Faculty Librarians

Effective March 3, 1970, faculty status for librarians was approved by the Chancellor. Generally, librarians may be appointed to one of the five ranks of faculty librarians (Librarians I-V) with faculty status as follows:

Librarian I

The usual beginning faculty librarian position requires a master's degree in library and/or information sciences from an ALA-accredited library school or a recognized equivalent degree. The librarian should demonstrate potential for academic librarianship and competence in the prescribed area of responsibility.

Librarian II

A Librarian II should evidence demonstrated competence in an area of responsibility with the ability to work independently and have substantial experience beyond Librarian I. The librarian should exhibit having obtained relevant continuing education, formal or informal, having participated in professional associations and in campus organizations and/or community service.

Librarian III

A Librarian III should have demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following: administration and supervision; bibliographic techniques; cataloging and classification; collections development; computer and information science; reference and library instruction; subject knowledge; and technical processes. He or she should have substantial experience beyond the Librarian II rank and have participated in professionally relevant continuing education (formal or informal) and in campus organizations and/or community service. The person should also show participation in professional activities such as presentation of papers, consulting, committee work, publications, or attendance at conferences.

Librarian IV

A Librarian IV should have substantial experience beyond Librarian III and have given consistently superior professional performance. The person should show a capacity and will to maintain extensive responsibility and action for development of portions of the library programs in one or more areas of expertise. He or she will have evidence of significant contribution to librarianship and/or other academic disciplines through professional activities, research, or creative activities as well as consistent service to the library, University, or community and relevant continuing education.

Librarian V

The rank of Librarian V recognizes the attainment of excellence and superior achievements in a field of librarianship and consistently outstanding performance and service demonstrated by (1) application of complex administrative or analytical techniques to major aspects of library operations; and (2) established state, regional, or national leadership in library or other scholarly organizations or programs or scholarly pursuits resulting in publication, consultation, or recognition in the professions. The Librarian V should have obtained substantial experience beyond Librarian IV, provided consistent service to the library, University, or community and participated in relevant continuing education.

The appointment of faculty librarians is outside the tenure stream. Faculty librarians on a three-year appointment shall be notified in writing of a decision not to renew the appointment no later than six months prior to the end of the appointment.

Criteria and procedures for the appointment and promotion of faculty librarians in the University Library System (ULS) are included in the document, Guidelines for Faculty Librarians: Appointment, Review, Promotion and Appeal.Faculty librarians in the ULS are reviewed for purposes of granting the "expectation of continuing employment" by the end of the sixth year. When a decision is made not to grant this status, a faculty librarian may be offered a contract extension of no more than one year.

Faculty librarians outside the ULS should consult their library administration for their guidelines and practices regarding promotion and the availability of "expectation of continuing employment."

All faculty librarians are voting members of the University Senate and elect representatives to serve as voting members of the Senate Council and the Faculty Assembly.

Full-time faculty librarians have the same fringe benefits as faculty members. Leave for extensive professional development may be granted for six months with full pay or one year at half pay on application to the Director of the University Library System (or appropriate dean or regional campus president and the Provost). This privilege is reserved for those librarians who have contracts signifying expectations of continuing employment, who have served an additional period of time, and who have a definite project planned that will increase their professional qualifications and materially aid the development of the University Libraries.

For additional information, refer to AC 25 Faculty Librarian Status (formerly 02-02-14).