University of Missouri-Columbia Libraries

General Policy Manual Policy #21

RECRUITMENT AND HIRING OF LIBRARIANS

0.0 CONTENTS

1.0 Scope of Policy

2.0 Validation of Job Descriptions

3.0 Employment Requests

4.0 Position Announcements

5.0 Advertising

6.0 Screening Committee

7.0 Applicant Documents

8.0 Applicant Screening

9.0 Interviews

10.0 Recommendations for Appointment

11.0 Offers of Appointment

12.0 Processing of Appointment

13.0 Permanent Documentation

14.0 Summaries of Responsibilities

1.0 SCOPE OF POLICY

This policy establishes guidelines for the recruitment and hiring of librarians.

2.0 VALIDATION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

2.1 When a librarian submits a resignation, the supervisor and the incumbent should review the job description for the position.

2.2 The job description should be revised in the format adopted by the UMC Libraries (see Job Description policy).

3.0 EMPLOYMENT REQUESTS

3.1 The supervisor shall prepare an Employment Request Form when a vacancy occurs.

3.2 A copy of the revised job description shall be attached to the employment request.

3.3 The Employment Request Form and revised job description shall be forwarded through the following channels for approval:

a. Administrative Unit Head

b. Assistant Director (if appropriate)

c. Personnel Coordinator

d. Director of Libraries

4.0 POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS

4.1 The Personnel Coordinator shall prepare the Request to Recruit Form.

4.2 The Personnel Coordinator shall prepare the Position Announcement using the revised job description in consultation with the appropriate administrative unit head(s).

4.3 The Position Announcement shall include the job title, scope of the job, summary of duties, qualifications, minimum salary, application deadline, the name of the person to whom applications should be submitted, a list of what should be submitted, and the phrase, "Equal Opportunity Employer."

5.0 ADVERTISING

5.1 Positions may be advertised in local, state, and national journals. Conference placement services, telephone joblines, and specialized placement services, may also be utilized.

5.2 The Personnel Coordinator, in consultation with the appropriate administrative unit head(s), shall determine where the position will be advertised and is responsible for placing all advertisements.

5.3 Position Announcements shall be posted in the Library News Notes.

5.4 Position Announcements may be distributed to ALA-accredited library schools, ARL libraries and other locations as appropriate.

6.0 SCREENING COMMITTEE

6.1 A Screening Committee shall be appointed for each permanent, full-time vacant position at the time of submission of the UMC Request to Recruit Form.

6.2 The Committee should be selected from the staff at large and appointed by the Director of Libraries (or designate) on an ad hoc basis in consultation with the appropriate administrative unit head. The Chair of the Committee shall also be appointed by the Director at this time.

6.3 The Committee shall normally consist of at least three, but not more than five staff, typically one of whom should be the supervisor. The administrative unit head may be a member at his/her discretion.

6.4 The Personnel Coordinator shall serve as a resource person and attend committee meetings at the request of the Chair.

6.5 Any staff member accepting appointment to the Committee shall automatically be disqualified as a candidate for the position to be filled.

6.6 The Director of Libraries (or designate) shall supply the following information to the Committee:

a. A copy of the revised job description and a draft of the Position Announcement.

b. Any unique concerns with respect to the position.

7.0 APPLICANT DOCUMENTS

7.1 All applications and inquiries in response to a Position Announcement shall be acknowledged by the Personnel Coordinator.

7.2 All applications and other documentation received in response to a Position Announcement shall be logged by the Personnel Coordinator for statistical and accountability purposes including where applicant saw advertisement.

7.3 All applications and supporting documents shall then be made available to the Screening Committee and persons in the reporting hierarchy.

7.4 Applications shall include:

a. A current resume

b. Names of three references

8.0 APPLICANT SCREENING

8.1 The Screening Committee shall compare and evaluate all applications received for a position.

8.2 Letters of reference shall be solicited for candidates of greatest interest.

8.3 The Committee shall normally select a maximum of three candidates for each position for interviews.

8.4 Before a candidate is invited to campus, the following documents should normally be in hand:

a. A current resume

b. A placement folder or recommendations from three references

8.5 If a satisfactory list of candidates to be interviewed cannot be compiled, the Committee may recommend to the appropriate assistant director, and the Director of Libraries that the search be reopened.

9.0 INTERVIEWS

9.1 The Personnel Coordinator, in accordance with the responsibilities defined in Section 14.6, will make all necessary arrangements for a candidate's travel and interview.

