"Systems and Discovery Librarian"

Job Details

This position is a tenure-track, twelve-month faculty appointment at the rank of Assistant Librarian / Assistant Professor or Associate Librarian / Associate Professor.

The University of Arkansas Libraries seeks a detail-oriented, service-driven, and analytically minded Systems and Discovery Librarian to support and enhance access to library collections and services through integrated system management, discovery optimization, and web-based applications.

As a member of the Library Systems and Web Services department, the Systems and Discovery Librarian plays a vital role in the daily administration of the integrated library system (Alma), the library discovery platform (Primo VE), authentication systems (OpenAthens), Springshare’s LibApps suite of products, and related technologies. The librarian coordinates system workflows, monitors data integrity, leads troubleshooting efforts, and provides timely communication regarding system status and outages. This position is responsible for identifying and implementing user-focused improvements to library systems, supporting projects in collaboration with departments across the Libraries, and partnering with Campus IT on systems integrations (e.g., Workday). The Systems and Discovery Librarian supervises one staff member.

This position serves as a key liaison to Ex Libris and other library system vendors, and this position maintains excellent vendor relationships to support troubleshooting, system functionality, upgrades, and the assessment of new projects. The Systems and Discovery Librarian also maintains internal documentation and contributes to the Libraries’ efforts in accessibility, usability, and user experience (UX) design.

As a tenure-track faculty member, the incumbent is responsible for research, creative work, and service in alignment with the University of Arkansas Libraries’ faculty requirements.

Relocation allowance available. Benefits include TIAA or Fidelity Investments, tuition reduction, and health insurance. Annual leave starts at 15 days per calendar year and increases with years of service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Administer and maintain the Alma/Primo VE library services platform, including system configurations, user roles and permissions, and analytics. Monitor and troubleshoot daily scheduled jobs, data loads, and error reports; escalate issues to vendors or internal stakeholders as needed.
• Manage and optimize discovery layers, including indexing from ArchivesSpace, Digital Commons, and CONTENTdm.
• Serve as Chair of the Discovery Committee, providing leadership and coordination for discovery-related initiatives across the Libraries.
• Configure, monitor, and improve openURL linking to and from library collections and services such as ILLiad.
• Coordinate authentication services and integrations through OpenAthens.
• Configure and support LibApps tools including LibAnswers and LibGuides, manage ticket queues, and support communication around outages or issues.
• Serve as the primary contact for vendor support tickets related to systems (Ex Libris, OpenAthens, ProQuest, EBSCO, etc.).
• Develop internal documentation and workflows for system tasks, including regular reports and updates.
• Provide training and support to library staff on the effective use of Alma/Primo functionality, workflows, and new features.
• Supervise the work of the Circulation Systems Manager, offering guidance and oversight to ensure consistency in system support and service quality.
• Collaborate closely with the Libraries’ Web Developer and colleagues across the libraries on shared responsibilities related to discovery, user experience, accessibility, and web systems functionality.
• Lead or participate in meetings and working groups, including the ILS Steering Committee and Discovery Group.
• Stay informed on system enhancements and release notes; coordinate evaluation and implementation of new features.
• Provide usage statistics and system metrics for assessment and reporting purposes.
• Coordinate system maintenance tasks such as certificate renewals, sandbox refreshes, and patron data cleanup.
• Participate in faculty governance and scholarly activities appropriate to a tenure-track faculty appointment.
• Manage API integrations (Ex Libris APIs and other vendor APIs) for system interoperability.
• Supporting integrations with campus systems (student information system, financial systems like Workday, and LMS such as Blackboard/Canvas).