Research Librarian
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Overview
Reporting to the Director of Access Services and Operations, the Research Librarian leads Beinecke Library’s reference program. Leads the design and management of an onsite and remote reference program for the Beinecke Library that provides research assistance via in-person, email, phone, and zoom, to track and respond to 8-10,000 inquiries annually. Trains, engages, and coordinates reference program participants from across Beinecke Library and Yale Library special collections. Serves as a leader in Yale Library special collections’ efforts to provide an excellent user experience. Collects statistics and generates reports that help assess the impact of Beinecke and Yale Library special collections on the work of the Yale Library and supports community-wide strategic assessment. Collaborates with colleagues across Yale Library to continually evaluate and improve reference services. Hires and supervises students as needed. Serves as Yale Library special collections community-wide resource on provision of reference and related user services. Contributes to the development of research support tools.
Design, manage, and assess for effectiveness a dynamic reference operation in the Beinecke Library to provide onsite and remote reference assistance. Provide opportunities for staff across the Beinecke and Yale Library special collections to engage with the reference operation and share expertise with researchers. information about processes and workflows with community at large. Participate in library system-wide planning, committees, and work groups, and engage in campus, regional and national professional organizations and collaborative activities. Monitors developments and best practices elsewhere to help ensure the excellence of Beinecke and Yale Library reference and user services. Hire and supervise students as needed.
Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions.
Required Skills and Abilities
1.Demonstrated ability providing reference services in a special collections repository.
2. Demonstrated ability interpreting bibliographic records and archival finding aids; searching catalogs, databases, and other discovery tools; and explaining the use of these tools to researchers.
3. Active and substantive participation in regional, national and international professional activities relating to the use of modern documentary resources.
4. Proven ability to manage, lead, and direct staff in accomplishing both individual and collective goals. Ability to train staff at all levels.
5. Ability to prioritize effectively among competing demands with a focus on providing excellent patron experience. Ability to solve problems collaboratively and creatively. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including in explaining complex processes in a way that is easy for both novice and experienced researchers understand.
Preferred Skills and Abilities
1. Experience providing or leading the provision of reference services in an academic special collections repository.
2. Graduate coursework requiring research and writing based on primary sources.
3. Experience with special collections circulation and tracking systems (e.g., Aeon).
4. Experience with special collections assessment, reporting, and impact analysis.
Principal Responsibilities
1. Provides research support to students and faculty in academic departments, schools, and research centers through consultations, instruction sessions, and in-person and virtual reference services. Supports research and raises awareness of information resources through outreach efforts such as department-based office hours, blogs, RSS feeds, mailing list messages, and workshops. 2. Creates and maintains online guides and other research support tools. Collaborates with librarians, GIS specialists, archivists and other providers of information resources to support research and teaching. 3. Develops library collections in all formats. Works closely with the Director of Collection Development, collection, acquisitions and cataloging librarians, and staff on acquiring and receiving resources in all formats (print, databases, datasets, images, a/v, etc.) and preparing them for availability to users. 4. Participates in departmental library research support and collections program planning. 5. Participates in library system-wide planning, committees, and work groups, and engages in campus, regional and national professional organizations and collaborative activities. Monitors developments and best practices elsewhere to help ensure the excellence of Yale’s collections and research support services. 6. May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts. 7. May perform other duties as assigned. Required Education and Experience 1. Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school. In selected instances, a post-graduate degree in a related discipline may be required or substituted for a master’s degree in library science. 2. Demonstrated excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications and analytical ability. 3. Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to a conclusion in a timely fashion. 4. Experience working collegially and cooperatively within and across organizations. 5. Experience working collaboratively and independently with varied groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing, team environment. Yale University assigns ranks to librarian positions based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments (see range assigned to this description as noted in the posting position title). Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://www.library.yale.edu/about/departments/lhr/rank.htmlJob Posting Date
06/15/2026Job Category
ProfessionalBargaining Unit
NONCompensation Grade
LibraryCompensation Grade Profile
(LIB)Salary Range
$68,000.00 - $145,250.00Time Type
Full timeDuration Type
StaffWork Model
HybridBackground Check Requirements
All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.
Health Requirements
Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.
Posting Disclaimer
Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.
The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.
Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).
Note
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