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Dean of the Clement C. Maxwell Library

Employer
Bridgewater State University
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
May 13, 2021

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Dean of the Clement C. Maxwell Library

Department Summary:
Since its founding in 1840 as one of the first normal schools in the United States to its current status as a vibrant regional comprehensive university, Bridgewater State University (BSU) remains committed to ensuring that students receive an exceptional, accessible, and affordable education.

BSU seeks an innovative, thoughtful, and collaborative leader with strong communication skills and a commitment to racial equity to serve as Dean of the Clement C. Maxwell Library.

The Clement C. Maxwell Library is a focal point of activity supporting the teaching, learning and research activities of Bridgewater State University. A dedicated, talented, and diverse staff of nine FT librarians and sixteen FTE professionals help to meet the needs of more than 10,600 students, 337 full-time faculty and librarians, and 535 part-time faculty. The Maxwell Library provides 24-hour online access to library resources for students and faculty. The library collection contains 255,000 physical volumes and provides access to approximately 155,000 digital/online volume equivalents. The library has an annual budget of over $1.2 million.


Position Summary:
The dean is the chief administrative and academic officer of the Clement C. Maxwell Library, a unit within the division of Academic Affairs, and a direct report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The dean provides strategic, financial, and managerial leadership in executing the functions of the position and works collaboratively and collegially with faculty and with academic leadership, including other deans, to advance the mission and function of the Maxwell Library.

The dean provides leadership in identifying, defining, and realizing the library mission and vision, which supports the teaching, research, and creative endeavors of the university. The dean is the face and voice of the Maxwell Library and represents the library locally, regionally, and nationally.

The dean should have the experience and interpersonal skills to navigate the academic setting, facilitate effective partnerships, and build strong relationships with the university's senior leadership. This position requires strong and demonstrated leadership skills, 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 have a working understanding of current library technologies and their trends, have demonstrated knowledge of emerging areas of librarianship, and have expertise in assessing and developing library services, collections, and technology applications.

The dean is responsible for the library's planning and implementation process in concert with divisional and university strategic plans and manages the full range of day-to-day operational functions and services of all departments within the library. This includes developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure effective operations; ensuring compliance with contractual agreements; reviewing, approving and monitoring expenditures and recommended budgets; providing leadership and managing the personnel activities of the library staff, including hiring, training, and evaluating the work of assigned staff in accordance with contractual agreements; and preparing and initiating new programs for the benefit of students and faculty.

The dean is accountable for ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrally tied to all actions and decisions in areas of responsibility.


Position Type: Professional Non-Unit

Essential Duties:
Duties, Responsibilities, and Opportunities:
• Establishes library goals and objectives to create an environment conducive to academic quality, collegiality, student success, technical innovation, and transparency, while fostering a deep appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Collaborates with all faculty, librarians, library staff, and administrators to develops policies, set priorities, and evaluates and adjusts library functions and services to meet the needs of a diverse and inclusive campus community
• Works collaboratively with the MSCA Librarians individually, and with the Library Program Area (LPA) Chair as per the faculty/librarian Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Utilizing an equity lens, establishes standards in the internal operation of each library department and conducts long-range planning activities and programs that support public services, promote and preserve the library’s main and historic collections, and encourage user relations that are responsive to and dynamically support a shared vision with the mission of the university
• Collaborates with deans, chairs, faculty, librarians, and library staff to actively promote and advance the library’s role in integrating information literacy and digital fluency skills into the curriculum and advocates for the use of emerging technologies to meet the current and future demands of library services
• Assesses services, virtual and physical, oversees the library’s support of online education, conducts studies and responds to findings, and initiates new programs to improve services and collections that include digitization and improving access to electronic research materials
• Provides administrative oversight and direction of all personnel regarding professional development opportunities including equity, social justice, inclusion and diversity
• Responsible for all performance personnel actions and the evaluation of librarians and library staff in accordance with Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Supports new and innovative information formats and emerging technologies and services to meet/engage the needs of a diverse learning community
• Manages the financial activities of the library, including the development and monitoring of the annual operating budgets and the strategic and effective allocation of resources
• Prepares detailed reports that may be required by the university administration and/or by external agencies, such as regional accreditation reports
• Serves on search, special, and/or standing committees, governance bodies, or councils of the university upon the request of the administration
• Works with other campus offices to secure external funding (i.e., grants/donations) on behalf of the library and the university
• Is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of library building operations

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• The ability to lead a diverse professional staff
• Demonstrated capability to work within a collegial and collaborative framework and to foster this ability in staff
• Professional competence as evidenced by personal growth and development, the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, and the ability to set priorities and organize tasks
• Strong record of success in developing and implementing flexible approaches or innovations amid changes in scholarly communication
• Understanding of information technology as it relates to library services and instructional support
• Experience pursuing external funding through grants and/or private fundraising
• Experience with the operations and goals of a regional comprehensive university and an academic library
• Experience as a strong advocate of a university library as the core of the academic enterprise and student success and to advance the library as the academic center of the campus
• Strong advocacy skills on behalf of the staff and librarians and the ability to value all staff as contributors to the success of the organization


Required Qualifications:
• Master of Library Science (MLS/MILS) degree from an American Library Association accredited program
• A record of academic achievement that merits tenure with appointment at the rank of Senior Librarian, including a second Master’s (or higher) degree
• Thorough knowledge of higher education principles, practices, and procedures, the application of information technologies, and considerable knowledge of trends in institutions of higher education and their impact on student-centered library services
• Extensive administrative and leadership experience in library operations, and a demonstrated ability to lead a diverse team of information professionals in an academic environment
• Commitment to customer service excellence/support to enhance an environment of equity, diversity and inclusion
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds


Preferred Qualifications:


Work Environment:
Bridgewater State University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants and employee with disabilities.

Office activities are performed in an environmentally controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and interaction with computer equipment; Occasional bending, reaching, lifting, pushing and pulling up to 5 pounds.


Special Conditions for Eligibility:
Please be aware that employment at Bridgewater State University is contingent upon completion of a successful background check.


Salary Range: $120,000-$130,000
Posting Number: S00656P
Open Date: 05/12/2021
Close Date: 7/18/2021
Open Until Filled: No

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Please note the following information is required to complete your application for this position:

*a minimum of one (1) employment history entry.

*a minimum of three (3) professional reference entries.


To apply, visit https://jobs.bridgew.edu/postings/20400

Bridgewater State University (BSU) is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer which actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workforce. We are dedicated to providing educational, working and living environments that value the diverse backgrounds of all people.


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