FAQ

What is the ARL PD Bank?

The Association of Research Libraries Position Description Bank (ARL PD Bank) is a collection of position descriptions (PDs) from major academic and research libraries.  

What kinds of materials are held in the ARL PD Bank?

Position descriptions and position vacancy announcements, with standard information that is searchable by all ARL PD Bank users. Additionally, institutions can elect to use institution-only information and files, as well as the My Employees module, with these components only searchable by the institution by institution-approved users.

Who has access to the ARL PD Bank?

Registered and approved users from ARL institutions.

What types of data are permissible?

We value individuals’ privacy and actively seek to preserve privacy. Though the ARL PD Bank is secure, access is restricted, data and documents are encrypted and only very limited data is available to those outside of the individual institutions, submitted data and documents must not include:

• Social Security Number or the comparable
• Driver's license number, alien registration number, passport number, etc.
• Bank account, credit or debit card information

Further, institutions should review position descriptions and any other documents that will be accessible by other ARL PD Bank institutions to ensure they do not include other personal identifiers, such as employee names, home contact information, and complete birth dates. For more, see the section on "Permissible Use and Appropriate Data".

What are the requirements to use the ARL PD Bank?

There are no additional requirements, aside from being a registered and approved users from an ARL institutions. Also, because the system is online, online access is required.

Does the ARL PD Bank provide training for new partners?

Yes. The ARL PD Bank includes many help materials. Conference calls and webinar tutorials can be scheduled by contacting the project team. Additional online tutorials and training are planned.

How can I find positions in the ARL PD Bank?

By searching the ARL PD Bank, with a blank search showing all available information.

How can I add PDs to the ARL PD Bank?

PDs can be added through a simple online interface to Add a New Position.

How can I save or share position descriptions from the ARL PD Bank?

The Forward and Export functionalities allow you to export save and send position documents as well as position information for multiple positions.

What are some of the additional, optional features?

In addition to supporting PDs, the ARL PD Bank supports institution-only information and files, as well as the My Employees module.

How can I contribute to ongoing development of the ARL PD Bank?

Please contact us to contribute to the ongoing development of the ARL PD Bank by adding PDs, testing system features, and providing insight on possible new developments.

Also, when using the ARL PD Bank, clicking on the  icons will bring up context specific help. Help is also available as mouse hover-overs for many items, and a full printable guide is also available online.

For assistance or any questions, please contact:  ARL PD Bank Team: arlpdbankhelp@uflib.ufl.edu or 352-273-2595.