I. LIBRARY FACULTY RANKS
The term "adjunct" is used for a librarian whose appointment is normally part-time and of specific duration. The term "visiting" is normally used for a librarian who has academic rank at another institution and is here temporarily. There may be other positions established to serve a special academic function.
The faculty ranks and titles of librarians shall be Instructor Librarian, Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, and Senior Librarian. These are regarded for purposes of definition and comparison, as equivalent to the professorial ranks Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor.
Instructor Librarians are full time personnel hired on condition of obtaining the M.L.S., which is the terminal professional degree or a higher professional library degree, within a contracted period. Full time librarians with the terminal professional library degree are hired at the rank of Assistant Librarian or higher, depending on experience and other earned degrees.
Librarians may be elected to one of the school faculties, and may thereby be granted professorial titles in the ordinary nomenclature of the Faculty. Nevertheless, their rank and title on the Library Faculty would be determinative, and they may not hold a higher position on the school Faculty which elects them.
II. LIBRARY FACULTY EVALUATION
Details of the review process, including time table, are determined by the Committee on Faculty of the school conducting the review. It should be noted that the library faculty is exceptional in the particular use of the rank of Instructor and lack of eligibility for tenure; the review process for library faculty should be adapted accordingly, as articulated in the Library Faculty Regulations.
Library Faculty evaluation has two parts. The first is the annual review for reappointment, which is between the librarian and supervisor. This process reviews the librarian’s progress toward earlier goals, sets goals for the coming year, and identifies changes in the librarian’s job. The annual review ensures that the librarian’s performance and job description are consonant with the library’s mission and goals. The second is a peer review generally every four years between the librarian and the Library Committee on Faculty (see Section IV for exceptions). The role of LCOF in peer reviews is to provide an additional and library-wide perspective on the librarian’s performance and goals. This process reviews the librarian’s performance over the last four years and affirms that performance and/or provides suggestions for change. Newly hired librarians have a peer review after two years.
III. LIBRARY FACULTY ANNUAL REVIEW/REAPPOINTMENT
The librarian completes the Librarian’s Annual Report and Self-Evaluation and gives it, together with the current job description and current vita, to the supervisor. After reading the Report and Self-Evaluation, the supervisor completes the Supervisor’s Comments and returns the documents to the librarian. The librarian and supervisor meet to discuss the Report and Self-Evaluation, giving job responsibilities the highest priority. The discussion covers progress towards the past year’s goals and proposed goals for the coming year. Discussion of the proposed goals may result in a revised job description.
After reviewing the Report and Self-Evaluation with the supervisor, the librarian may write a response to the Supervisor’s Comments. The signing of the Report and Self-Evaluation by the librarian and supervisor may indicate there is not total agreement with all comments, with any disagreement noted as part of the Report and Self-Evaluation. The Report and Self-Evaluation, job description and vita are then given to the Dean of the Library.
The Annual Review covers the calendar year and should be completed by the end of January following that year.
The dossier file for a faculty member under review should include the following items:
- A current curriculum vitae (submitted by the faculty member)
- A reflective self-evaluation indicating evidence of professional development and service, respectively. A reflective self-evaluation should:
- Enable colleagues and administrators who represent various disciplinary backgrounds to understand the nature of one’s professional development and service;
- Identify the distinctiveness of one’s workload profile during the period of the review--- i.e., describe the specific work one has performed and the relations among the different aspects of one’s work load, as this has emerged both by personal decision and by the demands of context;
- Highlight one’s accomplishments in each of the criteria categories;
- Report on improvement activities one has undertaken during the time covered by the review, particularly if the activities address issues raised in a previous review.
- Identify challenges in one’s performance, place those challenges in the larger context of overall accomplishments, and show that one has made responsible plans to overcome them;
- Indicate the professional goals identified for the time until the next scheduled review and show how they are to be accomplished.
- Other letters or documents, where appropriate.
IV. PEER REVIEWS
The performance of each full time librarian is generally reviewed every four years by the Library Committee on Faculty, with the following exceptions: performance of a newly-hired librarian is reviewed after two years, and every four years thereafter; promotion requests require a peer review, which resets the four-year cycle.
In a peer review year the librarian uses the Librarian’s Report and Self-Evaluation for Peer Review form. In the self evaluation, the librarian includes the past year’s performance but also considers overall performance since initial appointment or the most recent peer review. In a peer review year, the evaluation by the librarian’s supervisor includes the librarian’s past year’s performance and overall performance since initial appointment or the most recent peer review. The emphasis for both the librarian and the supervisor is a reflection on the past and a discussion of longer-term goals.
The librarian submits to LCOF (1) the completed Librarian’s Report and Self-Evaluation for Peer Review form with supervisor’s comments, (2) current job description, (3) current vita, and (4) any other appropriate supporting information such as publications, other recommendations, teaching evaluations, etc. If additional information is either sought by the LCOF or offered by other supervisors or colleagues, the librarian is consulted.
The LCOF uses the submitted material to evaluate and review the librarian’s goals and performance in terms of his/her job responsibilities, professional development and service. At the completion of the peer review, the LCOF produces a written report which supports its recommendation regarding reappointment or promotion. The recommendation and report are sent to the Library Dean and to the librarian. After the Dean and librarian receive the LCOF report, the librarian may request a meeting with the LCOF if he/she has any concerns or comments.
A. REGULARLY SCHEDULED PEER REVIEWS
Regularly scheduled peer reviews are conducted early in the spring semester. Librarians scheduled for peer review submit documents to the Library Committee on Faculty by February 1.The LCOF should complete the review and communicate the results to the librarian by March 1.
B. PEER REVIEWS OUT OF SEQUENCE
A peer review out of sequence begins a new four year cycle.
1. REQUEST FOR PROMOTION
2. SPECIAL REQUEST
Reviews out of the cycle can be requested by a librarian, department head, or the Library Dean.
3. LEAVE OF ABSENCE OR SABBATICAL
Leaves of absence or sabbatical leaves in the year during which a peer review is due may postpone the year of review for one year.
V. PROMOTION
A request to be considered for promotion is given to the Library Committee on Faculty by November 1 of the year prior to the July in which the promotion could occur. If the librarian is eligible, documentation is due to the LCOF by December 1 so that the process can be completed before the February Board of Trustees meeting.
A. Librarians may request a promotion anytime during the peer-review schedule according to the following requirements:
- Instructor Librarians may request promotion to Assistant Librarian when they have obtained the M.L.S., which is the terminal degree for their profession.
- Appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Librarian requires the M.L.S., an additional graduate degree or equivalent in professional development, and seven (7) years of experience at lower ranks or the equivalent.
- Appointment or promotion to the rank of Senior Librarian requires the M.L.S., the Ph.D., and fourteen (14) years professional experience at lower ranks or the equivalent.
B. An applicant for promotion must additionally be recommended for promotion by LCOF. Recommendation for promotion to the rank of Associate or Senior Librarian must be based on evidence documenting that the faculty member being reviewed has fulfilled the requirements specified in section V.A., achieved excellence in job performance, professional development and service and has exhibited conduct in accordance with professional standards.
Approved by Library Faculty 12/2010