Lyman Maynard Stowe Health Sciences Library Director

UConn Health and the UConn Library seek an experienced and inclusive leader to serve as director of UConn’s Lyman Maynard Stowe Health Sciences Library (Health Sciences Library).  Located at UConn Health in Farmington, the Health Sciences Library serves UConn Health learners, faculty, staff, and community members in support of their research, academic scholarship, and information needs.

Reporting to the Dean of the UConn Library and responsive to the programmatic needs of the Schools at UConn Health, the Health Sciences Library Director is responsible for cultivating and advocating for library services and resources that create an excellent academic library experience for faculty and students through active engagement and collaboration with UConn Health and UConn Library initiatives and colleagues.  This position presents an outstanding opportunity for an experienced library administrator with a history of innovative leadership qualities including knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing academic health sciences libraries today and how to best address rapidly changing user needs and expectations.  

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent leadership, communication, professional judgment, knowledge sharing, relationship building, and decision-making practices while reinforcing the principles of inclusion and equity in daily responsibilities.  The Health Sciences Library Director will demonstrate respect in all interactions within the Library and across the University and will exemplify the UConn Health values of excellence, teamwork, diversity, leadership, and innovation and UConn Library values of kindness and trust, curiosity and inquiry, equity and inclusion, and having fun.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages the Lyman Maynard Stowe Health Sciences Library, overseeing its administration, daily operations, staff, budgeting, collections, services, collaborations, and initiatives, serving UConn Health students, faculty, and staff in support of research and academic scholarship.
• Leads the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of library policies and procedures.
• Manages the Lyman Maynard Stowe library budget in consultation with Deans of Medicine, Dental Medicine and UConn Library, including financial planning, monitoring, forecasting, and reporting on fiscal and operational data.
• Promotes a positive work environment by practicing transparent management based on clear communication, openness to ideas, and creative and inclusive problem solving.
• Encourages staff collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments.
• Integrates the library fully into the School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine common mission and organizational structure.
• Initiates and maintains successful relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Fosters and advances partnerships and collaborations with faculty, administrators, and others served by the library through outreach and engagement.
• Serves as a member of the UConn Library’s Senior Leadership Team. Partners with senior leaders and facilitates collaboration between Health Sciences and the UConn Library in support of shared systems, collections, and expenses.
• Reinforces the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, working collaboratively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in advancing EDI efforts.
• Follows performance management guidelines as outlined by UConn Health and each staff member’s contractually specified evaluation process.
• Works to optimize funding by promoting philanthropy in conjunction with the UConn Health development office and by identifying grant opportunities.
• Coordinates meetings of the Library Advisory Committee, which is advisory to Deans of Medicine, Dental Medicine and UConn Library and engages its membership in review of strategic plans, goals, and priorities to meet the needs of all constituencies served.
• Maintains a high level of professional competency, keeps abreast of developments in the field of health sciences librarianship, and contributes to the profession through service, presentations, and publications.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A graduate degree in Library and Information Science from an American Library Association-accredited institution (or international equivalent).
2. Minimum of seven years related professional experience with demonstrated awareness of patron needs in an academic, health sciences library.
3. Minimum of three years continuous management experience with demonstrated knowledge of principles and best practices of employee supervision. Must demonstrate values of collegiality and cultivate an inclusive, participatory team environment to support and lead an experienced staff.
4. Solid understanding of budget management and reporting, with the demonstrated ability to advocate for and communicate library budget and funding.
5. Evidence of motivation or success in reinforcing and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and working collaboratively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
6. Ability to work strategically and collaboratively with stakeholders in a complex changing environment.
7. Evidence of advancing programmatic and service initiatives in support of academic teaching, learning, and research.
8. Proven public service skills with the ability to build and maintain collaborations in support of civic engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Exceptional critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.
2. Record of relevant professional memberships, publications, and activities.
3. Experience working with clinician faculty and health care workers.
4. Successful experience in grant proposal submissions and/or library fund-raising.
5. Knowledge of assessment standards and best practices.
6. Membership in the Medical Library Association’s Academy of Health Information Professionals.

Appointment and Application Terms:

This is a full-time position based in Farmington, Connecticut. Interested applicants should apply at https://jobs.uchc.edu. A cover letter, resume and names of three (3) references must be uploaded through the site. Questions regarding this search should be addressed to Ellen Silbermann at ellen.silbermann@uconn.edu.

UConn Health is an affirmative action employer, in addition to an EEO and M/F/V/PWD/PV employer.

UConn Health is a vibrant, integrated academic medical center that is entering an era of unprecedented growth in all three areas of its mission: academics, research, and clinical care. A commitment to human health and well-being has been of utmost importance to UConn Health since the founding of the University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine in 1961. Based on a strong foundation of groundbreaking research, first-rate education, and quality clinical care, we have expanded our missions over the decades. In just over 50 years, UConn Health has evolved to encompass more research endeavors, to provide more ways to access our superior care, and to innovate both practical healthcare delivery and our methods of educating the practitioners of tomorrow. 

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS OFFERED:

• Industry-leading health insurance options and affordability
• Generous vacation and sick-time plans
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Multi-channel retirement options (pension and match options)
• Tuition waiver and reimbursement for employees and qualified family members
• Quick commute access from I-84, Rte 9 and surrounding areas
• State of the art facility and campus environments
• Progressive leadership and educational development programs available