Assistant Professor – Access Services Librarian

Assistant Professor – Access Services Librarian

This tenure-track librarian will lead the Access, Information, and User Services (AIUS) Department, including providing strategic direction; implementing new services; managing personnel at the service desk; overseeing technical aspects of the operations of the library's online circulation, holds, and reserves services; and collaborating with other library departments to provide public services. This position will also provide library instruction to students, staff, and faculty.

Faculty Tenure Track: Yes

Faculty Rank: Assistant/Associate Professor

Position Number: 4B3566

Department: Library

Division: Library

Appointment Type: Faculty

Contract Term: Fiscal Year

From date: If other, specify

End date: If other, specify

Union Affiliation: Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE: 1.0

Benefits Eligible: Eligible

Salary: Starting at $72,080 annually (plus $10,000 administrative stipend annually concurrent with a department head appointment), commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

The Montana State University (MSU) Library seeks a student-focused and creative individual for a tenure-track Assistant Professor – Access Services Librarian. This position will also have an initial three-year appointment as AIUS Department Head, renewed at the dean's discretion. This position provides vision and leadership for the AIUS Department and plays a central role in advancing student success and the library's teaching mission. This position will also contribute to library instruction.

MSU welcomes a broad array of experiences and perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting, and building an inclusive and culturally rich campus environment. In support of our campus and library strategic plans, we enthusiastically encourage members of traditionally underrepresented groups to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the AIUS Department, including providing strategic direction, implementing new services, and collaborating with other library departments to provide public services.
• Serve as Head of the AIUS Department from 2026 – 2028, with renewal at the dean's discretion.
• Manage AIUS personnel. This includes several classified staff members who in turn oversee 13-15 student employees.
• Oversee technical aspects of the operations of the library's online circulation, holds, and reserves services. This includes using Springshare software and managing the fulfillment portion of the library's unified resource management platform, Alma, which is shared among members of TRAILS statewide academic library consortium.
• Provide instruction to students, staff, and faculty through research consultations, library instruction sessions, workshops, and/or credit-bearing courses. This includes providing library instruction for first-year survey courses in coordination with the Instruction Department.
• Contribute scholarship and service in accordance with tenure expectations.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills:

• Master's degree in library and information science (MLS/MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program (or international equivalent) or terminal degree from an appropriate discipline by the time of appointment.
• Experience with library access services, circulation, or user services operations.
• Knowledge of reference, research support, or information literacy instruction in an academic, research, or equivalent setting.
• Demonstrated leadership, mentorship, supervisory, or project management experience.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills:

• Experience with Ex Libris' Alma and Primo and with Springshare's LibApps.
• Experience designing and delivering library instruction, workshops, or credit-bearing courses.
• Knowledge of or experience with managing instructional and classroom technologies in an academic environment.
• Evidence of scholarly or professional contributions in librarianship, teaching, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with faculty, staff, and students in support of student success.

The Successful Candidate Will:

• Have a broad knowledge and an understanding of current trends and issues in academic libraries, particularly related to access, user experience, and emerging technologies.
• Have a user-oriented mindset for delivering outstanding library service.
• Have excellent communication skills across a range of audiences, including students, faculty, library colleagues, and the professional community.
• Have problem solving skills and a positive and proactive approach to troubleshooting.
• Have project management skills and an aptitude for managing multiple priorities.
• Have strong collaborative abilities with students and colleagues of diverse skills and perspectives.
• Contribute positively to the academic success of the students and the mission of Montana State University.
• Have the ability to engage in research and be an active tenure-track faculty member capable of meeting the university's promotion and tenure requirements for librarianship, scholarly activity, and service.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information:

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

The MSU Library embraces educational initiatives in many formats and multiple modalities including point of use, course-integrated, web-based, and credit-bearing course instruction. Workshops, research consultations, and instruction sessions are designed to develop students into self-sufficient and empowered seekers, users, and creators of information. We aim to engage users by modeling the pursuit of knowledge and lifelong learning. We acknowledge that librarianship is inherently multidisciplinary and collaborative. We seek to be adept and flexible in our approaches. We are guided by documents such as the Association for College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, Roles, and Strengths of Teaching Librarians, and by the movement toward a critical information literacy pedagogy. Current initiatives include a move toward robust instruction assessment, scaffolding information literacy concepts through strategic curriculum planning, and embracing 21st century learning tools and technologies.

The Access, Information, and User Services (AIUS) Department is the vibrant, user-centered, public face of the library. It develops and provides services that connect users to library resources. Being the first and primary point of contact for most library users in the physical building, our department strives to provide experiences that are positive and rewarding by answering questions, promoting services, and educating users. From our front-line information and circulation services to behind-the-scenes collections maintenance, AIUS is about making the user experience the best it can be.

The MSU Library is a dynamic, adaptive, and responsive research library. We aspire to build innovative digital and physical spaces where our diverse communities can access and apply information to grow intellectually, build meaningful collaborations, communicate ideas, and envision a better future for Montana and beyond. We are proud to serve the university and the people of Montana, and we strive to do so while embodying the core values of the profession of librarianship and MSU. Our values reflect how we carry forward our strategic and operational decisions: we aim to build a more informed, thoughtful, and just world while striving to cultivate an environment that supports the potential for finding joy and meaning in our work.

The MSU Library is committed to providing access to information resources and supporting student and faculty success through instructional services and research assistance. Our library faculty are campus leaders and active within state, regional, and national library communities. The MSU Library has over 50 faculty and staff employees, including 14 tenure-track faculty, 33 staff members, and 25-30 student employees.

Posting Detail Information:

Number of Vacancies: 1

Desired Start Date: Position End Date (if temporary): Open Date: Close Date: Applications will be: Screening of applications will begin on January 7th, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions:

To apply, please upload:

• A cover letter highlighting elements of your experiences that specifically addresses the required and preferred qualifications for this position.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A statement on your teaching philosophy that will be applied to your work with students and instructors at MSU (max 2 pages).

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

EEO Statement: Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer