Director of Teaching, Learning, and Research, Smith College Libraries, Northampton MA
Posted December 9, 2013
Position Summary:
Lead, manage and coordinate teaching, learning and research services for the Smith College Libraries. Oversee the development of library collections in multiple formats. Develop, assess and sustain traditional and emerging services and learning spaces. Collaborate with library leadership and staff to realize the vision and mission of the Libraries.
Duties and Responsbilities:
Leadership & Planning: Actively contribute to library-wide strategic planning, policy development, assessment and resource management. Demonstrate leadership in and commitment to the concepts and practices of the learning organization throughout the libraries. Develop and sustain an evolving vision for the Teaching, Learning & Research group that incorporates the Libraries’ overall mission and vision. Develop strategic plans and initiatives to provide high quality user-centered research services, information literacy programs, learning spaces and collections. Collaborate effectively to strengthen and develop services in response to user needs, new opportunities, evolving technologies and trends in academic libraries and higher education. Contribute to and support the digital and online presence of the Libraries through the investigation, implementation and enhancement of tools that assist with research, instruction and scholarship.
Management: Lead, guide and support all aspects of the group’s services and operations. Facilitate and integrate user-focused reference, research, teaching and collection development services across Smith and the Five College libraries. Develop and promote emerging research services, pedagogy, resources and technologies (e.g., data, GIS). Develop learning spaces to serve changing work and curricular practices. Engage with students and faculty to ensure services successfully meet current and emerging needs.
Achieve operational excellence through effective allocation of resources, continuing assessment and adoption of best practices. Actively promote teamwork, collaboration, continuous learning and staff development within the framework of a learning organization. Foster open, active and participatory communication within the group, across the Libraries and with partners outside the Libraries and the College. Supervise 7.0 FTE
Teaching, Learning & Research: Actively participate in reference, research, teaching and learning for faculty and students in the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Collaborate closely with academic departments and individual faculty in assigned subject areas to evaluate and improve departmental information literacy programs. Apply learning and pedagogical theory to initiate, design, conduct, and assess information literacy classes and activities. Select core curricular materials in assigned subject areas. Develop instructional materials and subject content for the Libraries’ web site. Collaborate and consult with other user-oriented research professionals across the Libraries, the College and the Five Colleges.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program; 5 years of progressively responsible experience in planning, implementing, and managing research and teaching services; substantial supervisory and leadership experience; solid subject knowledge in liberal arts disciplines; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Skills: Ability to think strategically at both a systems level and a group level.
Ability to apply critical, analytical and innovative thinking to work.
Ability to successfully: manage projects; prioritize work; and identify and solve problems.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to work in a collegial and collaborative environment.
Demonstrated continuous learning of new skills, their application and sharing with colleagues.
Familiarity with best practices in research and teaching, collection development and learning environments.
Additional Information:
Review of applications will begin on December 30, 2013 and will continue until the position is filled.