Website Wofford College
Wofford College is a place where thought leads, where ideas are celebrated and problem solving is expected. Wofford invites applicants who are focused on student success and excited to join a community committed to preparing thought leaders. Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It offers 27 major fields of study to a student body of 1,800 undergraduates. Nationally known for the strength of its academic program, outstanding faculty, experiential learning opportunities and successful and supportive graduates, Wofford is recognized consistently as a “best value” and for its commitment to student success and accessibility for low- and middle-income students. The college community has 12 sororities and fraternities as well as 20 NCAA Division I athletics teams.
Wofford College invites applications for a collections librarian. The collections librarian reports to the library dean and is part of a highly collaborative collections services team, which includes the head of collections services and the collections management assistant. The collections librarian is engaged in each stage of collection management, from acquisition to assessment and deselection. They supervise acquisitions processes, oversee cataloging functions and coordinate collection assessment activities with library peers. The collections librarian may supervise one or more student employees.
The collections librarian is full-time position located in the Sandor Teszler Library. The normal work schedule is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
RESPONSIBILIITES
Collection management – 60%
• Collaborates with liaison librarians and other stakeholders to develop holistic and cohesive collection strategies aligned with the collection management policy.
• Collaborates with library staff on collection purchase, review, renewals and deselection. Assists the library liaisons in identifying appropriate resources based on requests for better coverage or functionality, and coordinates internal logistics for trials of databases and other electronic resources.
• Manages the purchasing of print books, DVDs, musical scores, CDs, etc.
• Supervises day-to-day acquisitions processes performed by the collections management assistant, including receiving, tracking and resolving purchase requests and recommendations in a timely manner, assigning items ordered to appropriate budget categories, creating inventory for ordered items, and managing invoices and payments.
• Develops and implements efficient workflows for maintenance of bibliographic, holdings and item records in collaboration with the dead of collections services.
• Oversees the full range of cataloging functions, providing expertise and leadership to staff on original cataloging, copy cataloging, physical processing and batch loading.
• Serves as the lead in exploring innovative tools and methods in streamlining processes for creating, cleaning up and optimizing bibliographic metadata.
• Coordinates shelf-ready book orders and confirmation of catalog records in Alma.
• Checks the quality and accuracy of automatic updates to catalog records.
• Performs maintenance and upkeep of serials and electronic resources at the direction of the head of collections services.
• Works with librarian colleagues to coordinate collections assessment cycles that are evidence-based and user-focused, plans and oversees weeding projects.
• Coordinates the logistics of weeding projects involving the physical collection. Supervises the removal of deselected items from the catalog, and ensures the proper disposition for the physical items as dictated by the collection management policy.
Collections team activities – 30%
• Gathers and organizes collections-related data with the collections team in preparation for annual surveys and other administrative needs.
• Supports library colleagues’ efforts to maintain and update the library homepage.
• Shares responsibility with the head of collections services for ensuring timely response to reported access issues related to library resources and/or systems.
• Meets regularly with combined collections and access services working group to discuss collections assessments based on condition of materials and storage environment, collections use, usability of key patron interfaces and assessments of user experience.
• May coordinate the work of one or more student workers.
Other duties as assigned – 10%
• May serve as a liaison to one or more academic departments.
• Participates in library working groups, as well as committees or service roles across the Wofford community.
• Engages in continuous professional development; attends seminars, trainings and meetings as needed or assigned to keep current with collections related trends, needs and information.
• Perform other duties or related tasks as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association, or international equivalent.
• Ability to work legally in the U.S. without an employer-sponsored VISA.
• Understands library metadata standards and services.
• Understands current issues and trends in collection development strategies and management.
• Excellent communication skills (listening, speaking and writing). Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to embrace change and foster innovation.
• Ability to produce accurate statistics and reports.
• Demonstrated project management skills, problem-solving ability, organizational and analytical skills, with the ability to manage workload, priorities and deadlines to achieve goals.
• Commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in library systems, services and collections.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• 1-3 years prior work experience in a library setting.
• Experience cataloging with integrated library systems (ILS), preferably Ex Libris Alma and the OCLC bibliographic utility.
• Demonstrated experience with effective stewardship of library collections and budgets.
• Knowledge of current and emerging trends and technologies related to library services and higher education.
• Understanding of scholarly communication and the evolving publishing ecosystem; understands the eresources lifecycle and issues in acquiring, licensing and managing access.
• Knowledge of monographic and electronic acquisitions and serials processing.
• Familiarity with how library resources are accessed and used (preferably in an undergraduate context) and a commitment to removing barriers and advocating for users.
• Experience with and/or knowledge of collections assessment.
• Experience with and/or knowledge of resource licensing.
• Experience with metadata transformation and remediation tools.
• Knowledge of database maintenance issues in an academic library resource management system and discovery interface.
APPLICATION
Application materials should be submitted to [email protected]. Application materials include a resume, a cover letter and contact information for three professional references. We will only contact references after the final round of interviews, and only for the candidates who are still being considered at that time.
In your cover letter, please be sure to address the required qualifications and speak to your ability to meet the responsibilities of the role. Be specific. Use examples to help us understand how your experience relates to the requirements. Applications will be accepted until the slate of finalists has been determined. The search committee will begin the review of applications on March 15.
We are aware that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification in the job description, including the preferred qualifications. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and recognize that a successful candidate may come from a less traditional career trajectory, such as having skills and abilities gained outside a classroom context, or an equivalent skill set. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our preferred qualifications, but do meet all of the required qualifications.
To learn more about this position, you may attend an informal webinar anonymously with members of the Sandor Teszler Library staff. This is an informal opportunity to learn about the search process and the details of the position. It is not an interview forum. If interested, please register using the link provided below:
When: Feb 28, 2023, 6 p.m. Eastern time.
Register in advance for this webinar: https://wofford.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kssb629bSrGyHQHSctjg6w
For additional information about this position, and a link to the recording of the webinar, please see: https://libguides.wofford.edu/aboutthelibrary/jobs.
EEO STATEMENT
Wofford College values diversity within our students, faculty and staff and strives to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people. Wofford College does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
For information about Wofford’s Title IX compliance, visit wofford.edu/administration/title-ix.
It is the policy of Wofford College to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities for employment. If you require any accommodations to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [email protected].