Director, Master of Library and Information Studies Program University of Arkansas Libraries

The University of Arkansas Libraries invites applications for the Director of the Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) Program, a twelve-month, tenure-track faculty appointment reporting to the Dean of Libraries. This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished academic leader to launch and shape the university's first graduate program in library and information science, working closely with the Dean of Libraries, program faculty, and campus partners to build a new practitioner-oriented program from the ground up.

The successful candidate will bring strong collaborative, management, and communication skills, along with the ability to navigate a complex and dynamic academic environment. The University Libraries preferentially seeks a candidate whose record of teaching, scholarship, and service qualifies them for appointment with tenure at the rank of Associate Professor upon hire.

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-along 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.

Salary: $100,; commensurate with education and experience