199 SPEC Kit 350: Supporting Digital Scholarship
YORK UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
GIS and Map Librarian
GIS and Map Librarian, York University Libraries
York University Libraries seeks an enthusiastic and service-oriented librarian with excellent
communication skills to fill the position of GIS and Map Librarian. The successful candidate will be a
creative and self-motivated person who works well with colleagues in a challenging and dynamic
environment.
York University offers a world-class, modern, interdisciplinary academic experience in Toronto, Canada's
most multicultural city. York is at the centre of innovation, with a thriving community of almost 60,000
students, faculty, and staff who challenge the ordinary and deliver the unexpected.
Located in the Scott Library, the Map Library supports a print collection of 112,000 maps, 5,000 aerial
photographs and 6,600 atlases and books, as well as an extensive digital geospatial data collection. This
library is staffed by the GIS and Map Librarian along with an additional 1.5 full-time employees and 6 part-
time student assistants. Services include reference, reserves, circulation, collection development and
maintenance, as well as cartographic information literacy.
The candidate will lead in the teaching, reference, collection and liaison activities for geospatial and map
resources. A priority for the library is working with faculty to integrate library GIS data resources and
maps into the curriculum. The librarian will have special responsibility for the Department of Geography
collection, liaison, and, information literacy activities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The
candidate will provide research and teaching support in the use of map resources and geospatial and
non-geospatial data to researchers across the disciplines including social science, humanities, science
and engineering. The GIS and Map Librarian will liaise with the broader geospatial community: campus,
provincial, national and international. The candidate will work closely with the York Data Librarian.
The position includes the management of the Map Library, its services and collections. The incumbent
will inspire and foster innovation in the delivery of frontline and virtual service to the user community, and
will provide leadership in developing optimal access to geospatial and map resources. The incumbent
will supervise staff in the Map Library, prepare annual budgets and other reports, and advise on
processing print and electronic materials including metadata standards for digital resources and
cartographic materials.
The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:
• An ALA-accredited MLIS degree or equivalent with up to seven years post-MLIS experience.
• Educational background relevant to geography, GIS and Maps.
• Extensive knowledge of and expertise with the use of geospatial data and GIS software
packages.
• Will have completed some courses in geomatics or GIS.
• Expertise with non-spatial data resources, and statistical software packages.
• Demonstrated understanding of developing linkages between spatial and non-spatial data.
• Evidence of leadership and professional initiative.
• Ability to work with a large and diverse clientele.
• Extensive knowledge of print map resources and principles of organization including indexes and
cataloguing standards.
• Knowledge of information sources relevant to the map library user community.
• Demonstrated managerial skills.
• Experience in web authoring and web support technologies.
• Demonstrated understanding of the concepts, goals, and methods of information literacy
instruction and ability to teach in a variety of settings and formats.
• Effective analytical, written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated skills in
training, and public communications.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and be flexible in a dynamic work environment.
• A demonstrated commitment to developing, maintaining and sharing technical expertise
YORK UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
GIS and Map Librarian
GIS and Map Librarian, York University Libraries
York University Libraries seeks an enthusiastic and service-oriented librarian with excellent
communication skills to fill the position of GIS and Map Librarian. The successful candidate will be a
creative and self-motivated person who works well with colleagues in a challenging and dynamic
environment.
York University offers a world-class, modern, interdisciplinary academic experience in Toronto, Canada's
most multicultural city. York is at the centre of innovation, with a thriving community of almost 60,000
students, faculty, and staff who challenge the ordinary and deliver the unexpected.
Located in the Scott Library, the Map Library supports a print collection of 112,000 maps, 5,000 aerial
photographs and 6,600 atlases and books, as well as an extensive digital geospatial data collection. This
library is staffed by the GIS and Map Librarian along with an additional 1.5 full-time employees and 6 part-
time student assistants. Services include reference, reserves, circulation, collection development and
maintenance, as well as cartographic information literacy.
The candidate will lead in the teaching, reference, collection and liaison activities for geospatial and map
resources. A priority for the library is working with faculty to integrate library GIS data resources and
maps into the curriculum. The librarian will have special responsibility for the Department of Geography
collection, liaison, and, information literacy activities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The
candidate will provide research and teaching support in the use of map resources and geospatial and
non-geospatial data to researchers across the disciplines including social science, humanities, science
and engineering. The GIS and Map Librarian will liaise with the broader geospatial community: campus,
provincial, national and international. The candidate will work closely with the York Data Librarian.
The position includes the management of the Map Library, its services and collections. The incumbent
will inspire and foster innovation in the delivery of frontline and virtual service to the user community, and
will provide leadership in developing optimal access to geospatial and map resources. The incumbent
will supervise staff in the Map Library, prepare annual budgets and other reports, and advise on
processing print and electronic materials including metadata standards for digital resources and
cartographic materials.
The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:
• An ALA-accredited MLIS degree or equivalent with up to seven years post-MLIS experience.
• Educational background relevant to geography, GIS and Maps.
• Extensive knowledge of and expertise with the use of geospatial data and GIS software
packages.
• Will have completed some courses in geomatics or GIS.
• Expertise with non-spatial data resources, and statistical software packages.
• Demonstrated understanding of developing linkages between spatial and non-spatial data.
• Evidence of leadership and professional initiative.
• Ability to work with a large and diverse clientele.
• Extensive knowledge of print map resources and principles of organization including indexes and
cataloguing standards.
• Knowledge of information sources relevant to the map library user community.
• Demonstrated managerial skills.
• Experience in web authoring and web support technologies.
• Demonstrated understanding of the concepts, goals, and methods of information literacy
instruction and ability to teach in a variety of settings and formats.
• Effective analytical, written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated skills in
training, and public communications.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and be flexible in a dynamic work environment.
• A demonstrated commitment to developing, maintaining and sharing technical expertise
