Deputy University Librarian, Brown University, Providence, RI

Posted June 26, 2017

The Brown University Library seeks a senior leader to serve as its Deputy University Librarian, a key new member of the leadership team, with oversight for assessment and campus-based outreach services, staff development, and Library Human Resources. Outreach services under the purview of the Deputy UL will include Research and Outreach Services (ROS), a unit currently comprised of an Associate University Librarian who oversees the work of subject liaison librarians engaged in collections and campus outreach responsibilities. In addition, the Director of Library Planning and Assessment and an emerging area of user experience will be part of the Deputy’s outreach services portfolio. Leadership in staff development includes the review and coordination of staff activities, building training and professional development programs as they relate to the Library’s strategic goals and assessment plans, developing and strengthening internal communication strategies, and providing oversight for Library Human Resources.

Serving as the University Librarian’s principal adviser regarding operational issues and broad-level staff concerns related to assessment and outreach services, staff development, and Library Human Resources, the Deputy UL also will assist the University Librarian with the overall administration of the Library by helping coordinate operations and services across all units and working with other senior leaders to establish and develop Library-wide priorities and policies. In addition, the Deputy UL will assume responsibility for the Library and its activities and operations in the UL’s absence.

With the Brown University Library’s commitment to revitalizing its organizational design and service priorities, assessing and redefining its role and commitments across campus, the Deputy University Librarian will be central to helping shape the Library’s future and will contribute to its overall success.

The Deputy University Librarian will contribute to strategic and other long- and short-term planning for the Library’s services and programs.  In coordination with members of the Library’s leadership team, s/he will develop, manage, and evaluate the Library’s assessment programs, including the generation and interpretation of data to inform the Library’s service and collection decisions and demonstrate the Library’s value to the Brown community and beyond.  S/he will oversee the Library’s internal communication strategies, promoting the Library’s contributions and needs to constituencies within the Library, and working with others to promote the Library’s services and programs on campus and to the community at large.

The Deputy UL will be instrumental in the Library’s engagement with the teaching, learning, and research activities of the Brown community and will work with members of ROS, other user-focused services within the Library, and campus leaders to build meaningful, productive partnerships that contribute to university-wide initiatives. The Deputy UL will often represent the Library within the Brown campus, as well as regional, national, and international research library organizations. S/he will create, manage, and participate in strategic initiatives that promote the Library’s resources and goals and advance collaborations with faculty, students, other clients, and libraries.

With its talented and motivated student body and accomplished faculty, Brown University is an Ivy League research university that maintains a strong commitment to exceptional undergraduate instruction and a robust research environment. Serving a student body of 6,200 undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students, 490 medical students, and approximately 750 faculty members, the Brown University Library employs approximately 63 professional, managerial, and technical staff, along with 60 support staff. The Library is an active member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Consortium of Rhode Island Academic and Research Libraries, NERL (the Northeast Research Libraries consortium), and participates in several shared resource agreements, including Borrow Direct.  

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in library and/or information science or related field, with a minimum of 8 years of professional experience in an academic or research library with a successful record of exercising progressively greater leadership, management, and supervisory skills and abilities. 
• Experience in labor relations and working with bargaining unit staff is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to promote teamwork and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, faculty, and staff in a complex and rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated experience with successfully developing, managing, and completing large, complex, cross-organizational projects and programs in a library setting.
• Strong management skills, proven planning and organizational skills, and ability to deliver desired results and outcomes.
• Demonstrated leadership ability, with strong analytical skills, creative and innovative problem-solving skills, and a commitment to service excellence. 
• Commitment to service-oriented library organizations and solid knowledge of the research and instructional needs of faculty and students.
• Broad, in-depth knowledge of and proven experience with strategic planning, assessment, and introducing and managing change within a complex, rapidly changing organization.
• Extensive experience in supervising and managing librarians and library staff, including all aspects of performance management, organizing workflow to accomplish established objectives, and delegating responsibility and training, as appropriate. 
• Demonstrated success in leading and engaging staff through the processes of staff development as well as organizational improvement and change.
• Ability to mentor and motivate managers and supervisors and foster a cohesive learning organization.
• Commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace environment, while supporting professional development for staff at all levels.
• Knowledge and understanding of key issues and trends in higher education and academic research libraries, including understanding of technology as it impacts libraries and higher education.
• Outstanding written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, with superior organizational ability, initiative, and an entrepreneurial approach.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development, participation, and contributions (preferred).

To Apply: please visit Brown University’s career opportunities website at:   https://brown.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/staff-careers-brown/jobs and reference REQ135280. Complete an application online, attach documents, and submit for immediate consideration. Documents should include cover letter, resume, and the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of three references. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. 

Brown University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community; as an EEO/AA employer, Brown considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.