Middle East & Islamic Studies Librarian

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Job Title:

Middle East & Islamic Studies Librarian

Department:

Libraries | Special Collections and Area Studies

The Middle East and Islamic Studies Librarian is a tenure-track faculty position within The Ohio State University Libraries. The Libraries supports one of the nation’s leading public research institutions, Ohio State University, a Carnegie R1 university recognized for excellence in research, teaching, and global engagement. Ohio State’s Area Studies Centers are nationally prominent and play a vital role in advancing interdisciplinary scholarship and outreach.

 

At Ohio State, this role is positioned as a next-generation area studies librarianship—a scholarly connector and catalyst who links collections, people, and ideas to generate new research. As a large public, land-grant institution, the Libraries’ strength lies in activating and connecting resources across collections, disciplines, and communities.

 

The Middle East and Islamic Studies Librarian serves as the primary liaison to the Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures (NESA) and the Middle East Studies Center (MESC), and works closely with colleagues across International and Area Studies, including East Asian, South Asian, African, Slavic, East European and Eurasian, and Latin American Studies.

 

The position supports interdisciplinary research and teaching related to the Middle East and broader global and transregional contexts, with particular emphasis on discovery, access, emerging research practices, strategic collection development, faculty engagement, and collaborative program-building. In addition to longstanding partnerships within the Office of International Affairs (OIA), the librarian is expected to cultivate and strengthen relationships with evolving campus initiatives involving global studies, world languages and cultures, interdisciplinary learning, community engagement, and career-connected education.

 

As a faculty member, the successful candidate will develop an independent research agenda and contribute to the profession and the University through scholarship, teaching, and service.

 

Responsibilities

Scholarly Engagement, Research Support, and Instruction

• Provide research consultations and course-integrated instruction across all levels.
• Act as a scholarly partner to faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars, while also supporting undergraduate learning and research development.

Discovery, Access, and Research Enablement

• Lead efforts to enhance the discoverability, accessibility, and interpretive use of collections.
• Advance user-centered approaches to navigating complex, multilingual, and global information environments.
• Engage with digital scholarship, data-informed, and AI-assisted research practices.
• Collaborate across library units to improve access and usability of resources.
• Stay abreast with scholarship in the disciplines themselves, maintain current awareness of developments in relevant scholarly and cultural content, and use this knowledge to respond to departmental needs.

Collection Strategy and Curation

• Provide strategic oversight of collection development in Middle East and Islamic Studies.
• Align priorities with research and curricular needs while evaluating and building upon institutional strengths to advance the role of collections in globally engaged scholarship and teaching.
• Identify opportunities to connect local and external resources.
• Promote the use of distinctive and underutilized materials.

Integration of Special and General Collections

• Collaborate with colleagues in Special Collections and Area Studies to integrate special and general collections into teaching, research support, and programmatic initiatives, advancing their visibility and use.

Program Development, Outreach, and Partnerships

• Identify, develop, initiate, and support programmatic initiatives that advance engagement with collections and research services.
• Collaborate with NESA, MESC, and Area Studies and libraries colleagues to design and implement programs, events, and projects.
• Strengthen the visibility and impact of Area Studies across campus and beyond.
• Build interdisciplinary and cross-institutional partnerships that support research and programmatic initiatives
• Representing the Libraries in forums such as the Middle East Librarians Association (MELA), and other relevant organizations.
• Support and engage in fundraising, grant writing, marketing and outreach that strengthen the libraries’ programs, in partnership with the libraries’ Office of Advancement, the Middle East Studies Center, among others.

Digital Scholarship and Research Visibility

• Support the visibility and impact of collections through digital platforms and scholarly communication.
• Maintain research guides and discovery tools (e.g., LibGuides), ensuring accuracy and usability.
• Contribute to digital projects and online resource environments.
• Develop occasional public content highlighting collections and research pathways.

Assessment and Strategic Contributions

• Track and assess the impact of consultations, instruction, and programmatic initiatives.
• Maintain and analyze statistics on consultations, instruction, and outreach.
• Contribute data for reporting and planning.
• Use assessment to inform service development.

