Dean, Library Services

Overview 

Montclair State University, the second largest university in New Jersey, seeks a visionary and pragmatic leader who can inspire, plan and build an academic research library for the future.  Montclair State University is a nationally ranked Carnegie Research II Institution ranked with the top 100 National Public Institutions of Higher Education by U.S. News and World Report, and designated by New Jersey as one of its four public research institutions.  With over 21,000 students, the University is poised to enter its next period of transformative development and is seeking a Dean to lead the Harry A. Sprague Library (https://www.montclair.edu/library/) through that transformation.  The Dean is a key member of the University’s academic leadership team, and will contribute to shaping the future of instruction and research at Montclair State University.  

The library serves the faculty and students of 10 schools and colleges including the College of the Arts, the Cali School of Music, the School of Communication and Media, the College of Education and Human Services, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Mathematics, the Feliciano School of Business, the Graduate School, the School of Nursing, and University College, a college for pre-major students.  From its central campus location Sprague Library serves as a multimodal hub for student study and research, and provides resources to community members across all disciplines and in all formats.  The Library curates and promotes the scholarly and creative accomplishments of its faculty and students through its institutional repository, Digital Commons (https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/topdownloads.html).  It is also the engaged liaison for Research with NJ, https://www.researchwithnj.com/, a state-wide research asset database of faculty research, and is an active partner in ValeNJ (Virtual Academic Library Environment of NJ) https://vale.njedge.net/. 

The Sprague Library Dean will provide leadership and strategic direction aligned with the University’s SOAR 2025 Strategic Plan https://www.montclair.edu/strategic-plan/.  The Dean will bring a vision of the role of the academic library in transformative times, understanding, leading and articulating that vision to the institutional community and to the public.  The Dean will be responsible for building an effective staff in service of that vision, inspiring growth and effectiveness. 

This position requires strong and demonstrated leadership skills, a track record of successful fundraising, the ability to build partnerships within the University and throughout the community, and possession of a clear understanding of national trends in higher education and the academic library profession. The Dean will understand current library technologies and their trends, have demonstrated knowledge of emerging areas of librarianship, have expertise in assessing and developing library services, collections, and technology applications.  Working effectively with a large and diverse population of students, faculty, staff, other deans and academic administrators will be key to being effective in this role.  Given the complexities and challenges of the current national higher-education environment, the University seeks a Dean who will provide strong, purposeful, and informed intellectual leadership within the Library, across the campus, and in relationships with the external community.  

Responsibilities and Expectations 

Appointed by the President and reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean serves as the chief administrative officer of the Library. 

The Dean will

• Provide leadership and strategic vision for all aspects of library services to the University;
• Oversee the management, growth and quality of the Library and its full range of services;
• Assure that appropriate structures are in place to support the educational, scholarly, and research environment for students, faculty and staff;
• Oversee the annual budget process for the Library and its attendant requests for staff positions, capital development, instructional support, and research development;
• Engage in fiscal planning and budgeting and manage resources strategically and effectively;
• Oversee the hiring, reappointment and promotion of librarians and professional staff
• Interface with University Development to raise external funding for the priorities of the Library;
• Build the library’s strategic plan to advance the library in support of university goals and articulate and advocate the role of the library on campus;
• Collaborate with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research to identify and seek resources to enhance technology and library collections;
• Provide oversight and direction for the staff of the library for managing day-to-day library operations;
• Develop professional relationships across institutions, national associations and local industries which will open new opportunities for the University, its programs and its students;  
• Ensure awareness of, and sensitivity to, the educational goals of a multicultural population and to expanding educational and professional opportunities to currently underserved and underrepresented populations;
• Provide leadership with a vision of higher education which will inspire and motivate the library personnel to identify with common goals, common purposes and a shared mission. 

Qualifications

• Master of Library Science, Master of Library Information Science, or closely related discipline is required; Doctorate is preferred.
• Senior level experience and demonstrable accomplishments in the development and management of academic libraries.
• A deep knowledge of library administration and a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities that will be faced by public universities and public university libraries in the years ahead.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the role libraries play in achieving the goals of multiple stakeholders including students, faculty, and staff
• The vision and passion to build a dynamic future for the library within an accomplished, ambitious, and growing university.
• Strong communication skills in all modes and media.
• A demonstrated record in the acquisition of external resources.
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels and in all forms.
• The experience and disposition to work in the public sector and a unionized environment.  

Procedure for Candidacy ​

Applicants should include a Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter describing how their background, skills and education match the needs of the University. When applying, please take a moment to carefully read and follow the steps in the application instructions.