacific Southwest Region, consisting of AZ, CA, HI, NV, and US Territories in the Pacific. The Community Engagement Coordinator will work with regional public libraries, community-based organizations and others to develop health information programs and activities based on community health needs and to create awareness, engagement, and retention of participants in the NIH All of Us Research Program (AoURP) (https://joinallofus.org). This position will work in collaboration with the NNLM Community Engagement Network (https://nnlm.gov/all-of-us), All of Us program partners, and regional partners to develop, pilot, model, and evaluate All of Us community engagement activities, emphasizing outreach to underrepresented populations typically not included in biomedical research. The Community Engagement Librarian is one member of a team of four outreach librarians.
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
- Maintains advanced knowledge of National Library of Medicine (NLM) and All of Us resources relevant to public libraries and community partners
- Builds and maintains connections with a network of diverse partners that represent identified communities and identifies health information gaps
- Provides health information outreach and creates innovative health information programs with an emphasis on National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health information resources
- Participates in national program coordination to develop effective, innovative, replicable approaches to meet the objectives of the AoURP and health information needs of public libraries and surrounding communities
- Develops evaluation and progress reports on activities, programs, and services related to AoURP, in close collaboration with the Office of Education and Training, All of Us Training and Coordinating Center, National Evaluation Office, and other NNLM regions
- Contributes through webinars, presentations at professional association meetings, and professional service (e.g., serving on professional panels) surrounding the NNLM All of Us national program
- Exhibits at national, regional and local conferences and meetings reaching public libraries and community partners
- Provides funding consultation, evaluates funding applications, and manages multiple subawards to support public libraries and community organizations
General Information
Professional librarians at UCLA are academic appointees. Librarians at UCLA are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council i American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This is a represented position. They are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel. The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits.
Appointees to the librarian series at UC shall have professional backgrounds that demonstrate a high degree of creativity, teamwork, and flexibility. Such background will normally include a professional degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science graduate program. In addition to professional competence and quality of service within the library in the primary job, advancement in the librarian series requires professional involvement and contributions outside of the library, and/or university and community service, and/or scholarly activities. Candidates must show evidence or promise of such contributions.
Candidates applying by June 18, 2020 will be given first consideration for this position. UCLA welcomes and encourages diversity and seeks applications and nominations from women and minorities. UCLA seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.
Description of Unit
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine is funded through a five-year (2016-2021) cooperative agreement (grant) with the National Library of Medicine. The Regional Medical Library (RML) functions administratively as a division of the Biomedical Library. The mission of the NNLM is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health, by ensuring that health professionals, researchers, the public health workforce, patients, families and the public have access to quality health information. The Pacific Southwest Region of the NNLM includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. Territories in the Pacific. The RML facilitates resource sharing and cooperative projects among a network of nearly 600 libraries in this region, including academic medical libraries, hospital and healthcare organization libraries, and a growing number of public libraries with consumer health collections. Since 2017, NLM has engaged in a pilot program with the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program to stimulate and facilitate community engagement and participant support through the NNLM.
Description of Institution and Library
As one of the world's great public research universities, UCLA integrates education, research, and public service so that each enriches and extends the others. From its beautiful neighborhood campus in a uniquely diverse and vibrant city on the Pacific Rim, teaching and research extend beyond the classroom, office, and lab through active engagement with communities, organizations, projects, and partnerships throughout the region and around the world.
UCLA is diverse community of scholars encompasses nearly 30,000 undergraduates pursuing 125 majors, 13,000 graduate students in fifty-nine research programs, and 4,000 faculty members including Nobel Laureates; Rhodes Scholars; MacArthur Fellows; winners of the Fields Medal, National Medal of Science, Pritzker Prize, and Pulitzer Prize; and recipients of Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Golden Globes. UCLA ranks tenth in the Times of London Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, twelfth in the Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and fifth in the U.S. by Washington Monthly. The National Research Council ranks forty of its graduate and doctoral research programs among its top ten.
To enable these accomplished students, faculty, and staff to create, disseminate, and apply knowledge for the benefit of global society, the UCLA Library is re-envisioning how it is acquired, synthesized, and shared across academic audiences and with the public. It was among the first academic libraries to develop subject-specialist librarians and to launch a program to enhance students research skills. Its Special Collections pioneered the acquisition by public institutions of rare and unique books, children's literature, pulp and detective fiction, works by or about women and minorities, screenplays, architectural plans, and Los Angeles-related materials and today leads the way in collecting archival resources in digital format such as emails and manuscripts. It has launched innovative data management services and an affordable course materials initiative that have served as models for other libraries.
The Library serves UCLA students, faculty, and staff whenever and wherever they need its resources and expertise. Reconfigured, high-tech spaces and services in its ten campus libraries enable users and librarians to explore and work with print and digital materials collaboratively or individually, pursue new lines of inquiry, and develop new pedagogical approaches as well as novel forms of scholarship. More than 3.5 million people visit annually, while an additional 3.4 million visitors enter online through its virtual front doors.
Whether on campus or online, the Library forms the intellectual heart of UCLA, a hub for cutting-edge discovery, scholarship, and instruction.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the University of California and key components of the University's commitment to excellence. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California policy on discrimination, harassment, and affirmative action see: University of California -Policy Discrimination, Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace at https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction
Under federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States as established by providing documents specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Employment is contingent upon completion of satisfactory background investigation.
Basic Qualifications
- ALA-accredited Master's Degree in Library or Information Science OR significant graduate-level coursework toward such a degree OR equivalent education and experience (subject expertise combined with professional library education and/or experience); OR MPH, MSN, MS in Health Education, M.Ed. or equivalent advanced degree.
- Familiarity with NLM, NNLM and the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program
- Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication, project management, problem-solving, and program evaluation
- Experience in developing classes/presentations and teaching workshops and/or seminars
- Flexibility and ability to manage competing priorities/projects
- Willingness to travel; valid driver's license at the time of employment
- Proficiency in software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as Web-based applications for online education and remote web conferencing
- Strong service orientation and ability to work effectively with colleagues and the public in a diverse, multi-cultural community
- Ability to be flexible, work independently, and demonstrate initiative
Applicants with all the above basic qualifications and any of the following preferred qualifications or professional experiences are strongly encouraged to apply: (1) Health information programming or community health education experience; (2) Experience working in public libraries or with public library staff; (3) Experience with All of Us Research Program or Clinical and Translational Science.