Head of Library Web & Digital Services, Yeshiva University, NY

We are a leading global educational institution that employs over 6,000 people across our various campus locations — Wilf Campus, Beren Campus, Brookdale Center, Resnick Campus in the Bronx, the Gruss Institute in Jerusalem, the Boys High School in Manhattan and the Girls High School in Queens. From the distinguished faculty who teach here, to the dedicated staff, we work to fulfill our mission: to “bring wisdom to life” through all that we teach, by all that we do and for all those we serve.  We seek to attract and retain engaged and committed individuals who contribute to an exciting working environment, where there is a sense of community and belonging, balanced with a significant cross section of people from diverse backgrounds working and studying together.

The University offers an excellent compensation package, and a broad range of employee benefit plans, including immediate participation in the University’s retirement plan. Staff members are typically eligible for four weeks paid vacation each year and a shuttle to nearby subway locations. 

Yeshiva University Libraries occupy a central role in the academic enterprise by nurturing discovery, critical thinking, and the interdisciplinary exchange of information to help students and faculty collaborate, grow intellectually, and acquire skills for life-long learning. The libraries maintain a global dimension in advancing research and scholarship in Jewish Studies.

The holdings of the University’s libraries include academic and cultural resources in print, digital, and other formats that span the disciplines from biomedical and social sciences, Jewish studies, law, and business to literature, languages, and the arts.  Special collections include Judaic rare books and manuscripts, Sephardic publications, and extensive archival records documenting the Jewish experience of the past century.

The Position: 

The Head of Library Web & Digital Services is responsible for the creation, implementation, management and evaluation of web-based interactive content, discovery strategies, scholarly communication, and library technology services for the Wilf and Beren campuses. The three major areas of responsibility are technology support for library patrons (students and faculty), alumni, staff and library systems; web design and maintenance; and digitization of collections.   This member of the Libraries’ management team participates in setting library policy, identifying and adopting emerging technologies, and launching a scholarly communication program.

• Monitor and manage library servers in cooperation with ITS office, recommending and participating in implementation of upgrades and purchases
• Serve as the library’s liaison with the Information Technology Services office
• Oversee implementation and sustainable growth of an institutional repository
• Analyze cost effectiveness of technology options and solutions
• Manage technology for the library’s Integrated Library System (ILS)
• Articulate criteria for an effective library website to support both instruction and research. Working with public services librarians, recommend design and format improvements to the website and implement them to enhance the user experience
• Maintain integrity and consistency of website, check links, refine content and update web pages
• Manage the Libraries’ alumni portal
• Coordinate digitization projects
• Collaborate with Metadata Services and Processing to ensure access to and discovery of resources
• Supports digital literacies and digital scholarship in collaboration with research, instruction and public service librarians
• Advise and assist library staff in development of digital content and on preservation of library digital assets
• Participate in preparation of grant applications
• Supervise staff
• Oversee support and management of library workstations
• Help patrons and library staff solve PC or application-specific, wireless, and off-campus access problems
• Participate in professional meetings and workshops

Experience and Educational Background:

• ALA accredited MLS and background in information technology
• Five years’ experience in an academic library setting or in a comparable environment with increasing levels of responsibility
• Experience with institutional repositories and library publishing programs helpful
• Demonstrated organizational and communication skills
• Knowledge of usability testing, analytics analysis and assessment of virtual spaces
• Knowledge of HTML, SGML, XML, EAD, DRUPAL, content management and metadata systems helpful

Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated organizational and communication skills
• Strong information technology background and aptitude, especially in relation to university libraries
• Understand the current and newly developing issues related to library digitization and web design
• Excellent communication and organization skills; understanding and experience with leading scholarly communication efforts
• Knowledge of trends and developments in digital scholarship and open access publishing

The successful candidate is the liaison to all work related to the libraries’ hardware, software and network; coordinates efforts with department heads to support patrons, alumni/ae and staff; and leads and inspires a unified library technology team.