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Director of the Library

Employer
Illinois College
Location
Illinois, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Date posted
Sep 22, 2021

Illinois College seeks candidates for the position of Library Director, to start January 2022.

The Library Director provides strategic direction for serving the evolving information needs of the College community.  The Director articulates and implements a vision which supports student learning, collaboration with faculty, and meaningful engagement with the college and local community.  The Director works closely with faculty and librarian colleagues on information literacy instruction, both through a focused one-credit course and research support for both students and faculty.  This Director position is an administrative appointment with faculty status.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of the environment of the small college library in the 21st Century and will be able to share a compelling vision for the role of the library in the overall educational experience, especially in helping students to access, evaluate, and accurately use information.  In addition, the new Director will bring enthusiasm for and strategic approaches to the development of library personnel and innovative uses of the physical space in support of student learning. 

Essential Functions

The following list of duties is meant to be representative of the work performed in this position. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of position responsibilities.

  • Provide leadership and administration for Schewe library.
  • Supervise and develop library personnel.
  • Build and manage library budget, with emphasis on strategic investment in resources.
  • Maintain currency regarding best practices in academic librarianship.
  • Oversee and provide leadership for information literacy instruction.
  • Maintain awareness of technological innovation in information technology.
  • Provide direct service to patrons including instruction, reference support, and general services.
  • Oversee strategic collection development in multiple formats.
  • Conduct ongoing review of existing collections.
  • Collaborate with the Facilities and Information Technology departments on innovative uses of the library spaces.
  • Engage in service, scholarship/creative work, and professional development activities consistent with a faculty status.

Required Qualifications

  • Graduate degree from an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited institution
  • Minimum of five years’ experience as a professional librarian; minimum three years in higher education
  • Demonstrated skill in a leadership role and the capacity to manage staff effectively
  • Familiarity with and enthusiasm for technological innovation in academic libraries
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience and proficiency with budget management
  • Commitment to excellent customer service
  • Commitment to equity and inclusion in teaching and librarianship
  • Ability to effectively liaise with a variety of campus constituencies
  • Familiarity with the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education
  • An understanding of the issues facing contemporary higher education
  • Intercultural competency; ability to work with individuals of diverse backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications

  • Affinity for, knowledge of, and experience with the environment of small private colleges
  • Evidence of innovative pedagogy in information literacy

Applicants should provide the following:

  • Letter of application
  • C.V.
  • A statement of teaching and librarianship philosophy that includes discussion of serving a diverse student body.
  • Contact information for three references and/or three letters of reference.

Review of applications will begin November 1 and continue until the position is filled.

Illinois College is a residential, private liberal arts college located in historic Jacksonville, Illinois, 85 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri, and 30 miles west of Springfield, the Illinois State Capital. True to its founding vision in 1829, Illinois College is a community committed to the highest standards of scholarship and integrity in the liberal arts. Illinois College promotes academic freedom, equality of opportunity, and human dignity through an increasingly diverse student population. The College develops in its students qualities of mind and character needed for fulfilling lives of leadership and service, fostering academic excellence rooted in opportunities for experiential learning while preparing students for lifelong success.

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