Social Sciences Research Librarian

Title: Social Sciences Research Librarian

Position Type: Staff with Faculty Rank

Days Per Week: Monday - Friday

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs

Department: Library

Location: Elon Main Campus

Position Summary

Carol Grotnes Belk Library at Elon University seeks a Social Sciences Research Librarian. This role will build upon a successful record of connecting with students, faculty, and staff through instruction, outreach, and individualized consultation. The Social Sciences Research Librarian will work across several social science departments to strengthen information literacy, curricular engagement, and disciplinary inquiry.

This position will also contribute to Belk Library's emerging Research and Publishing team by helping develop a service portfolio that cultivates scholarship and undergraduate research, including data services, grant and publication guidance, emerging tools and technologies, open research practices, evidence synthesis, and strategies for advancing open access and the library's new institutional repository.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate a commitment to Elon's values of Inclusive Excellence and help foster a welcoming climate within Belk Library and the Elon University community. Librarians of all experience levels are encouraged to apply.

A person who thrives in this role will be energized by teaching, mentoring, and working across the research lifecycle and excited to engage in Elon's relationship-rich culture. The Social Sciences Research Librarian will build partnerships across campus, work effectively within a cross-functional librarian model, and explore new ways to advance scholarship, creative practice, and undergraduate inquiry. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to build on the library's strong foundation and help shape its future direction.

This is a 12-month, on-site, non-tenured Staff with Faculty Rank position reporting to the Coordinator of Scholarship and Publishing.

Benefits of Working at Elon

As an Elon University employee, you’ll join an internationally acclaimed university with a commitment to fostering a thriving community. Ranked among the most innovative, creative and best-run universities in the nation, Elon’s personal approach to education extends to employees, whose growth, professional development and success is a hallmark of our training and advancement opportunities.

Elon University’s home is the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, a small, friendly community located a short distance from the beach and the mountains, and among the vibrant cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham. In addition to the beautiful canopy of historic oak trees iconic to our campus, you’ll find boundless opportunities for family-friendly recreation, cultural events and outdoor activities. Hiking, water sports, fine dining and entertainment are just a few of the many happenings in the Elon area, making the region one of the nation’s premier travel destinations.

Employees at Elon enjoy a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes:

28 annual days off, including holidays and vacation.

Immediate tuition remission for undergraduate courses

Tuition remission for approved graduate-level courses after 12 months of employment.

Retirement plan with an 8 percent contribution from the university.

Immediate eligibility for health, dental and vision insurance, along with free acute care and lab services at our onsite Health & Wellness Clinic.

Free use of campus fitness facilities.

Free admission to musical and theater performances, guest speakers, religious and ethnic observances, recitals, art exhibitions, entertainment and our Division I Phoenix athletics.

Eligibility for tuition remission at Elon for spouses, qualifying domestic partners and dependents begins at two years of service. After two years of employment, eligibility begins for participation in the Tuition Exchange, a national scholarship exchange program that enables dependents to enroll in nationally recognized partner colleges and universities.

Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, Elon’s principles of diversity extend to race and gender identity, age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of one’s identity. At Elon, our employees respect human differences, passion for lifelong learning, emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

• A master's degree from an ALA-accredited program in library or information science.
• Demonstrated willingness to cultivate expertise in librarianship focused on the social sciences.
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully with others as well as independently.
• Enthusiasm and interest in engaged library instruction at all levels of the curriculum.
• Commitment to professional development in librarianship, professional activity, and service.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience or interest in an area of library research services, such as:
    o Data services, including research data management, data analytics, or data visualization.
    o Scholarly communications and library publishing support, including Open Educational Resources, Open Data, or institutional        repositories.
    o Best practices in secondary research and evidence synthesis.
    o Emerging tools, technologies, and practices for research support.
• Subject background in the social sciences as evidenced by professional experience or coursework in relevant fields.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of social science research methods, information resources, and disciplinary research practices
• Knowledge of information literacy, research support, and teaching practices in academic libraries
• Ability to provide research consultations and individualized support to students and faculty
• Ability to design and deliver engaging instruction, workshops, and learning experiences
• Ability to build effective partnerships with faculty, students, staff, and campus programs
• Knowledge of or interest in data services, scholarly communication, open access, evidence synthesis, and emerging research technologies
• Ability to support collection development and evaluate resources in response to curricular and research needs
• Ability to work collaboratively within cross-functional teams and independently
• Strong oral, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to assess services, programs, and learning outcomes
• Commitment to inclusive excellence and creating a welcoming research and learning environment
• Willingness to develop expertise in social sciences librarianship and emerging areas of research support

Job Duties

• Serves as liaison to social science programs in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, including the Departments of Political Science and Policy Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, and Psychology.
• Collaborates with librarian colleagues, teaching faculty, and staff across the social sciences to strengthen student learning, faculty scholarship, and disciplinary research practices.
• Contributes to Belk Library's emerging curriculum program by teaching class sessions, designing workshops, and developing learning experiences on topics such as information literacy, research data, and the ethical use of emerging research tools.
• Builds relationships with students and faculty in the social sciences, promotes relevant library services and resources, and identifies evolving needs across those academic programs.
• Develops and evaluates Belk Library's collections and resources in alignment with curricular priorities and research needs.
• Serves as a member of a cross-functional library team, including shared responsibilities in reference and research support, teaching, assessment, collection management, community engagement, and the Personal Librarian program.
• Participates in professional development, regional, statewide, and national professional associations, and University governance activities as appropriate for Staff with Faculty Rank. Engages in the broader life of the Elon University community through appropriate committee work, support of student and faculty events, and service activities.

Special Instructions to Applicants: 

A letter of application, resume, and contact information for three professional references must be submitted through Elon's online application system by September 2, 2026.