Liaison Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences (Full-time, Continuing Track)

Faculty/Academic Area: Library 

Department: N/A 

Campus: Brantford 

Employee Group: WLUFA 

Requisition ID: 10251 

Description

Wilfrid Laurier University Library is seeking a librarian to fill a full-time, continuing track appointment as a Liaison Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences.  Primary duties will include collection development and management, reference consultations, instruction, research support and faculty liaison for a selection of program areas. This position will be appointed at the Brantford campus. The incumbent will also serve other Laurier campus locations where required. Please note that travel may be involved.  

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading Canadian university known for academic excellence and a culture that inspires lives of leadership and purpose.  Laurier is devoted to excellence in learning, research, scholarship, and creativity, as well as supporting and enhancing high-quality undergraduate, graduate and professional education.

The Library provides collaborative, inclusive, and creative spaces and services for our users. Through exceptional resources, expertise, and technology, the Library supports transformative learning, research, and teaching across campuses, and through engagement with the wider community.

Serving over 20,000 students across multiple campuses, the Laurier Library employs a staff of 59, including 21 librarians. It offers access to over 70,000 full-text online journals, indexes, and e-books, as well as more than 1.2 million print volumes.  As part of the Omni Group of Libraries, Laurier students, faculty and staff may use and borrow materials from 19 member libraries across Ontario, including from local partners, the University of Guelph, and the University of Waterloo libraries.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a liaison and provides research assistance and support for students and faculty in Faculties of Human and Social Science and/or Faculty of Liberal Arts
• Manages print and electronic collections for designated programs and subjects
• Provides proactive outreach and liaison services to support faculty, students and staff and to promote library collections and services in designated departments/programs
• Delivers in-person and online library instruction to students, faculty, and staff
• Develops and maintains library user guides, course web pages and learning objects (including video tutorials)
• Provides research assistance and/or referrals to faculty for research metrics and impact, and bibliometrics
• Engages with faculty, students and researchers on emerging forms of scholarship
• Serves on library and university committees
• Participates in shared library projects and activities
• Trains other library staff on important resources and topics for assigned subject areas
• Participates in scholarly research and/or professional activity
• May include some evenings and weekends

Qualifications

Required

• ALA accredited MLIS or equivalent
• Minimum of one year of professional librarian experience
• Demonstrable overall understanding of current library practice, including collection management, reference, and instructional services
• Recent experience providing in-depth research assistance in humanities and social sciences
• Experience developing and delivering in-person and online instruction or training
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and to develop creative ideas
• Demonstrated ability to manage a diverse and varied workload and to work effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Strong computer literacy, including web page creation and editing, online learning object creation, and ability to learn new technologies quickly
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to form successful and collaborative relationships with diverse colleagues, faculty, students, and staff
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to equity and inclusion
• Demonstrated understanding of accessibility best practices and AODA standards
• Evidence of professional or scholarly activity

Preferred

• Master’s degree in a related discipline
• Experience with collection management
• Familiarity with the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy and experience providing library instruction
• Experience with criminology or legal resources
• Work experience in an academic library
• Familiarity with scholarly communication practices, for example open access, research metrics or bibliometrics, scholarly publishing lifecycle, or knowledge synthesis

Appointment and Compensation

The Liaison Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences position is a full-time, continuing track appointment which will be available from January 1, 2026. The appointment will be made at a level commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Salary, benefits, and terms of employment are governed by the Collective Agreement between Wilfrid Laurier University and Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association for Full-time Faculty and Professional Librarians, available at: The Agreements - WLUFA.  Salary will be commensurate with experience and skills.

Application Procedure

Applicants should send (1) a curriculum vitae; (2) a cover letter; (3) details (name, position title, organization) and contact information (telephone and email address) for three referees.

Applications can be addressed to:

Scott Gillies

University Librarian

Please send the application package via email to ULAdmin@wlu.ca 

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key pillar of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Strategic Plan and is one of Laurier’s core values. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from qualified members of the equity-deserving groups. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca.  Candidates from other equity-deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship(s); however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Members of designated groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates may self-identify, in confidence, to: Scott Gillies, sgillies@wlu.ca.  Further information on the equity policy can be found at https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/8.4-employment-equity.html.

To obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, please contact: ULAdmin@wlu.ca  

The Library wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All nominations and applications shall be reviewed and considered under a set of criteria established by the Search Committee, and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a CV and letter of introduction will be required in electronic form.

We would like to acknowledge that Wilfrid Laurier University and its campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe (Anish-nah-bay) and Haudenosaunee (Hoe-den-no-show-nee) peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources and not to engage in conflict. From the Haldimand Proclamation of Oct. 25, 1784 this territory is described as: “six miles deep from each side of the river (Grand River) beginning at Lake Erie and extending in the proportion to the Head of said river, which them and their posterity are to enjoy forever.” The proclamation was signed by the British wit​h their allies, the Six Nations, after the American Revolution. Despite being the largest reserve demographically in Canada, those nations now reside on less than five percent of this original territory.