From: "Smith, Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:02:32 +0000


*Electronic Resources Librarian, Boston University Libraries *


*Overview*

Boston University Libraries seeks applications and nominations for the
position of electronic resources librarian (ERL). Reporting to the Head of
Collection Development, the ERL will work collaboratively with internal and
external stakeholders to advance the current and future research needs of
the University community by developing and managing a robust collection of
electronic resources and discovery services.



The ever-changing publishing landscape and recent developments in higher
education make it our responsibility to evaluate and adapt our approach to
collection development at Boston University Libraries to best serve our
scholarly community. As the Libraries’ role in scholarly communications
evolves to provide support at all stages of the research life cycle—from
research design and development, processes and work flow, publication, and
post-publication analysis of metrics for determining value and
impact—collection development at Boston University continues to evolve as
well.


Therefore, we are looking for a professional with in-depth knowledge of
vendor publishing strategies, experience in contract and license
negotiation, and the ability to perform complex data analyses on usage,
expenditures, and impacts to provide the highest quality e-resources for
teaching and research. The professional who earns this position will be a
leader in developing best practices and procedures at all stages of
e-resources life cycle: from acquisition to access, administration,
support, and evaluation.


*Diversity*

We expect that the candidate who earns this appointment is a professional
who is (or soon will become) a national leader who will increase the
diversity of voices in electronic resources and licensing. Further, we
anticipate that this individual will use the skills, attributes, and
commitment required for this position to craft dynamic partnerships
throughout the Libraries and University; the City of Boston and New England
region; and with scholarly and research communities throughout the world.


The Libraries and University also are actively committed to building and
sustaining a culture of equity, inclusion, and respect within our staff and
student body. BU’s student body is 22 percent international, 19 percent
Black and Latinx, and 18 percent Asian. At the university level, five of
BU’s eight most recent academic leadership appointments—including the
University Librarian—are people of color; the sixth and seventh are the
first women to lead the University’s business and journalism schools,
respectively. BU also has women leading the University in key executive
roles such as Provost and Chief Academic Officer; Vice President and
Associate Provost for Research; CIO and Chief Data Officer; General
Counsel; and Senior Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations.


For more information on Boston University’s commitment to diversity,
equity, and inclusion, please read the University’s Statement on Diversity [
https://www.bu.edu/info/about/diversity/]; and Provost Jean Morrison’s
statement, “Diversity at Boston University” [
http://www.bu.edu/provost/diversity/].


*Boston*

Regionally, citizens from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently have
elected the first African-American woman to represent the state in
Congress, and people of color are holding positions as police commissioner,
sheriff, and district attorney in the City of Boston. During the 2019-2020
academic year, the City of Boston is hosting major events sponsored by the
African Studies Association and NAACP, opening a renovated Boston Public
Library branch in the city’s historically Black Roxbury neighborhood, and
BU will open its renovated Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground in
January 2020, concurrent with the University’s collaboration with the City
to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (GRS’55, Hon.’59)


Boston University Libraries (@bulibraries on Twitter and Instagram)
advances the University’s priorities by inventively creating and deploying
its talent chain, designing and implementing innovative services,
facilitating access to a wide range of scholarly resources in numerous
disciplines and formats, and effectively engaging internal and external
audiences, both online and across more than 300,000 square feet of space on
BU’s Charles River Campus. The Libraries organization is a member of
several organizations, including the Association of Research Libraries
(ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), the Northeast
Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), HathiTrust, the Boston Library
Consortium (BLC), the Eastern Academic Scholars’ Trust (EAST), the OCLC
Research Library Partnership, and the Open Content Alliance.


In July 2019, the University’s distinctive collections division, the Howard
Gotlieb Archival Research Center, was integrated into the Libraries after
more than 20 years. The return of this division to the Libraries will
afford tremendous opportunities for both units on several strategic and
operational levels.

Boston University, a member of the Association of American Universities
(AAU), is one of the leading private research and teaching institutions in
the world, with two primary campuses in the heart of Boston and programs
around the globe. Chartered in 1869, the University is home to more than
33,000 students from more than 130 countries, 375,000 living alumni, 10,000
faculty and staff, and 17 schools and colleges.


BU is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one
of the Boston area’s largest employers. The Charles River Campus, the
University’s main campus, is located along one of the busiest thoroughfares
in the City of Boston, and the city long has been considered by acclamation
to be one of the United States’ best cities for quality of life, fitness,
and jobs. The growth of BU over the last quarter century is profound, as it
has evolved from a regional university with a focus on undergraduate and
professional education, to an internationally-recognized, residential
research university that performed more than $485 million of research and
published more than 6,200 articles in FY 2018.


In fall 2018, Provost Morrison launched the process charged with developing
the University’s next academic strategic plan. In March 2019, the Provost
announced that the Boston University Libraries would be the focal point for
one of two subcommittees to the Strategic Planning Task Force. The
Subcommittee on Scholarly Resources & Services—Libraries, chaired by Dr.
Dames, is guiding the University in envisioning how our Libraries can
support faculty and students in a digital, interdisciplinary, and
collaborative environment.


