Director of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Posted February 3, 2022

Description:

Phillips Academy seeks a director for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, the intellectual and social center for student life on campus. The ideal candidate will possess an extensive knowledge of all library services and functions. The candidate should possess a professional knowledge of issues related to librarianship in the midst of an ever changing eco-system of access to knowledge and information. The candidate should also possess strong managerial and leadership ability, dynamic and creative analytical skill, and the ability to form collaborative partnerships across multiple constituencies. Given the diverse nature of the Phillips Academy community, the director of the library should be well versed in culturally responsive pedagogies and critical information literacy.

Reporting to the Dean of Studies, the director of the library will have the following primary responsibilities:

Align OWHL mission with Academy’s mission and priorities
Direct the day-to-day operations of all library services, including integration with all other services located within the OWHL
Build partnership with other offices and integrate with campus programming
Develop and recommend library policy and plans that define and implement library goals and objectives
Develop and implement creative library programs and services in coordination with the faculty to meet the academy’s curricular needs with an emphasis on integration of information literacy instruction
Additionally, administer and continuously evaluate a range of library programs including instructional program, access, reference, collection management and preservation, archival services, makerspace and community outreach
Administer a collection development plan and process that results in a balanced collection in multiple formats representative of the curricular, informational, and recreational needs of the academy community, and reflective of the academy’s commitment to equity and inclusion
Assume a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom and civic engagement by creating and sustaining an environment promoting free inquiry and exposing students to a broad range of ideas
Prepare and present informational reports on library plans, programs, procedures and policies to the Board of Trustees, senior administrators, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and professional organizations
Prepare and manage the annual library budget, including gift fund allocations, in support of the vision and mission of the OWHL and the academy community
Oversee, design, and communicate staffing model/ schedules as well as open hours of the library
Support makerspace coordinator(s) to maintain adequate supply of resources and upkeep of equipment
Monitor makerspace budget and support makerspace coordinator(s) use budget and gift accounts appropriately
Continually assess all service models across all programs and implement any necessary interventions toward programmatic improvement and overall health
Hire, train, supervise, support and evaluate professional, technical and paraprofessional staff. Research and develop a system for appropriate professional development opportunities for staff

Building Services Responsibilities:

Monitor the maintenance and security of the OWHL building and make recommendations for renewal of facilities and equipment and for changes in procedures and policy to the Office of Physical Plant and Office of Campus Safety

Monitor space according to program needs
Assure the daily maintenance of the library’s environment to support its ability to function at the highest level in support of program goals
Assure staff coverage to open, close and supervise the OWHL daily, including in bad weather or under other emergency conditions
Assure the space is welcoming, inviting and reflective of the diverse school community which it serves.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

MLS from an accredited program that combines academic and professional preparation in library and information science with training in education, management, media, communications theory, and information technology
Minimum of 5 years of library experience, at least 2 of which must be at a management level
Teaching Experience preferred
Demonstrated competency with regard to culturally responsive pedagogy
Proficiency in information technology with regard to library management systems and patron facing services
Extensive knowledge of the literature and professional practice of library and information science
Demonstrated ability to plan and implement programming and services in support of institutional goals and objectives
Demonstrated organizational, collaboration and communications skills
Demonstrated ability to hire, train, supervise, support and evaluate staff

How to apply:

Interested applicants should go to the following link to apply: https://andover.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?site=1&id=715

If interested, please complete an application, and include a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in this position.

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, our top priority is safety. Accordingly, the Academy will require, subject to disability and religious accommodation exceptions under federal and state law, that all employees be fully vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19.

Phillips Academy is an equal opportunity employer. Phillips Academy is an intentionally diverse and inclusive residential community “committed to creating an equitable and inclusive school in which students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and ability—learn and grow together.” The ideal candidate supports the inclusive and diverse nature of the community. Any offers of employment will be contingent upon successful CORI/SORI and fingerprinting background checks as well as unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.