APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED FOR THIS POSITION
The School of Information Science invites applications for a school library faculty position at the level of open rank, associate, or assistant professor to begin January 1, 2024, or August 16, 2024. A candidate hired as an assistant professor will come with a tenure track line. Rank of associate or full professor must meet the guidelines for tenure at that rank; rank is contingent on a faculty vote.
Candidates with interest and experience in research and pedagogy in school librarianship will be considered. The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses in the school library track within the Master of Library and Information Science program. Candidates specializing in school librarianship and one or more of the following specializations will be considered:
- School library services to underserved populations
- Social justice issues in school libraries and/or culturally sustaining pedagogies/practices
- Intellectual Freedom
- Technology integrated learning
- Collaboration
- Leadership and advocacy
- Collection development and management
Responsibilities
- Participate in instruction, research, publication, grant writing, and other scholarly activities.
- Teach in both face-to-face and online environments, primarily at the graduate level, with opportunities to teach in the undergraduate program as well.
- Mentor and advise graduate and undergraduate students.
- Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community.
- Capacity to teach in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs.
- Capacity to teach and mentor at the graduate level.
Minimum Qualifications
- Earned doctorate in library/information science or related field and at least three years of professional experience in school libraries by the start date of employment.
- For Associate or full Professor rank, additional years of relevant academic experience beyond the Ph.D. commensurate with USC policy.
- Knowledge in creating educational materials for face-to-face and online instruction.
Preferred Qualifications
- A record of, or the potential for active engagement with, the theories and methodologies currently informing the study of school libraries and school librarianship; 2) contributing instructional expertise to the school’s MLIS, Ph.D., and/or the information science undergraduate major and minor; and 3) developing a program of research and scholarship in their specialty area.
Application Process
All applicants must complete an online application at USC Jobs. First review date is September 15, 2023, and must include the following:
- A letter of application that addresses teaching philosophy, research agenda, service mission, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Current vitae.
- List of three references (including name, phone number, and email).
- Three letters of recommendation (solicited prior to start date) – listed as optional documents, while the three letters are required prior to start date, letters may be uploaded with application, but it is not required.
For further information or questions about this position, please contact the Search Committee Chair, Valerie Byrd Fort (valbyrd@mailbox.sc.edu)
The School of Information Science
Our diverse, engaged faculty and staff enjoy a dynamic and intellectually stimulating work environment within the school. In addition, a rich potential for collaborative and interdisciplinary connections exists across the university, including for example, The USC Arnold School of Public Health, the College of Education, and our sister school, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Examples of existing faculty research expertise include information behavior and information practices of marginalized groups; misinformation and disinformation; equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice; LIS Education; accessibility and disability studies; public libraries and cultural heritage institutions; diversity in children's literature; community literacy; school librarianship; knowledge management; international librarianship; social media analysis, big data, and text mining; copyright; medical and health informatics; data analytics; information visualization; health and medical librarianship; critical youth studies; information policy; digital inclusion; and, information access and information poverty.
College of Information and Communications
The College of Information and Communications is home to two nationally recognized schools, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the School of Information Science. The college provides outstanding teaching, research, and community outreach. As such, it is one of only a few universities to combine its communications and information science programs, two rapidly evolving — and converging — fields united by a shared belief that information accessibility is the cornerstone of self-governance. The college has approximately 1,800 undergraduates, 400 graduate students, and more than 100 faculty and staff members. New assets available to faculty and students in both schools include The Social Media Insights Lab and the Biometric and User Experience Lab. Both are designed to facilitate the study of issues related to data, media, and their impact on society.
The University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina in Columbia is the major research institution of the University of South Carolina system and its largest campus, enrolling approximately 35,000 students. The university offers over 320 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional program levels. Founded in 1801, it is among America’s oldest and most comprehensive public universities and is one of only 32 public universities to earn the Carnegie Foundation’s top-tier designations in both research activity and community engagement. South Carolina’s capital city is currently undergoing a number of urban revitalization projects and offers residents a growing range of artistic, cultural, and recreational opportunities.
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.