Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library seeks an enthusiastic and highly qualified librarian to develop and lead its Content Organization and Management (COM) Department. Hunter Library invites applications from underrepresented groups and those who have academic experience with diverse populations. The head of COM is responsible for: departmental strategic planning, budgeting, and management; coordination and guidance of departmental recruitment, program review and assessment; mentoring and performance evaluation; oversight of the collegial and peer review processes; supervision of the acquisitions, cataloging & metadata, collection development, and special & digital collections librarians, and advocacy for departmental needs at the library and university levels. The department head collaborates with COM librarians and departmental liaisons to develop the library’s collection of electronic and print resources; collaborates with the digital initiatives team to develop digital projects and programs; and serves as a member of the library-wide leadership team. The successful candidate will: be responsive to user needs and services in an academic library environment and serve as a mentor, manager, and leader to the staff and faculty in COM; be familiar with technology and emerging trends; participate in departmental and library-wide committees and work groups and function in a full range of professional departmental responsibilities; remain professionally informed and pursue the discovery of new knowledge related to the field of librarianship through scholarship; seek opportunities for professional service; represent WCU in consortial or state collaboration initiatives; work cooperatively with other library departments and internal/external vendors; fully embrace the library’s guiding principles; be flexible; and act with integrity.
About the Library
The university library is housed in Hunter Library on the WCU campus and extends services to distance education and instructional sites in Asheville (NC) and Cherokee. WCU’s library has a long, respected record of providing excellent service to the university community. Library staff are dedicated to the thoughtful integration of print and digital resources and to supporting the information literacy development of students and the teaching and research needs of faculty.
The library has four departments comprising 19 faculty and 30 staff members. The Content Organization and Management (COM) department selects, acquires, organizes and manages intellectual content and collections of archival and regional importance to support the learning, teaching, and scholarship activities of the WCU community. COM includes 5 librarians and 10 support staff members and is responsible for a collection budget of approximately $1.7 million. The collection includes approximately 500,000 print and 800,000 e-books and provides access to more than 100,000 journals; the library has 17 digital collections. The library provides support across the university for open access, data management, and work in the digital humanities.
Hunter Library is committed to advancing inclusive excellence and to creating a welcoming working and learning environment for all students and employees. We know few applicants will have the background, skills, and experience that includes all the preferred qualifications. We encourage everyone who is excited about this position to go ahead and apply if you meet the required qualifications. Applicants are encouraged to share in their cover letter skills and abilities that would apply to the position and how they would contribute to the mission of the library, in addition to their formal work experience. Hunter Library invites applications from underrepresented groups and those who have academic experiences with diverse populations.
Salary and Benefits
Salary and rank are commensurate with qualifications. This is a twelve-month, tenure-track position with a generous 24 days of vacation leave annually.
Required Qualifications
ALA-accredited master’s degree in library or information science or international equivalent; at least three to five years of experience in an academic library environment; experience with collection development and acquisition of monographic and continuing resources; demonstrated experience with at least one of the following three areas: collection development and acquisition of monographic and continuing resources, cataloging and metadata creation, or special collections, digital collections, and archives; demonstrated knowledge of budget processes; demonstrated knowledge of evolving business models for acquisitions; experience supervising full-time employees; experience with training and mentoring; experience with integrated library systems and the application of technology to enhance library operations; demonstrated knowledge of best practices, current issues, and trends in technical services.
Application Procedure
To apply, access our online employment system at http://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/14240. You will be required to attach a letter of application, resume or CV, unofficial transcripts of required the degree, and names and telephone numbers of three references. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For more information, contact Sarah Steiner at [log in to unmask]
Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, and veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program.
Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at [log in to unmask]