Dean of the Library - Elon University

Elon University has exclusively retained Jack Farrell & Associates (www.jackfarrell.com) to find the winning candidate for this important position. Interested parties should provide a CV and 2-page cover letter by email to Jack Farrell (jack@jackfarrell.com). Please see further below for details on the letter. Thank you.

 

 

 

Elon University

 

Elon University is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that

 

prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens. Nestled in a

 

grove of oaks, Elon was founded as “a college for the world,” where students find their

 

calling and reach their full potential within an environment of rich and meaningful

 

relationships, and where they become big thinkers and creative problem solvers in every

 

facet of their lives.

 

 

 

Elon’s more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn through hands-on

 

experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are

 

teaching and mentoring. The Elon curriculum is grounded in the traditional liberal arts and

 

sciences with an emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70

 

undergraduate academic majors are complemented by professional and graduate

 

programs in law, business, education and health care. Elon is ranked among the top

 

national universities, with a No. 1 ranking in US News & World Report for excellence in

 

undergraduate teaching for four consecutive years.

 

 

 

The university’s academic divisions include Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences;

 

the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr.

 

Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of

 

Law, which is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a second campus in Charlotte.

 

 

 

Elon’s historic 690-acre campus in central North Carolina is designated as a botanical garden and includes the 56-acre Elon University Forest, a land preserve and natural area for scientific research, and Loy Farm, a center for environmental research and sustainability.

 

 

 

Elon is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association. The Phoenix athletics program

 

includes 17 intercollegiate men’s and women’s sports in NCAA Division I.

 

 

 

Always evolving, Elon is an academic community that challenges, encourages and

 

empowers our students to explore their passions, achieve their goals and change their

 

communities for the better.

 

 

 

The Carol Grotnes Belk Library

 

Opened in 2000, the Carol Grotnes Belk Library is located at the center of the Elon campus,

 

close to classrooms, faculty offices, and student housing. The library supports students,

 

faculty, staff and community members in intellectual, scholarly, and artistic endeavors in

 

an atmosphere of open and honest inquiry, which reflects the traditions and values of the

 

university. The library has intentionally centered high-impact educational practices—

 

activities including service learning, undergraduate research, and internships, to name a

 

few, that are proven to increase learning success and that serve as a cornerstone of Elon

 

University’s approach to engaged learning. Within the library, this focus prioritizes dynamic

 

partnerships across campus, close curation of collections for maximum impact,

 

outstanding levels of outreach and engagement, and a relationship-rich approach to

 

student success. Long-term building partners include the Center for Writing Excellence

 

and the Writing Center, the Koenigsberger Learning Center, and Teaching and Learning

 

Technologies, whose colocation within the building has facilitated deeper opportunities for

 

cooperation, joint planning, and student support. Located within the Division of Academic

 

Affairs, the library reports directly to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

 

 

 

Distinctive Library Programs

 

• The Library Instruction and Liaison Program pairs faculty librarians with schools,

 

departments, and programs on campus to act as a point of contact for research,

 

recommendations for library purchases, and other departmental needs. The liaison

 

librarians also assist in the research needs of the department’s students and faculty

 

by teaching subject-specific library research sessions and consulting one-on-one

 

with individuals.

 

• The Personal Librarian Program at Belk Library matches all new Elon students with

 

a faculty librarian who is available to help them build the skills to successfully

 

navigate their academic path during their years at Elon.

 

• The library embraces a Cross-functional Model of Librarianship where staff from

 

different departments, including archives, collections services, and instruction and

 

outreach, work together to address user needs, leveraging diverse skillsets across

 

the library.

 

 

 

Library Statistics (Yearly)

 

• $4.2 million USD budget

 

• 22 full-time employees

 

• 404 instruction sessions to 7,355 learners

 

• 1,755 research consultations

 

• 252,455 library visitors

 

• > 1.5 million items, including 260 databases (69,153 full-text journals, 316,015 print

 

books, 916,588 ebooks)

 

• 10,110 physical check-outs, 90,095 ebook and electronic media usages, and 615,788

 

database users

 

• 8,825 interlibrary loans

 

• 86,000 square feet of shared academic commons, plus ~4,000 square feet offsite storage

 

• Open every day of the week, except for some holidays, and stays open continuously

 

during the academic year, from 10 a.m-9 p.m. Sunday-Friday and from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on

 

Saturday (see https://elon.libcal.com/)

 

 

 

The Dean’s Role

 

Elon University is pleased to accept applications for the role of Dean of the Carol Grotnes

 

Belk Library. The Dean will advance the culture of engaged intellectual inquiry at Elon

 

University and support the goals of the university’s strategic plan for 2030—Boldly Elon—

 

through thoughtful and intentional leadership aligned with that vision’s four main themes:

 

Learn, Thrive, Connect, and Rise. Additionally, the Dean fosters collaboration and

 

experimentation with emerging tools and practices, positioning the library as a leader in

 

reimagining library services for the future. By embracing emerging technologies, fostering

 

collaborative partnerships, and anticipating future trends in library services and resources,

 

the Dean will guide the Carol Grotnes Belk Library in shaping a vibrant and innovative

 

intellectual environment for the Elon community.

