Summary

Reporting to the Dean of Barnard Library and Academic Information Services (BLAIS) and incorporating values of equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility into all practices, the Director of Collections Strategy and Library Operations provides strategic leadership of three major areas. The Director leads and motivates the Operations team to deliver excellent access services and technical services to the Barnard Community. The Director leads collections strategy for BLAIS, coordinating the work of the Operations team with subject specialist librarians to build collections that support Barnard’s curriculum, increase access to affordable textbooks and open access materials, and enable interdisciplinary research in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, and critical dance studies. The Director coordinates BLAIS’s collection development and access services as an affiliate of Columbia University Libraries (CUL). The Director manages library spaces in the Milstein Center for Teaching and Learning, ensuring equitable and affirming access to library collections, equipment, and spaces for all users.

As a member of the BLAIS management team, the Director engages in strategic planning and collaborates with all library departments, the Academic Centers in the Milstein Center, and colleagues across the College to establish, implement, and assess services, projects, and policies  that manifest the BLAIS and Barnard College values, priorities, and mission.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.  Operations Team Leadership 

• Manage the Operations Team, which includes Technical Services (2 FTE for acquisitions and cataloging); and Access Services (4-5 FTE for Student Engagement, the Information & Circulation Desk, Course Reserves, and up to 20 student staff.) 
• Work with staff to develop and achieve annual goals that align with BLAIS strategic initiatives and staff’s professional development goals.
• Forecast and manage the budget for student staffing, materials, equipment, and equipment maintenance. Manage vendor contracts for equipment and collections storage and retrieval.
• Lead and support staff in creating innovative services for access broadly defined: through discovery of open access scholarship, participation in critical cataloging and metadata standards; user-focused and sustainable policies for course reserves and textbook affordability, interlibrary loan, circulation; affirming practices for student engagement.  

• Build and sustain connections between the Operations Team, counterparts at Columbia University Libraries (CUL), and colleagues across BLAIS.

2. Collections Strategy 

• Lead strategies, planning, and policies for collection development, including assessment, in collaboration with colleagues in Teaching, Learning, and Research Support, in Archives and Special Collections, and in the Zine Library. 
• Communicate collections development policy and strategies with faculty, students, colleagues in the Academic Centers, Student Experience and Engagement, the Student Government Association, and others as needed to support curriculum and other College priorities. 
• Plan and manage the budget for circulating collections in all formats, coordinating with Operations team and subject selectors. Provide budget reports to the Finance office, Development and Alumni Relations, and other stakeholders. 
• Develop and implement acquisitions practices and workflows with subject selectors and Operations Team to support purchasing and licensing for sustainable access in all formats. 
• Coordinate Barnard Library’s role as an affiliate of Columbia University Libraries (CUL), including collections development, operations policies and practices. Participate in CUL committees and work groups. Develop and advocate for policies and procedures that support equitable access to both collections and spaces. 
• Collaborate with CUL to maintain connectivity and discoverability of databases and other digital materials we purchase or license.

• Manage off-site storage and delivery of BLAIS collections. 

3. Library Operations 

• Develop and implement policies and practices to support access to library collections, equipment, and spaces for all users. Share best practices with colleagues across BLAIS, in the nine Academic Centers in the Milstein Center, and CUL. Coordinate and support Barnard affiliate access to CUL resources.
• Collaborate with colleagues in CARES (Community Accountability, Response, and Emergency Services), Facilities, Capital Projects, AV, BCIT, and others as needed to maintain library collections, equipment, and furniture, and to ensure accessible, safe, and effective library spaces for all users. 
• Collaborate with Instructional Media and Academic Technology Services (IMATS) on web & mobile accessibility of library applications and software, scripting, or database needs; collaborate with the IMATS Media Services team in relation to the equipment checkout desk, such as on technology equipment inventory requests.
• Sustain and expand services for affordable and free access to course materials through Course Reserves, the FLI (First-generation and Low Income) Library Partnership, and other efforts.
• Evolve policies about access services practices, in conversation with and informing practice of Columbia University Library, including around storage retrieval, visitors, inventory, missing searches, fines, etc.
• Conduct outreach about Barnard Library and how to use it, via web content, news, signs, customer service, and tours.

4. Serve on the leadership team for the Barnard Library and Academic Information Services

• With the Dean of BLAIS and other members of the leadership team, develop, implement, and assess library-wide strategic initiatives that support the mission, values, and priorities of BLAIS and Barnard College.

• Support a culture and practices of equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in BLAIS.
• Participate in BLAIS budget management meetings, ensuring that the CSLO and collections budgets support library strategic priorities and values.
• Represent BLAIS on Barnard-wide and Columbia University Libraries committees as appropriate. 
• Actively represent BLAIS in professional associations at the national, regional, and local levels; maintains currency with new, emerging, and established standards and best practices in pedagogy and library instruction; shares knowledge and expertise within the division and with other colleagues.
• Work with the leadership team to establish professional development goals and initiatives that reflect the mission, values, and priorities of BLAIS and Barnard College. 

5. Perform additional responsibilities and duties as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated initiative and the ability to create and maintain an equitable and inclusive work environment.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience and management skills essential.
• Ability to perform detailed analytical work as well as a talent for strategic planning and implementation of long term goals. 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interact effectively with faculty, staff, students, alums, librarians, vendors and publishers, as well as College leadership and external stakeholders.
• Book and media acquisitions experience and familiarity with the publishing trade. Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with publishers and vendors.
• Knowledge of cataloging practices and experience with online bibliographic utilities, integrated library systems, library automation applications, and bibliographic database management.
• Knowledge of access services, interlibrary loan, and other resource-sharing practices.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited institution, or relevant advanced degree combined with academic library leadership experience. 
• 7-10 years of related work experience and 5+ years of progressively responsible management experience in academic library collections management, technical services, and/or access services.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, particularly as they inform collections, access services, communications, and library labor practices. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Open Access or Open Educational Resources policies and programs 

This job description is intended as a summary of the primary responsibilities of and qualifications for this position.  The job description is not intended as inclusive of all duties an individual in this position might be asked to perform or of all qualifications that may be required either now or in the future.

We strongly encourage those who will further advance Barnard’s commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, including those from historically underrepresented groups, to apply for this position. We welcome applicants with a range of experiences, including those who come from a less traditional background. Applicants are encouraged to think broadly about and communicate how their skills and experiences transfer to the qualifications in ways that may not be obvious.

EEO Statement

Barnard College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is actively committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community. We especially encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, and individuals from more than one of these and other underrepresented groups.

Apply online here