Clemson University Libraries seeks an innovative, collaborative, and inclusive leader to serve as our inaugural Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery. The successful candidate will set the vision and strategic directions for the new division and direct the Libraries’ overall collection strategy-planning, developing, interpreting, and implementing policies and procedures related to the acquisition, description, and discovery of scholarly and cultural heritage resources in a variety of formats. Approximately 40 faculty and staff will be part of this new division, working in the following departments: Acquisitions (including print, e-resources, and continuing resources purchasing and management; resource sharing; and collection development); Metadata Services; Digitization, and Special Collections and Archives. This is a new position created as part of a recent reorganization, aligning Clemson with our R1 peers. The successful candidate would be one of three new associate deans who will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Libraries and setting the Libraries strategic directions as a member of its Senior Leadership Team.
Clemson Libraries provides a unique opportunity to the right individual. As a relatively young R1 library, we are in the process of redefining ourselves, engaged in discussions with students and faculty to determine what programs and services should be created or expanded. Currently, we are focused on expanding digital literacy efforts, developing new and innovative programs to support graduate students and faculty, and building digital and archival collections in the key areas of agriculture, architecture, athletics, textiles, and military history, all in the context of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We have completed a master plan to renovate the main library building to provide more welcoming, technology-enhanced spaces.
This is a 12-month administrative faculty position with faculty rank and status. As a member of the Libraries’ faculty, the successful candidate will pursue an active and ongoing program of research, service, and professional development.
Responsibilities:
1. Sets the vision and strategic direction and provides proactive leadership for the Collections and Discovery division.
2. Develops a collections strategy for the sustainable delivery of inclusive scholarly resources to meet the needs of the university.
3. Manages and supports the development of 9 direct reports.
4. Oversees a collections budget of $9 million.
5. Monitors and evaluates trends and developments relevant to academic libraries in the areas of acquisitions, cataloging/metadata, collections management, electronic resources, open access, discovery, resource management, and archives.
6. Fosters an environment of collegiality, respect, trust, and teamwork that enables library faculty and staff to contribute to the goals of the organization.
7. Actively participates and seeks out regional and national consortia collaborations to share and expand collections access. Examples include the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL), the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), the Carolina Consortium, the Program for Cooperative Cataloging, and HathiTrust.
8. Serves as a member of the Libraries’ Senior Leadership Team.
9. Represents the Dean and/or Libraries in their absence.
Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities:
• Develops a focused program of high-quality research and creative accomplishments, consistent with professional responsibilities and the Libraries’ mission and goals.
Service:
• Actively participates and demonstrates leadership in professional responsibilities that serve the Libraries, University, profession, and community.
Salary and Benefits:
Faculty rank and a minimum salary of $95,000 based on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience. Various medical plans, dental plans, and retirement plans are available. 18 days annual leave, 15 days sick leave, 13 paid holidays, and liberal professional development leave are provided. Library faculty receive an individual stipend for travel or other professional development activity. Libraries Diversity statement: Clemson University Libraries seeks to best serve our community through creating a welcoming environment in which diverse ideas and perspectives come together to achieve common goals. We are committed to the practice of inclusion as it is essential to the continued success not only of Clemson University but of the library and information science profession. We embrace Clemson’s core values of integrity, honesty, and respect, and add to those the ideals of compassion, dignity, and historical awareness so that Clemson Libraries’ staff, collections, spaces, and services inform the interest, information, and enlightenment of all who we serve.
Required Qualifications/Experience:
•ALA-accredited graduate degree.
•At least five years of management/supervisory experience in progressively responsible positions in an academic library.
•Work experience in at least one of the division’s four departments.
•Demonstrated experience developing and providing access to collections.
•Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
•Record of professional librarianship, research/scholarship, and service that would merit tenure at the Associate Librarian rank or higher.
Preferred Qualifications/Experience:
Leadership:
•Demonstrated skills in the following areas: personnel, budget, and project management.
•Evidence of competence in strategic planning and organizational development in a rapidly changing environment.
•Knowledge of R1 library collections and/or special collections and archives practices and trends.
•Experience with collections assessment and data-driven decision-making
.•Demonstrated ability to foster an environment of collegiality, respect, trust, and teamwork.
Additional Experience:
•Participation in consortia and collaborative collection development initiatives.
•Experience in effectively implementing new technologies.
•Experience with Ex Libris’ Alma Library Services Platform (LSP) and Primo VE discovery system.
•Second graduate or other advanced degree.
Applications will be submitted through Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/93779. Through this website, applicants will be required to submit their vita, a cover letter, and three reference contacts. Applications received by October 13th will be assured full consideration.