 

 

 

LEARN

 

“Bold innovation in relationship-driven learning and mentoring.”

 

 

 

The Carol Grotnes Belk Library serves as the academic heart of Elon’s residential campus,

 

providing student- and curriculum-driven programs and services responsive to the needs

 

of Elon’s diverse community of learners. The Dean of the Library facilitates this work by:

 

• Ensuring an innovative and future-oriented library instruction program embedded

 

across the curriculum and spanning disciplines, supporting outreach initiatives that

 

embrace emerging trends and technologies to engage a broad spectrum of

 

stakeholders, with particular emphasis on the first-year experience and scaffolded

 

learning.

 

• Fostering a relationship-rich culture of engagement by encouraging personal

 

connections with the library’s users, centering engaged learning and mentoring, and

 

being present and available as a resource to the librarians and staff whose work

 

they direct.

 

• Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with academic departments,

 

programs across campus, and Elon’s various administrative units to align the

 

library’s work with the evolving needs of the university.

 

 

 

The Dean works particularly closely with the library’s array of building partners, including

 

the various offices of the Koenigsberger Learning Center and the Center for Writing

 

Excellence and the Writing Center, who together seek to serve the university as an

 

integrated academic commons. The Dean also collaborates closely with the Division of

 

Information Technology to provide innovative technology support in Belk Library and

 

maintains strong communication with instructional technologists in Teaching and Learning

 

Technologies to advance the use of cutting-edge campus technology in support of faculty

 

and students.

 

 

 

In addition, the Dean serves as a vocal advocate for the library, ensuring it remains a leader

 

in academic innovation and emerging practices. They bring a library perspective to

 

university-wide policy and decision-making bodies through membership on the Provost’s

 

Advisory Council, the Academic Affairs Advisory Council, the University Curriculum

 

Committee, the Graduate Council, the Academic Technology and Computing Committee,

 

the Faculty Library Committee, the Joint Deans’ Council, and other committees and task

 

forces as appropriate. By guiding the library to anticipate and respond to the rapidly

 

changing landscape of higher education, the Dean ensures the Carol Grotnes Belk Library

 

remains at the forefront of scholarly support and innovation.

 

 

 

THRIVE

 

“Build a healthier and more diverse, equitable and inclusive community, where all students, faculty, and staff experience belonging and well-being.”

 

 

 

Elon University has made inclusive excellence a cornerstone of its 2030 strategic plan. To

 

that end, the Dean of the Library plays a vital role in leading initiatives that support

 

inclusive excellence within Belk Library, with emphasis on establishing and nurturing a

 

culture of belonging that welcomes and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures,

 

experiences, and perspectives of Elon’s students, faculty, and staff as well as the wider

 

community. Furthermore, the Dean ensures that library programs and events are

 

accessible and responsive to the needs of all of the library’s users.

 

 

 

The Dean is also responsible for recruiting, recommending for hire, supervising, mentoring,

 

and evaluating library staff; fostering their professional development; retaining excellent

 

employees; and positioning individuals for successful transition to their next professional role. Through these efforts, the Dean continues Elon’s tradition of hiring and retaining exceptional faculty and staff.

 

 

 

Among the library staff, the Dean encourages a spirit of innovation by espousing a dare-to-

 

fail approach to librarianship that values and rewards autonomy, creativity, and

 

entrepreneurship, ensuring that librarians and staff members feel empowered and

 

supported no matter the outcome. The Dean models a humane style of leadership that

 

values the whole person and a growth mindset aimed at benefiting the life and goals of the

 

university, including the health and well-being of all members of the community.

 

 

 

CONNECT

 

“Lifelong alumni personal and professional learning and networks, partner with local communities to enhance education, health, and economic development.”

 

 

 

The university’s commitment to inclusion and belonging extends to Elon University alumni

 

and the local community, with whom the Dean of the Library seeks to make long-term,

 

lasting connections, primarily by:

 

 

 

• Engaging in the broader life of the Elon University community to support deeper

 

integration of Belk Library into the life of the campus through appropriate committee

 

work; support of student, faculty, and administrative events; and service activities

 

that traverse campus boundaries.

 

• Working collegially with the Dean of the Law Library at the Elon University School of

 

Law to coordinate joint library systems, maximize benefits from shared resources,

 

and maintain strong bonds among Elon’s distributed library staff.

 

• Assuming responsibility for grants and donations in coordination with the

 

appropriate university offices.

