Description
The OEL is an innovative, collaborative, experienced, and highly motivated individual eager to join a newly formed library. The OEL will build strong relationships by listening to others with great attention and sincerity. The focus is to provide learning support, instruction support, and faculty support. The OEL is experienced with incorporating open strategies including open access, open science, data, and publishing. The OEL will ensure a vision for the future with perseverance and keeping everyone invested. The OEL supports diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the library and across the university. You will report to the Library Director.

Excelsior University is a 50+ year old online institution that is grounded in the values of Accessibility and Completion, Equity and Inclusion, Collaboration, Affordability, Trustworthiness, and Excellence. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and asks, “how do we become more ‘student ready’ so that we may better serve our students?” We believe that through education we can empower change and make a meaningful impact on the future. Our community works hard in the service of students and supports one another like a family.

At Excelsior University we offer our employees a collaborative environment to work together and inspire ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. Excelsior University employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, flexible work environment, health insurance benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off and educational benefits. This role is ideally based in Albany, NY or the surrounding areas, but remote applicants will be considered.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Contributes to the planning, implementation, and assessment of OER program activities.

Engages in faculty outreach, targeting courses and programs for OER adoption.

Collaborates with stakeholders to develop strategies and activities to further support the discovery, adoption, creation, and accessibility of OER across the university.

Designs and delivers instructional workshops and learning materials to increase the utilization of Creative Commons open licenses and OER repositories.

Communicates professional development opportunities that support Open Education practices.

Assists with identifying appropriate OER materials.

Encourages development of high-quality and accessible course materials.

Provides guidance on open licensing, copyright, and fair use best practices.

Tracks OER usage and impact.

Maintains current knowledge of Open Education through peer association, review of literature, and attendance at meetings, seminars, and continuing education related to duties and responsibilities.

Develops, implements, and manages the outreach, programming, and instructional activities promoting library service to the Excelsior community.

Contributes to committees and attends events to cultivate relationships supporting the library’s mission to enrich the overall academic experience.

Liaise with an educational focus area at the university.

Provides reference services.

Actively supports the Excelsior University commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Performs other duties as assigned to ensure smooth operations of the library.

Strategically and collaboratively works with stakeholders to build programs and initiatives.

Communicates effectively in writing and orally in a clear and concise manner.

Analyzes data to examine trends in student use and assessment of resources.

Raises the awareness, application, and implementation of Open Educational practices at Excelsior University.

Advocates for and is an ally for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s degree from an ALA accredited institution in Library and Information Science or equivalent.

Minimum 4 years of professional academic library experience including at least two (2) years in OER and textbook affordability work and two (2) years in reference and instructional services.

Awareness of current and emerging trends, issues, standards, systems, and best practices in digital collections, institutional repositories, publishing, open education, affordable course content with an expertise in one of these areas.

Proven knowledge and experience with copyright, Creative Commons open licenses, permissions, and compliance.

Outstanding organizational skills, including attention to detail, time management, and ability to develop efficient workflows.

Ability to excel in a changing university environment.

Experience with relationship and community building as well as a strong service orientation.

Demonstrated expertise in working with various internal and external constituencies.