Middle East and Islamic Studies Information and Resource Specialist

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

7d • $21 - $26 • Onsite

About The Position

The Middle East and Islamic Studies Information and Resource Specialist will support the Middle East Studies Center (MESC) and the Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures (NESA), by assisting with research support, instructional activities, and collection discovery during a period of transition. This role emphasizes research consultations, faculty engagement, and the active promotion of collections, helping users navigate and interpret resources in a complex, global research environment. 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. This is a temporary position from the date of hire through December 31st, 2026. The Ohio State University Libraries supports one of the nation’s leading public research institutions, Ohio State University, a Carnegie R1 university recognized for its strength in research, outreach, and innovation. The Libraries play a central role in advancing interdisciplinary and globally focused scholarship, including through a robust partnership with the Office of International Affairs and its Area Studies Centers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in the Humanities or Social Sciences or related field or equivalent combination coursework or other significant professional and/or academic experience in Middle East and Islamic Studies or related fields.
• Demonstrated background in Middle East and Islamic Studies, including experience with graduate-level research, academic work, or related professional activity (e.g., digital humanities, conference planning, or scholarly projects).
• Advanced proficiency in Arabic, including the ability to read and input Arabic script in digital environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work with bibliographic data, digital research tools, and web-based platforms.
• Comfort managing and organizing information across multiple systems.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced graduate coursework in library and information science and/or a relevant subject area (e.g., Middle East and Islamic Studies).
• Completion of an MLS/MLIS or MA/PhD is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Persian, Turkish, or other relevant languages (e.g., Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Uzbek, Pashto).
• Experience supporting research in an academic or library setting.
• Familiarity with LibGuides, WordPress, Drupal, or similar platforms.
• Experience working with non-Roman scripts in library systems, databases, or digital tools.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with departmental partners to identify, develop, and support programmatic outreach efforts and initiatives that enhance the visibility and use of collections and services.
• Supports liaison activities to NESA and the MESC in coordination with faculty, students, and visiting scholars to understand research and teaching needs, and assists with outreach and programmatic initiatives.
• Provide basic research assistance in Middle East and Islamic Studies using established tools, guides, and referral pathways.
• Track and respond to research consultation requests, referring complex or specialized inquiries to senior staff.
• Log and categorize inquiries for reporting
• Update targeted research guides or source lists for courses, faculty projects, or visiting scholars based on existing templates and direction.
• Follow up with faculty after instruction sessions to refine support for future courses
• Note potential gaps in available resources and communicate observations in materials or digital tools to support research needs
• Support the development and discoverability of interdisciplinary research collections, with a focus on Arabic-language materials and, as appropriate, Turkish, Persian and other foreign language resources in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, reporting issues or questions.
• Check availability and access points for key resources; flag broken links or access issues
• Review new and existing materials (print and digital) to assess relevance for current teaching and research, with an eye toward communicating collection strengths and new acquisitions to users
• Maintain and enhance the visibility and usability of research resources.
• Update and maintain LibGuides and other research pages for accuracy and functionality following established standards and guidelines.
• Check links, metadata, and descriptions on discovery pages to ensure functionality and clarity
• Assist with drafting short content blog posts or short features under direction, highlighting collections, new acquisitions, or research pathways, and connecting collections to current events, courses, or faculty research
• Contribute to assessment and reporting activities that support department program visibility and planning.
• Track statistics on consultations, instruction sessions, and reference interactions
• Compile basic usage data for guides, services, or collections
• Contribute brief summaries for annual reports or program updates

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost.
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays.
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level