Job Title

James E. Walker Library (Student Engagement Librarian), Tenure-Track Faculty

Department

Library User Services

University Expectation

MTSU seeks candidates committed to innovative teaching, robust research/creative activity, and meaningful service. We also seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty who value working with diverse students.

Salary

The salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Job Summary/Basic Function

The James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University invites applicants for a 12-month, full-time, tenure-track faculty position (#401530) as the Student Engagement Librarian in the User Services Department at the rank of assistant or associate professor. The start date for the position is negotiable.

The Student Engagement Librarian is a member of the User Services Department and reports to the Chair. The position is highly collaborative, working with all members of the library and various campus partners. The Student Engagement Librarian leads Walker Library’s student engagement initiatives, with an emphasis on supporting high-impact educational practices (e.g., peer-to-peer learning and first-year experiences) in the library and across the university and fostering a sense of belonging among students at MTSU. Walker Library is seeking a service-oriented candidate who is committed to empowering students with diverse experiences, with a particular focus on supporting at-risk and underrepresented students. The ideal candidate for the Student Engagement Librarian position is an innovative teacher who will develop engaging library education programs and learning experiences, a creative collaborator who will coordinate and participate in campus-wide outreach efforts, and a student-centered advocate for belonging and well-being. This is an academic librarian position; therefore, applicants will be required to articulate their philosophy of librarianship in a teaching philosophy statement and share their scholarly or creative interests in a research statement. All User Services faculty members are evaluated in the three areas of librarianship/teaching, research and creative activities, and service, in accordance with university and department tenure and promotion policies.

The Student Engagement Librarian:

• Serves as the Walker Library’s liaison to the Office of Student Success and cultivates and sustains collaborative relationships with other campus units and programs that support academic preparedness, student learning, student wellbeing, and student retention.
• Actively engages in initiatives that foster a welcoming environment for all students.
• Explores innovative outreach strategies to connect directly with students.
• Plans and hosts special events and workshops for students.
• Participates in campus-wide student orientation activities.
• Contributes to the User Services Department’s general reference services and information literacy instruction program.
• Participates in professional associations, workshops, conferences, and meetings, and contributes to the advancement of the profession through research and scholarly activities.
• Serves as a liaison to assigned academic departments, units, programs, and offices.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills.

Required Education

A master’s degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program is required by the appointment date.

Other Desirables

Applicants with the following will receive special consideration:
• Demonstrated experience leading instruction, teaching, or training in a library or higher education setting
• Demonstrated experience managing a project, program, or team in a library or higher education setting
• Demonstrated experience centering, collaborating with, and advocating for at-risk student communities
• Demonstrated experience developing outreach activities or events in a library or higher education setting
• Familiarity with high-impact educational practices and other related student success initiatives
• Knowledge and/or interest in using emerging technologies to enhance the delivery of information services
• Knowledge of scholarly research trends and methodological approaches in the social sciences, which may include an undergraduate and/or graduate degree in a social sciences subject area
• Strong commitment to providing excellent service to the public

Documents Needed to Apply

To successfully apply, applicants must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and statement of research or creative activities (as appropriate to the discipline) as separate attachments.

Special Instruction to Applicants 

For more information about serving as a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University, please visit our faculty recruitment webpage at https://mtsu.edu/facultyrecruitment/.

If you need help with the application process, please contact Mitzi Dunkley, Faculty Recruitment Specialist, at (615) 898-5128. If you have position-specific questions, please contact Grover Baker at Grover.Baker@mtsu.edu.

MTSU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:  

• Sick Leave
• Vacation Leave for Administrative/Classified Staff/12-month Faculty
• 13 paid University holidays
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Retirement plans
• Optional 401K and 403B Deferred Compensation Plans
• Educational benefits for the employee, their spouse, and dependents

MTSU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligibility for U.S. employment is required before employment (Immigration Control Act of 1986). Clery Act crime statistics for MTSU are available at https://police.mtsu.edu/annual-security-report/ or by contacting MTSU Public Safety at (615) 898-2424.

MTSU is a Tobacco & Drug-Free campus.

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you will be required to provide information about your criminal history to be considered.

For individuals requiring reasonable accommodation to apply: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with MTSU, please call 615-898-2929 or email emp@mtsu.edu.

Application Review Date: 06/19/2026