9.2 The Screening Committee will develop the interview schedule for each candidate.

9.3 Each staff member interviewing a candidate will be invited to submit an evaluation of the applicant to the Chair of the Screening Committee.

10.0 CANDIDATE EVALUATIONS

10.1 Upon completion of all candidate interviews, the Screening Committee shall submit a written evaluation listing all interviewed candidates, with justifications, to the assistant director (where appropriate) or to the Director of Libraries. The list of candidates should not be ranked.

10.2 The assistant director shall review the evaluations of the Screening Committee and add his/her comments.

10.2.1 If the assistant director does not agree with the evaluations, he/she may meet with the Screening Committee to discuss the differences.

10.3 The Director of Libraries will make the final selection and notify the Screening Committee, the assistant director, the Personnel Coordinator, and the administrative unit head(s) of the decision.

10.4 If the Director of Libraries should select a candidate contrary to the evaluations of the Screening Committee, and/or the assistant director, he/she shall meet with the parties concerned of the reason for the decision.

11.0 OFFERS OF APPOINTMENT

11.1 No offer shall be made until after the application deadline has passed, and permission received from the Provost to make an offer.

11.2 The Director of Libraries (or designate) shall contact the candidate with the offer.

11.2.1 If the offer is refused, the Director may select another acceptable name from the list submitted by the Screening Committee and contact that candidate with the offer.

11.2.2 If all acceptable candidates refuse an offer, the search may be re-opened or other applicants in the pool considered.

12.0 PROCESSING OF APPOINTMENT

The Personnel Coordinator shall notify the appropriate parties when an offer has been accepted and shall process the appointment in accordance with the responsibilities outlined in Section 14.6.

13.0 PERMANENT DOCUMENTATION

13.1 An official copy of transcripts of graduate course work shall be on file for the person accepting a position.

13.2 The following records shall be retained for five years:

a. Employment Request Form

b. Request to Recruit Form

c. Position Announcement

d. Evaluations of the Screening Committee

e. Request to make an offer

f. Candidates Demographic Data Form

g. Applicant Log

h. Applications of unsuccessful candidates

13.3 The revised job description shall be retained by the Personnel Coordinator in his/her file of job descriptions.

14.0 SUMMARIES OF RESPONSIBILITIES

14.1 For position vacancies at any level, the responsibilities outlined below shall be assumed by the next level of supervision.

14.2 The responsibilities of the Supervisor are to:

a. Revise the job description for the position.

b. Prepare an Employment Request Form.

c. Submit the Employment Request Form and one copy of the revised job description through channels for approval.

d. Serve on the Screening Committee in most cases.

e. Interview the candidates and submit an evaluation of each to the Chair of the Screening Committee.

14.3 The responsibilities of the Administrative Unit Head are to:

a. Approve the Employment Request Form and revised job description submitted by the supervisor.

b. Serve on the Screening Committee, at his/her discretion.

c. If the administrative unit head is not a member of the Screening Committee, he/she shall interview candidates and submit an evaluation of each to the Chair of the Screening Committee.

14.4 The responsibilities of the Screening Committee are to:

a. Review and evaluate all applications and support documentation submitted by the candidate.

b. Notify the Personnel Coordinator of those candidates for whom references should be solicited.

c. Select candidates for interviews.

d. Prepare interview schedule for candidates.

e. Interview candidates.

f. Submit written evaluations, with justifications, to the appropriate assistant director, or to the Director.

g. Prepare a Candidates Demographic Data Form.

14.5 The responsibilities of the appropriate Assistant Director are to:

a. Approve the Employment Request Form and revised job description.

b. Interview each candidate.

c. Review the evaluations of the Screening Committee and submit comments to the Director of Libraries or meet with the Screening Committee to discuss differences.

14.6 The responsibilities of the Personnel Coordinator are to:

a. Prepare a Request to Recruit Form.

b. Prepare a Position Announcement.

c. Determine where the position will be advertised in consultation with the administrative unit head.

d. Prepare copy for advertisements.

e. Receive and log all applications and inquiries and other documents in response to the Position Announcement and make available to the Screening Committee.

f. Solicit letters of reference for those candidates of greatest interest as determined by the Screening Committee.

g. Contact the candidates to be interviewed and arrange dates for the interviews.

h. Inform the candidate to make the necessary travel arrangements.

i. Duplicate and distribute copies of the interview schedule, job description, letter of application, resume, and Candidate Evaluation Form for those who will interview the candidate.