Position: GIS Librarian (University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign)

Position: GIS Librarian (University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign)

"The University of Illinois Library is seeking an energetic and creative person to serve as the lead in the Library's collection and delivery of digital geospatial data and associated geographic information systems (GIS) services. The GIS Librarian will coordinate all aspects of the Library's digital geospatial information program at the intersection of user needs, technology, and data content. Creating a portal to geospatial data, the GIS Librarian will move the profession and services offered from traditional map librarianship towards geoinformatics with an increased interest in modeling geospatial data and in techniques applied to geospatial information systems for data management, retrieval, and analysis."

What a position! I have not posted a position here in a while as my regular blogging habits gave way to the business of this semester, but this position seems so exciting that I can not help myself... The folks over at Urbana-Champaign sure know what it takes to define the role of a GIS Librarian. If anyone out there is unsure about such a role, this job announcement is a fantastic concise summary.

Here are some snippets from the job announcement:

• "This is a full-time faculty position in the Map and Geography Library of the University Library."
• "Provides reference service, research assistance, and instruction in the selection and possible uses of digital geospatial data through in-person and remote one-on-one interactions, workshops/seminars, websites, blogs, and other avenues of widely distributed communication..."
• "Works with teaching faculty to implement GIS modules in courses. Prepares datasets to support course assignments."
  
• "GIS Librarian will craft a digital geospatial data collection development plan and will develop a campus clearinghouse and archive for digital geospatial data."
• "GIS Librarian will describe acquired data using appropriate metadata schema and mount and maintain data on Library or University servers, providing access to the campus community at large."
• "Serves as Library's contact person for campus site-license software such as ESRI and ERDAS
  products."
• "Develops and maintains close liaison relationships with local and state geospatial data producers."

There is no specific mention of a salary here, but considering the requirements and the high research level of the university, the salary should be nice.