University Librarian

Clark University

Goddard Library

University Librarian

Job Code 199883

Full-time, 40 hours, 12 -months

Clark University invites applications and nominations for the position of University Librarian.  We are seeking a forward-thinking leader who will advance a vision for the university‘s library resources to support the teaching, learning, and scholarly activities of the Clark community.

Clark is a private, urban, liberal arts and research institution located in central Massachusetts with 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students and 220 full-time faculty. Clark University’s Library System consists of the main campus library the Robert H. Goddard Library, the Carlson Science Library, University Archives and Special Collections, and the Burnham Map Library. These Libraries house over 650,000 print volumes and provide access to over 70 databases, 1500-plus e-journals and over 100,000 e-books.  The University Librarian is the chief administrative officer of the library and is responsible for the leadership and development of 11 librarians, 8 staff, and 6 FTE student employees.  The current budget of the library is $2.8 million, with a collection budget of about $1.4 million. The Libraries’ services and spaces serves as a hub of opportunities for research, collaboration, and innovation across the campus and in the community. The Academic Commons, where the Robert H. Goddard Library is located, is a multi-functional facility with meeting and study spaces, a café, Information Technology Services (ITS), and the Writing Center.  The Libraries strive to provide seamless access to resources and cultivate a culture of accommodation, support, and collaboration. The Clark Libraries are in the process of migrating to the OCLC WorldShare Management Services library services platform. Clark’s libraries aim to meet the demand of the diversity of subject areas and depth of research of Clark’s faculty and students.

The University Librarian reports directly to the Provost, the Chief Academic Officer of the university, and collaborates closely with Information Technology Services (ITS), as well as with other departments and programs including the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CETL). The University Librarian sits on appropriate College-wide committees; participates in local, regional and professional organizations (including “Friends of the Goddard Library”, the Academic and Research Collaborative (ARC) of Worcester), maintains and strengthens consortia relationships and expands the university’s access to information, and represents the Clark libraries to internal and external audiences.  The University Librarian will play a leadership role in developing short-term and long-term plans for the libraries.  The next university librarian will have a deep understanding of the trends and challenges facing academic libraries, as well as emerging technologies and innovative library services. 

The successful candidate will have:

• An ALA accredited MLS with an additional advanced subject degree preferred;
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible administrative/management experience in an academic library;
• Significant and demonstrated knowledge of evolving issues and trends in library and information technology, scholarly publishing and communication, digital services and collections, and instruction;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Proven track record with personnel management with short-term and long-term planning; an understanding of all aspects of library work;
• Demonstrated analytic and strategic skills in the management of budgets and fiscal resources;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills in achieving cooperative, productive working relationships with library staff, administration, faculty, students, and other libraries;
• A deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive work and learning environments.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing and setting goals for managing both legacy and digital collections, services, and instruction; planning, evaluating, and coordinating the implementation of library services and technologies that enhance and extend access to commercial, local, and open access scholarly publications and resources.
• Advocating for and promoting library services and programs through participation on various campus committees.
• Visioning, planning, and directing advances in library and information technologies related to evolving operations and services applications, digital collections, user-focused instructional initiatives for all levels of students and learning styles.
• Developing, articulating and communicating a strategic vision to the campus community; collaborating with faculty, deans, department heads, and administrators including Information Technology Services to develop a vision for  Clark’s research data management in all formats in various stages of creation and publication; providing leadership for the library of the future.
• Fostering relationships with potential donors, writing and submitting proposals for outside funding (grants and gifts) to advance the mission of the Library in collaboration with University Advancement.
• Managing the libraries’ physical assets in coordination with university’s Facility Management.
• Ensuring close cooperation with Worcester area and other libraries to facilitate shared resources.

Review of applications will begin on September 16, 2019 and continue until a successful candidate is identified.  Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.  Please submit a resume and cover letter to: resumes@clarku.edu . Applicants must reference Job code 199883 in the subject line to be considered for this position.

Clark University embraces equal opportunity and affirmative action as core values: we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. This commitment applies to every aspect of education, services, and employment policies and practices at Clark. Our commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. All positions at Clark share in the responsibility for building a community that values diversity and the uniqueness of others by exhibiting integrity and respect in interacting with all members of the Clark community to create an atmosphere of fairness and belonging. We strongly encourage members from historically underrepresented communities, inclusive of all women, to apply.