Director of Consortial Library Systems, The Five Colleges of Ohio (Oberlin College), Oberlin, OH
Posted October 1, 2021
Description:
The Five Colleges of Ohio (a consortium of The College of Wooster, Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, and Ohio Wesleyan University) seeks its next Director of Consortial Library Systems, a key position that provides leadership in library technology, strengthens collaboration among our five libraries, and investigates and recommends library information solutions that meet the needs of students, faculty and staff. Overseeing CONSORT, the multi-college integrated library system, the Director actively supports a user-centered information environment, partnering with the five library directors and their staffs to explore new ideas and move them forward. This active community of library professionals works with the Director in a number of multi-college initiatives and five working groups and participates in Ohio Five professional development activities. The Director’s role is instrumental in enhancing and supporting these collaborations among the five colleges.
The Director is also the chief voice for the libraries to important internal and external consortium stakeholders, reporting to the library directors and Ohio Five Executive Director and collaborating with college information technology divisions to coordinate the library CONSORT system with other campus systems. The Director also represents the Five Colleges in regular communication and negotiations with library vendors and library organizations such as OhioLINK.
Our directors are committed to the evolution of our shared library system to include new discovery tools and next-generation capabilities, making this an exciting opportunity for someone looking to expand their experience with shared library applications and exercise the ability to define a vision for a team and bring it to fruition.
Success Factors
We’re looking for a partner with a strong technical background, especially one that includes experience leading and managing an Integrated Library System, preferably Sierra (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.) and associated acquisition, circulation, cataloging, and serial modules. The Director’s analytical, project management and troubleshooting skills will be vital in system-related projects including migrating library systems and coordinating print and electronic resources. Conceptual understanding of cloud-based infrastructure, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), and knowledge of programming and database query languages is also desirable.
The Director provides leadership and strategic thinking to plan, coordinate and implement technology projects, drawing on knowledge of emerging trends in library technology. Because collaboration is key to our work, the Director’s strong interpersonal and communication skills will support the Ohio Five’s team environment with library directors, technical, and library staff with a variety of backgrounds and skills.
Minimum Requirements
We value both education and experience. The ideal candidate will be self-directed, eager to learn new skills, and comfortable with technology. These are the minimum requirements for a successful candidate:
An ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS or a master’s degree in a closely-related technology field. An equivalent combination of experience and/or education related to the position, ideally in an academic library, is also welcome.
Working Conditions
The multi-campus environment for this position offers considerable flexibility to respond to the complexity of modern life. The Director supervises a full-time Library Systems Analyst, basing work from an office that can be located on any of the five campuses. Each week offers regular opportunities for remote work and flexible hours. Ohio Five also supports the Director’s periodic travel to the five campus libraries, and we regularly use multiple web-based communication tools to stay in touch, serve our constituencies, and bring stakeholders from around Ohio together.
Compensation and Benefits
Employees at the Five Colleges of Ohio are hired by Kenyon College, which offers salaries that are competitive and commensurate with experience. We offer annual professional development funding. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 85% tuition waivers at fifteen other of the nation’s finest liberal arts colleges.
We also offer health and dental insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.
How to Apply:
We look forward to learning more about you through our application process, which includes a cover letter, resume and 2-3 references we can contact about your work. To apply, please visit our application site here.