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Chinese Studies Librarian (Librarian C/D)
The University of Pennsylvania Libraries seek an innovative and energetic Chinese Studies Librarian to develop and manage library resources from and about China and to provide library services for the interdisciplinary field of Chinese Studies at Penn.
Library collections and services currently support teaching and research for faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students in a wide range of China-related subjects, with particular strengths in Chinese archaeology, architecture, history, languages, literature, philosophy, and religions. During the past decade, academic courses focusing on modern China have grown in the departments of anthropology, economics, history, history and sociology of science, political science, and sociology, as well as in the schools of Business, Communication, Design, Education, Law, and Social Policy and Practice.
Growth of the Libraries’ collections has paralleled the development of the academic programs and dates back to the late 19th-century when D. B. McCartee, a Penn graduate and Protestant missionary to East Asia, donated his personal library to the University. Since the mid-1990s, the Collection has been developing rapidly to support the growing Chinese Studies programs at Penn, in conjunction with the Center for East Asian Studies, a federally-funded Title VI National Resource Center.
Today the Libraries hold more than 170,000 volumes in Chinese, 160 currently received serials, and 1,300 microforms. They also provide access to specialized electronic databases, such as the China Academic Journals, Chinese Ancient Texts, Guo xue bao dian, National Index to Chinese Newspapers and Periodicals, and Si ku quan shu.
The Penn Libraries include fifteen libraries and an off-site high density storage facility. System-wide scholarly resources number nearly 6 million books, 96,000 current serials (of which 82,000 are e-journals) and 800 databases. The library is a leader in the development of digital library services and collections and is aggressively experimenting with and adopting new technology in research and teaching, including courseware. As a founding partner of the Kuali OLE Project, Penn will be at the forefront of developing a next-generation community source technology environment to support academic library operations.The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League comprehensive research university in Philadelphia founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin and his circle. It comprises twelve schools, 3,800 faculty and an enrollment of 20,000 students, equally divided between undergraduate/professional school students.
Position Summary and Overall Responsibilities
Reporting to the Director of Collection Development & Management, the Chinese Studies Librarian selects and acquires scholarly resources from and about China (including primarily China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) in a wide range of subjects and formats in both Chinese and Western languages, in support of Penn’s current and anticipated academic programs in consultation with faculty members.
The Chinese Studies Librarian provides specialized reference, instruction and academic liaison services to Penn faculty and students, both undergraduate and graduate, with research interests in China in all departments and schools where China is included as a topic of study. S/he also maintains the Chinese Collection website as well as the East Asian Seminar Room with its own reference collection and teaching facility.
The Chinese Studies Librarian participates in the process of acquisition and bibliographic control of all types of resources in Chinese, using the Voyager library management system and the OCLC bibliographic utility. The incumbent supervises a full-time Library Specialist and may perform original cataloging and complex copy cataloging while also providing appropriate classification and subject analysis according to national and local standards. S/he serves as a resource person both within the Chinese Studies Unit and throughout the Libraries, on matters pertaining to bibliographic control of resources from and about China as well as the maintenance of the integrity of the online Chinese catalog data.
The Chinese Studies Librarian works collaboratively with library colleagues, especially those in Area Studies, and with humanities and social science librarians, their respective campus constituencies, and donors. S/he is also expected to participate in the larger field of East Asian librarianship on the national and international levels with particular emphasis on fostering collaboration.
Contingent on training and experience, the Chinese Studies Librarian may have additional assignments such as serving as the Libraries’ Coordinator for Area Studies by providing fiscal oversight and advocacy for all Area Studies’ librarians, and may be invited to teach a course related to Chinese Studies.
The Chinese Studies Librarian must have knowledge of current and developing patterns of scholarship and publishing in relevant fields of study and be committed to the international and interdisciplinary strengths of Penn’s academic programs. While continuing to focus on traditional formats, the Chinese Studies Librarian will actively promote new digital media and services and is expected to seek out external funding opportunities and develop collaborative partnerships worldwide.
Qualifications
An accredited Master’s degree in library or information science with a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience or the equivalent in education and training. Advanced knowledge of Chinese history, literature and culture; with a graduate degree in East Asian Studies preferred. Knowledge of the Chinese publishing industry and trends in scholarship. Fluent command of both written and spoken Chinese (Mandarin), as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Ability to work independently and collegially with librarians and users. Experience in using CJK bibliographic utilities and knowledge of Pinyin conversion and Chinese transcription is desirable. Reading knowledge of another East Asian and/or European language, preferred. For the rank of D, at least five years of relevant experience is required.
Rank and Salary: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Includes a generous benefits package – additional information available at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/jobs/benefits.asp.
To Apply: Potential candidates are invited to submit a letter of application that addresses the needs and qualifications of the position, along with their resume and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references who can address the suitability of the candidate for the position described, as well as complete an on-line employment application at https://jobs.hr.upenn.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=193053
Alternatively, you may search by reference # 110230068 at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/jobs
Applications will be accepted immediately and until the position is filled; however, applications submitted before March 30, 2011 will receive priority consideration.
The University of Pennsylvania is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
