Director, Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA, Chicago, IL

Posted July 23, 2015

The American Library Association (ALA) is seeking a Director for the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom implements ALA policies on intellectual freedom, embodied in the Library Bill of Rights. The ALA OIF works with ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) to recommend, develop and maintain a comprehensive intellectual freedom program for ALA, and to educate librarians and the public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom. The ALA OIF also works with ALA’s Committee on Professional Ethics to recommend policies and to assist in the development of education. OIF’s activities include providing information to individuals and organizations facing intellectual freedom challenges; planning and promoting initiatives that promote intellectual freedom, privacy and free access to information, including Banned Books Week; and, developing and implementing other national initiatives. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom provides liaison to the ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table.

The Director, ALA OIF, also serves as the Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation, an allied 501(c)(3) organization with an elected Board of Directors, which participates in litigation dealing with freedom of speech and of the press, and allocates and disburses grants to individuals and groups for the purpose of aiding them in such litigation. In that capacity, s/he has fiscal and management responsibility, as well as responsibility for advancing the goals, including education and outreach, of the Foundation. ALA OIF is also the secretariat for the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund, which provides support to librarians who are, in the Trustees’ opinion, denied employment rights or discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, age, disability, or place of national origin; or, denied employment rights because of defense of intellectual freedom.

The ALA/OIF Director has both an external and internal leadership responsibility. S/he is a principal representative of ALA to organizations that support intellectual freedom, open access to information and privacy, both nationally and internationally. The ALA OIF Director has overall responsibility for the operational and fiscal management of ALA/OIF, under the general supervision of the Senior Associate Executive Director, ALA. S/he supervises a staff of 4 FTE (plus 1 FTRF) and is responsible for an operating budget of approximately $750,000. The director is responsible for advising on ALA plans and preparing recommendations on priorities, programs and other issues; meets regularly with other ALA managers; and communicates, cooperates and coordinates ALA/OIF activities with those of other ALA units. The ALA/OIF Director belongs to the Member Programs and Services Team, including the executive directors of the eleven ALA divisions; directors of ALA program offices, Conference Services and Information Technology and Telecommunications; and, the director of the ALA-APA. The ALA/OIF Director has a critical working relationship with the ALA Washington Office and collaborates on matters related to first amendment rights, to privacy and to equity of access. The Director also partners with civil liberties groups nationwide to create focused advocacy positions and activities.

Qualifications: A Master’s degree from an ALA-recognized program in LIS, with at least ten years of experience, is strongly preferred. Familiarity with public policy formation and law related to intellectual freedom is essential. The successful candidate will be able to work collaboratively with staff and members; have strong communication skills, including the ability to listen to a broad range of constituents with differing perspectives;  be able to form and leverage coalitions, both internally and externally;  and, be a strong advocate for intellectual freedom. The Director, OIF, must work within a complex member-staff organization, as well as lead an important external organization, and be an articulate spokesperson.

Salary range: Salary negotiable from $95,000, depending on experience and qualifications.

Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Apply online including cover letter AND resume (Additional documents are uploaded on the same screen as the resume)

OR

Send cover letter AND resume to:

American Library Association
Human Resources Department
Dan Hoppe, Director, Human Resources
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2795

EMAIL: [email protected]

The American Library Association is an equal opportunity employer: Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran