Associate Librarian

Job Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Strategic Planning

o Member of the library senior management team.

o Working collaboratively with the Director of Library Services (DoLS), Associate Librarian Library Services Delivery (ALLSD) to ensure library services and resources are aligned with, and support RCSI strategy.

o Contributing to overall library strategic direction and policy setting.

o Leading on the strategic development of library services in the areas of education, research and clinical support.

o Making a positive contribution to all aspects of the library service.

• Provision of Consistently High Standard Service

o Articulating the vision, scope and effective delivery of services according to best or established practice in health sciences environments for three key areas:

▪ Education support, including the delivery of teaching & learning sessions and support for RCSI courses, as well as more generic training and support services including on library services, search resources and techniques, referencing techniques and software, critical thinking and appropriate use of AI.

▪ Research services including the operation and development of the RCSI Repository, promotion and training on Open Access, advice and support for Open Access agreements, research impact and metrics, copyright and open publishing; training, organisation and support for research data management and FAIR data; advanced search support for systematic reviews.

▪ Clinical Library Services, focusing especially on teaching and search support, and effective promotion of services to hospital staff.

o Overseeing and assisting proactive liaison by the ERC team with departments and research centres in support of effective awareness and delivery of library services. Manage the planning, development and evaluation of effective approaches to academic liaison.

o Maintaining knowledge and experience of emerging technologies & practices used to support the provision of innovative, high quality Library support for research, education and clinical activities

o Liaising closely with ALLSD & LRC Manager RCSI Bahrain, to share knowledge and best practice in the development of collections and services for user communities

o Benchmarking against sector good practice and developing new ideas to ensure the library’s services are responsive and reflect the changing needs of users

o Evaluating the effectiveness and quality of services in the context of quality assurance

o Providing usage statistics and management information as required

Team Management

o Managing & directing the work, including continuing professional development and professional development planning (PDP) evaluation, of the assistant librarians responsible for:

▪ Teaching & Learning

▪ Open research

▪ Research data management

▪ Systematic review support

▪ Clinical Library Services

o Leading and developing the team, engendering a creative, supportive, and innovative team culture

o Working with the ALLSD to establish and ensure cross-team communications and working relationships at all times

o Promoting a work culture than enables individuals and teams to perform enthusiastically and consistently at high level

o Providing inspiration, motivation and encouragement to all the team

o Keeping accurate & appropriate HR records

o Promoting equality of opportunity and supporting diversity and inclusion as well as working to support the University’s environmental and sustainability agenda and practices

o Complying with statutory legislation and rules and requirements in furtherance of your own and general staff welfare and safety

• Relationship Management & Development

o Building and maintaining strong strategic & working relationships with academic, research and clinical stakeholders at the appropriate level.

o Building and maintaining strong collegial and operational working relationships within the library department at all levels

o Developing and maintaining relationships with peers in similar institutions and roles

• Advocacy and representation

o Coordinating with the ALLSD to raise awareness of the Library’s expertise and services to support the teaching, learning, clinical and research activities of RCSI e.g. Open Research, Research Data Management, Information/Digital Literacy, e-resources integration etc

o Representing the Library on Faculty/School/Departmental and other committees as appropriate with delegated authority from the Chief Librarian

o Representing the Library at national and international levels as appropriate

QUALIFICATIONS

▪ Post-graduate qualification in library or information science or equivalent

▪ Evidence of commitment to CPD

EXPERIENCE

▪ Significant experience of planning & managing delivery of library services in an academic setting or for health professionals

▪ Staff management

▪ Change management

▪ In-depth experience of at least one of the areas of responsibility

KNOWLEDGE

▪ Significant familiarity with best practice in academic and health science libraries in general and specifically in relation to:

• Curriculum and instructional support

• Systematic review level literature searching

• Research support including institutional repositories & open research

• Relevant and emerging technologies such as GenAI and their impact and potential in teaching, learning and research

SKILLS

▪ Excellent communication skills

▪ Team leadership & motivation

▪ Project management

▪ Strong delegation skills and ability to achieve results through others

▪ Excellent ability to build relationships, allies and influence within the library team, across the University and with external stakeholders

▪ Collaborative and cooperative working with internal and external stakeholders to achieve joint goals