Faculty Responsibilities: Research, Service, and Professional Development

• Develop and sustain an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity appropriate to a tenure-track appointment. This includes peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and may include grants, major exhibitions, or other scholarly contributions. Participate in library, university, and professional service, and engage in ongoing professional development.

 

University Libraries’ faculty and staff embrace Ohio State’s Shared Values and strive to enact the behaviors guided by those values in all that we do. This position is dedicated to advancing the culture of University Libraries and the work of the Special Collections and Area Studies unit. All other duties as assigned.

 

Required qualifications:

• An ALA-accredited master’s degree, or a comparable graduate degree from a non-U. S. university (reviewed on a case-by-case basis), or a relevant terminal degree in a closely related field (such as a PhD in Middle East and Islamic Studies).
• Strong academic grounding in Middle East and Islamic Studies, including knowledge of research trends and scholarly communication.
• Experience supporting or conducting advanced research (e.g., graduate-level work, digital humanities, or scholarly projects).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct or support interdisciplinary research, including the capacity to work across disciplinary, linguistic, and methodological boundaries.
• Strong proficiency in Arabic, including the ability to read and input Arabic script in digital environments.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in collaborative, team-based environments and support broad and varied research communities.
• Evidence of potential for research, scholarship, and professional contribution consistent with a tenure-track appointment.

Desired qualifications:

• PhD in Middle East and Islamic Studies or a closely related field.
• Additional language proficiency (e.g., Persian, Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Hebrew, or others relevant to the region).
• Experience with or demonstrated interest in digital scholarship, data-informed, or AI-assisted research practices.
• Experience in collection strategy, curation, or resource development.
• Experience working with special collections or rare materials.
• Experience developing or contributing to collaborative programs or initiatives.
• Familiarity with scholarly publishing and research dissemination practices.
• Experience in using bibliographic utilities and databases to search non-Roman scripts.
• Ability to identify and work with materials in other languages relevant to Middle East Studies, and Islamic Studies.

Additional Information:

The budget for this position is $75,000 to $85,000. The offer for this position will be based on internal equity and the candidate's qualifications. 

Ohio State will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.

Ohio State provides access to a depth and breadth of opportunities and resources. Starting your first day, Ohio State offers you a comprehensive benefits package.

Appointment

This is a full-time, regular, 12-month appointment as a tenure-track faculty member. The candidate will be required to meet university and Libraries requirements for promotion and tenure. Faculty rank at Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor is dependent on qualifications and experience.

What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We accept as our operational standard that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate’s employer’s policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate’s appointment. If the university becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment. 

How to Apply

To be considered, please submit your application electronically. Application materials must include Cover letter and Curriculum Vita (CV) or Resume. Application closes on September 13, 2026.

About University Libraries

The Libraries promotes innovative research and creative expression, advances effective teaching, curates and preserves information essential for scholarship and learning at Ohio State, and shares knowledge and culture with the people of Ohio, the nation, and the world.

The Libraries’ greatest resource is our faculty and staff. Their expertise produces value beyond the collections and their commitment to continual improvement and innovation is one of the most significant ways the Libraries meets the varied and evolving information needs of university students, faculty, and staff, alongside scholars throughout Ohio and the world.

As a global leader, the Libraries is actively engaged in local, statewide, national, and international initiatives to help shape the future of academic research libraries. These activities and the innovations that result enhance our ability to acquire, manage, and preserve emerging information resources, support knowledge creation, and enable its effective transmission to future learners. Learn more on the Libraries website.

The Libraries strives to provide welcoming, supportive environments for all to pursue and share knowledge. The Libraries is guided by our strategic directions and Ohio State’s Shared Values. All positions are expected to contribute to building and advancing this environment and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply.

Location:

Thompson Library (0050)

Position Type:

Regular

Scheduled Hours:

40

Shift:

First Shift

The Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate’s employer’s policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate’s appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.  A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.