 

 

 

The Dean oversees outreach initiatives to alumni and community members whose goal is

 

to invite them to see themselves as lifelong learners and to see the Belk Library as their

 

partner in that endeavor. Through participation in programs such as Life@Elon, for

 

community members over 50, and Elon Academy, for high school students in Alamance

 

County; the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, the campus’s “convener of community-based

 

engaged and experiential learning”; and campus-wide initiatives aimed at improving the

 

student-athlete experience, the library seeks to leverage its resources for intergenerational

 

good.

 

 

 

In the alumni space, the Dean of the Library spearheads engagement activities—including

 

digitization programs in archives and special collections, targeted media, and events—that

 

remind former students of the rich and varied history of their alma mater.

 

 

 

RISE

 

“Position university globally, expand admissions footprint, resources for increased access and financial aid, sharply define international reputation and values.”

 

 

 

As Elon University seeks to expand its impact globally, the Dean of the Library is called

 

upon to support a rapidly advancing curriculum in a rapidly changing technological

 

landscape, with the dual aims of maximizing student success and increasing access. The

 

Dean helps the library keep pace by:

 

 

 

• Anticipating and responding to emerging trends and transformative technologies,

 

such as AI, machine learning, and digital scholarship tools, to make the best

 

resources available and accessible in all formats, in all locations, to all users.

 

• Providing library leadership in policy setting, strategic planning, operations, and

 

setting spending priorities, and working closely with the library leadership team to

 

cultivate a culture of forward-looking, evidence-based decision making, while

 

fostering experimentation and creativity.

 

 

 

In particular, the Dean develops and administers the library’s long-range plan to ensure

 

appropriate stewardship of available resources to meet campus needs, while also

 

engaging in outreach work that continues and extends the library’s portfolio related to

 

international students and Global Studies, and scholarly communications work around

 

open access and open educational resources, an area supported by the library’s nascent

 

institutional repository (IR) project. They also provide support to and advocacy for the

 

University Archives and Special Collections and its work around Elon University history and

 

memory.

 

 

 

The Dean participates in professional development to develop skills, build networks, and

 

enhance the reputation of Belk Library and Elon University and contribute meaningfully to

 

the profession of librarianship. They are expected to attend and present original works at

 

webinars, conferences, meetings, and to publish those works in journals, books, and other

 

formats.

 

 

 

The Successful Candidate

 

The Dean of the Library position is a full-time, 12-month, nontenured administrator with

 

faculty rank position. Some evenings and weekend work may be required. Relocation assistance is available to the winning candidate.

 

 

 

Education

 

• An MLS degree from an ALA-accredited university is required.

 

• An additional graduate degree is preferred.

 

 

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

 

• Ability to build relationships and work in partnership with multiple constituencies,

 

including university faculty, administration, staff, and students, as well as the

 

greater community, including other academic institutions and professional

 

associations.

 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including experience with decision-

 

making and negotiation.

 

• Demonstrated commitment to centering diversity, equity, and inclusion as central

 

values of the work and organization.

 

 

 

Experience

 

• A minimum of 8 years of related work experience in a higher-education library

 

setting.

 

• Demonstrated progressive leadership and ability to manage a complex organization,

 

including human, physical, and financial resources.

 

• A record of identifying, assessing, and successfully implementing innovative ideas,

 

services, and technologies.

 

• A successful history of staff recruitment, development, and team building, and a

 

record of providing leadership, vision, and professional development opportunities.

 

 

 

Living in Elon, North Carolina

 

Elon’s location in the beautiful Piedmont region of North Carolina provides the best of both

 

worlds—a small, friendly campus surrounded by large metropolitan areas that offer plenty

 

of opportunities for having fun, living healthy, and taking advantage of cultural attractions.

 

The university is located in the town of Elon, which has a downtown filled with locally

 

owned businesses and conveniently located parks, and is the 3rd safest city in North

 

Carolina.

 

 

 

Elon is adjacent to Burlington, a city of about 50,000 with shopping centers, restaurants,

 

parks, historic sites, and more. Greensboro is located 20 minutes west of the university.

 

This city’s eco-friendly innovations and outdoor amenities are often covered by state and

 

national media. Winston-Salem, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh, all centers for

 

entertainment, sports, the arts, museums, and many other attractions, are within an

 

hour’s drive. A 3-hour drive takes you to the beach and a 2 1/2 hour drive takes you to the

 

mountains—perfect for weekend adventures.

 

 

 

The nearest major airport is Piedmont Triad International, located in Greensboro, just 30

 

minutes from campus. Raleigh/Durham International Airport is also convenient, about a

 

50-minute drive from Elon.

 

 

 

Elon University has exclusively retained Jack Farrell & Associates (www.jackfarrell.com) to find the winning candidate for this important position. Interested parties should provide a CV and 2-page cover letter by email to Jack Farrell (jack@jackfarrell.com). The letter should address:1) why am I interested?; 2) how am I qualified?, and 3) what might the Belk Library look like in several years under my stewardship and please share your broader vision of the future of academic libraries? Thank you.