Assistant Professor, Teaching-track, Library & Information Science

Description

The Information School of the University of Washington seeks an Assistant Teaching Professor in Library & Information Science (LIS). This position is full-time, teaching track (ineligible for tenure) and will be expected to teach the study, design, and development of library and information services for the good of people, organizations, society, and the environment. The successful applicant will be expected to (1) be an engaged teacher and mentor, (2) engage in one or more domains of LIS expertise listed below, and (3) engage diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and justice in the context of teaching social and technical topics.

 

The successful candidate will be expected to apply LIS theory and ethics in teaching sociotechnical topics and issues in one or more of the following areas of expertise:

                                                                                     

●      Knowledge Organization & Information Architecture: cultural, social, and ideological politics and practices of knowledge organization, representation, metadata and categorization, and the management of digital content and cultural heritage collections.

●      Youth Services and School Librarianship: librarians as facilitators of information literacy and the joy of reading and learning of all types that leverages the strength of libraries and archives as learning institutions.

●      Intellectual Freedom: libraries and archives as catalysts and leaders for intellectual freedom, freedom to read, policymaking and legislation pertaining to censorship and information accessibility.

●      Community Engagement: Working collaboratively with user communities in planning services and spaces to transform the social and intellectual environment, lead dialogue and deliberation efforts, and act as integral change agents in the community.

 

This position will engage in LIS practice and leverage a rich professional network to facilitate student learning experiences (e.g. directed fieldwork, capstones, and internships). The successful candidate will be expected to engage in teaching in ways in which library and information services can be designed to minimize and mitigate its harm to people, societies and the environment (e.g., bias and hegemony in classification schema, exclusion of  marginalized voices, censorship and free speech, bias and normativity in scholarly communication, information literacy and misinformation, community-based participatory research. In addition, priority is given to candidates who can contribute to the Information School’s strategic areas: climate change, health and wellness, healthy information environments, and responsible implementation of AI.

                                                                                     

Successful candidates will join a broad-based, inclusive Information School that offers multiple degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level and is committed to the values of leadership, innovation, and diversity. The iSchool’s MLIS program is ranked number 1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. This individual will be a key contributor to the  ongoing success of this degree program in one of the world’s leading information schools.

                                                                                     

Teaching professors are an integral part of the faculty of the iSchool. We provide mentorship, a career path, and opportunities for leadership in the school. This position includes faculty voting rights but is not tenure eligible. The University of Washington is on the quarter system (autumn, winter, spring) and teaching professors typically teach two courses per quarter (6 courses over 9 months) with summers off. Opportunities for summer teaching are often available. Teaching professors in LIS are expected to teach in both the residential and online MLIS courses. University of Washington teaching professors engage in teaching, scholarship, and service. Scholarships are supported and can be demonstrated across a range of contributions, such as innovations in teaching, leadership in teaching communities of practice, and teaching mentorship. Other examples include but are not limited to creative pedagogy and development of new curricula, presenting at professional conferences, leadership in professional associations or on advisory boards, collaboration with faculty at other institutions, publication or editing, peer review for journals or conference programs, or consulting. 

                                                                                     

The University of Washington is a vibrant community of inclusive research and community outreach, situated between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, in the city of Se