Position Title
Head of Collections Services
Overview
Provide intellectual vision and expertise to the College and the library in all aspects of a multifaceted Collections Services (CS) unit requiring broad library and library technology knowledge, skills, and abilities, especially in relation to collections (e.g., print books, eBooks, databases, streaming video, on-demand, profile-based collecting, patron-directed collecting, etc) and Web processes and technologies.
Essential Duties:
- Ensure that currently available resources (print and electronic) that directly support the College’s curricular and research needs are reviewed and, where possible, added to the collection and/or made accessible through library portals. Maintain current awareness of available resources. Coordinate resource marketing with library outreach staff. Oversee all aspects of the selection, purchase, receipt, and access processes. Create, manage, and adjust annual book/e-book acquisition and multimedia license budgets, in cooperation with library administration. Oversee collection maintenance using WMS Acquisitions, Greenglass, etc. Share responsibility for oversight of WMS knowledge base using Collection Manager. Continually revisit print standing orders. Coordinate film public performance rights licensing for college events.
- Prepare and keep current all CS resources, technologies, and services, and lead the planning and execution of department projects. Hire, train, and evaluate directly and indirectly the performance of CS staff. Create and manage staff schedules for optimal workflow, service competencies, and productivity as it relates to all CS-related functions. Chair, Co-chair, or serve on professional committees as appropriate within the library, College, the HELIN Consortium, and in the professional community.
- Stay current with all information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their impact on resource acquisition and management through research, workshops, conferences, and other relevant forums and networks. Take advantage of new paradigms for selecting and acquiring appropriate resources: automated selecting, purchasing, receipt, and processing; maintain current awareness of trends in acquisition’s practices in collection selection, acquisitions, and electronic resource management; keep aware and implement new multimedia platforms (streaming video, on-demand), and of Open Textbook/Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives.
- Oversee usage statistics curation and presentation methods and create visual reports from usage stats. Maintain relationships with vendors. Work in conjunction with ILL staff to purchase frequently borrowed items. Allocate funds for departments from library budget, and research potential resources/purchases/subscriptions per faculty requests (both direct and anticipated).
- Seek and participate in research, education, planning, and management activities across the Phillips Memorial Library, while focusing on CS needs as a top priority. Serve all other library professionals on the committees (Library Managers) through which library strategic, tactical, and operational work is broadly managed, meeting regularly, or as needed, for projects and initiatives.
- Serve as one of the library’s official Library ILS liaisons for greatest optimization and use of technological infrastructure for managing and providing access to library teaching, learning, and research resources and collections. Act as library contact for resource access (on-campus and off-campus).
Marginal Duties:
Perform all other duties as may be required.
Education and Experience Required
- MLS/MLIS Degree from an ALA-accredited library school or equivalent education and professional experience
- Technological savvy and understanding of the library’s information technologies and services, and a well-rounded knowledge of library-specific technologies and architectures (e.g., SHUSI, Open URL, KBART, COUNTER, EZproxy).
- Strong analytical skills and ability to create and utilize data-informed collection analysis.
- Demonstrated understanding of the online catalog and other resources databases for the College and HELIN.
- Solid interpersonal skills, superior service focus and attitude; ability to work as a member of a team, and to manage multiple and time-critical tasks.
- Demonstrated ability to work with students, faculty, and staff; preferably in a liberal arts “commons” environment.
- Excellent communication skills and clear interest in scholarly activity.
- Demonstrated abilities and experience integrating traditional and high-technology services especially in the areas of acquisitions, various e-resource acquisitions models (own, subscribe, short-term loan, and maximal patron access to teaching, learning, and research resources in all formats).
- Administrative and project management abilities and experience pertaining to new paradigms of information resource acquisition and access.
- Experience with multimedia licensing and copyright compliance.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Sitting in a normal seated position for extended periods of time.
- Reaching by extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction.
- Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than with whole hand(s) or arm(s), for example, using a keyboard.
- Communication skills using the spoken word.
- Ability to see within normal parameters.
- Ability to hear within normal range.
- Ability to move about.
Employee Status
Full Time
Salary Grade
21 (Min. $75,200/Mid. $97,700/Max. $120,400)
Salary Information
Employees are normally hired between the minimum and the midpoint of a position’s grade range to which a position has been assigned, depending on experience and qualifications.
Benefits
Providence College offers a comprehensive range of valuable benefits to eligible employees, which are designed to:
- Promote the health and well-being of you and your family.
- Provide financial security while you are working.
- Build financial resources for retirement.
- Help you balance personal and work responsibilities.
- Provide educational opportunities for you and your family.
These benefits include but are not limited to health, dental, 403b retirement plan, flexible benefits plan, tuition benefits, employee assistance plan, college paid basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance, and paid time off. To learn more, please visit our Employee Benefits website by clicking the following link: https://human-resources.providence.edu/benefits/
EEO Statement
Providence College does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender, except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, or genetic information. The College will develop, and from time to time update, an affirmative action program and will insist on a good-faith effort on the part of its employees to comply with the program.