*Duties and Responsibilities*

The Electronic Resources Librarian will have the following responsibilities:


   - Negotiate and oversee the licenses, contracts, and deployment of
   electronic information sources and services on behalf of Boston University
   for direct library purchase through vendors, special network offers, and
   consortia such as the Boston Library Consortium (BLC) and the North East
   Research Libraries (NERL) consortium;
   - Monitor current budget expenditures, forecast costs for electronic
   resources through several future budget cycles, and assist in budget
   planning for electronic resources;
   - Collect and interpret usage data and other reports in order to
   evaluate cost-efficiency;
   - Determine critically pertinent content of license agreements to be
   disseminated among staff and direct Libraries’ staff to maintain this
   information;
   - Generate statistics and reports to assist the Libraries in assessment
   and in required reporting oversee assessment strategies;
   - Conceive, develop, and implement digital, data, and technology
   projects that meet the Libraries’ and University’s mission, goals, and
   objectives; conform to established standards; and which are completed on
   time and within budget;
   - Oversee the Libraries’ materials acquisitions process for all
   Libraries’ branches, including the control and monitoring of encumbrances
   and expenditures made against the materials budget, restricted funds, and
   grant funds;
   - Supervise a staff of two and monitor workflow throughout the ordering
   process from the initial placement of orders through the receipt and
   payment procedures;
   - Coordinate licensing and acquisition of electronic information sources
   and services with the libraries serving BU’s School of Law, School of
   Medicine, and School of Theology (which report to their respective deans)
   and widely and regularly communicate the status of electronic resources
   acquisitions and licensing activity;
   - Maintain direct contact with users by serving as a reference point to
   monitor effectiveness of resources;
   - Serve as the Libraries’ representative in appropriate University
   councils, working groups, and fora;
   - Represent the Libraries nationally and internationally in
   collaborations or initiatives as the University Librarian requests or as
   consistent with the Libraries’ goals and mission; and
   - Provide advice and consultation to units across the University as
   appropriate and within scope of the position and organization.
   -

*Qualifications*

While Boston University Libraries will consider applicants with other
credentials, a master’s degree  from an accredited United States research
university plus demonstrated, advanced training or work experience are
strongly preferred. All candidates must be authorized to work in the United
States at time of application. Boston University Libraries will not sponsor
applicants for work visas.


In addition, the Libraries seek a person with the following qualifications:


   - A minimum of three years’ experience working and negotiating with
   commercial and academic vendors including pricing, licensing, and contract
   negotiations for all e-resource types, preferably in an academic library
   setting;
   - Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively,
   and build and maintain successful partnerships with a diverse group of
   internal and external stakeholders;
   - At least two years’ experience in leading, supervising, or directing
   technical staff;
   - Experience with current electronic management systems and workflows,
   technologies, and integrated library systems, e.g., Ex Libris Alma or other
   electronic resource management systems;
   - Substantive and demonstrated knowledge of, ability to communicate
   effectively about, and ability to develop solutions for current e-resource
   standards and protocols and current licensing and renewal issues;
   - Demonstrated awareness of current national trends and developments in
   shared and consortia collection development and management;
   - Ability to analyze and evaluate data in order to produce reports and
   recommendations for decision-making purposes;
   - Demonstrated experience managing a project or budget for a department,
   project, team, or committee;
   - Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills,
   including the ability to meet deadlines, prioritize work, learn
   independently, and respond to changing needs; and
   - Strong and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, respect, and
   inclusion.


*Growth *

Under Dr. Dames, a thought leader in library career advancement, Boston
University Libraries is committed to investing in the growth and
development of each of its team members. As our new ERL, you will receive
unique opportunities to develop skills, expertise, and experiences at the
intersection of your career goals and our strategic priorities.
Participation in Libraries and BU-wide committees, regional and national
consortial partnerships, industry conferences, and vendor user groups are
examples of activities in which you are eligible to participate. Our active
learning culture evolves based on your input. You will be encouraged to
take ownership of your own development through frequent communication with
your manager and through opportunities to communicate with Libraries
leadership.


*Compensation *

Boston University Libraries will provide a competitive compensation and
benefits package appropriate for a position of this scope, stature, and
level of responsibility.


*Applications*

Interested candidates should assemble the following materials, in the
following sequential order, in a single, unlocked Adobe Acrobat (.pdf )
file:


   - A formal letter of application (cover letter), addressed Michael
   Mitton, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Boston University;
   - Résumé or curriculum vitae;
   - Sample publication or comparable non-confidential writing sample (10
   pages maximum); and
   - Names and email addresses of three professional references.

Please name the submitted Acrobat file as follows: bul2019-erl_yourlastname.



You will post the completed Adobe Acrobat file to Boston University’s Human
Resources site. You may contact Mr. Mitton at [log in to unmask] if you have
any questions.


Review of applications will begin in September 2019 and continue until the
Libraries fill the position. The Libraries will not contact references
until the finalist stage.


Boston University is committed to fostering a diverse University community
within a supportive and respectful environment. We believe that diversity
is essential to our success as a leading research university with a global
reach and is an integral component of excellence.


Boston University prohibits discrimination against any individual on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or
mental disability, sexual orientation, or because of marital, parental, or
veteran status. Boston University strongly encourages minority group
members, veterans, disabled individuals, and women to apply for positions
for which they are qualified and that are of interest to them.


---

Steve Smith (he/him/his)

Head of Collection Development

Boston University

[log in to unmask]

617-353-3719