Assistant Professor, Master of Library and Information Studies Program

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Closing Date:

11/17/2026

Type of Position:

• Faculty - Tenure/Tenure Track
• Workstudy Position:

No

Job Type:

Regular

Work Shift:

Sponsorship Available:

No

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

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Department:

• Research and Learning
• Department's Website:

https://libraries.uark.edu/

Summary of Job Duties:

Position Summary

The University of Arkansas Libraries invites applications for a full-time, twelve-month, tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in its new Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) Program. Reporting to the Director of the MLIS Program, the successful candidate will hold primary teaching responsibility within the program and will play a foundational role in shaping this inaugural, practitioner-oriented graduate program, the only one of its kind in Arkansas. Prior professional or teaching experience is preferred, and newer doctoral recipients are welcome to apply.

About the Program

The MLIS program is new to the University of Arkansas and is the only master's-level library and information science program in the state. Housed within the University Libraries and based at Mullins Library on the Fayetteville campus, the program offers an in-person, practitioner-oriented curriculum developed in consultation with ALA-accredited peer institutions and is pursuing accreditation from the American Library Association. The program will welcome its first cohort in Fall 2027 and is projected to grow to a steady-state enrollment of approximately 36 students. Because the program is housed within a large, comprehensive academic library, students learn alongside working practitioners and gain access to hands-on, experiential learning opportunities not typically available in stand-alone or fully online programs.

About University Libraries

The University of Arkansas Libraries is the recognized flagship of the University of Arkansas System and includes Mullins Library, the University's main library, which recently completed a two-phase renovation creating modern instructional, collaborative, and research spaces. The Libraries employ 34 full-time faculty librarians whose scholarship spans user behavior, public services, archival practice, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and data analysis, and who will play a central role in teaching and mentoring within the new program.

Key Responsibilities

Teach graduate courses within the MLIS curriculum on a 2-2-1 load: two courses in the fall semester, two in the spring semester, and one course during the summer or a flex term.

Advise and mentor MLIS graduate students, including guidance on capstone and thesis projects.

Participate in student recruiting, admissions, and orientation activities.

Contribute to curriculum development, course design, and ongoing program assessment, including support for the program's American Library Association accreditation efforts.

Maintain an active program of research and professional scholarship to fulfill promotion and tenure requirements.

Serve on department, college, and university committees and engage in service to the library and information science profession.

Workload is generally distributed as approximately 60 percent teaching, 30 percent research, and 10 percent service.

This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Earned doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in Library and Information Science or a closely related field, conferred no later than June 1, 2027. Exceptional candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD), with a confirmed defense or conferral date, may be considered

A Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program, conferred by the start of employment

Evidence of potential for effective graduate-level teaching

Preferred Qualifications :

Professional experience in librarianship, particularly in an academic library setting

Demonstrated teaching experience in higher education, preferably at the master's level

A record of scholarly or professional achievement, or clear evidence of research potential

Experience recruiting, advising, and mentoring graduate students

Experience with curriculum development or new academic program development

Interdisciplinary teaching or research interests bridging library and information science with emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, information technology, or human-centered design

Successful experience with, or clear interest in pursuing, grants or external research funding

Qualification Equivalencies:

Additional Information:

Salary Information:

• $75,000 - 85,000 or commensurate with education and experience
• Required Docum