Head of Public Services Librarian

Posting Details

Job Posting Information

Posting Number

F170

Position Title

Head of Public Services Librarian

Rank

Librarian II E30177

Regular (PIN) or Long Term Contractual Faculty

Regular

Desired Start Date

Open Date

07/18/2023

Close Date

Open Until Filled

Yes

Duties and Responsibilities

Bring your leadership skills to Bowie State University’s ThurgoodMarshall Library! Our library seeks a forward-thinking Head ofPublic Services Librarian to lead, coordinate, and administer thelibrary’s Public Services Department encompassing circulation,reference, library instruction, interlibrary loan, and outreachservices. This is a 12-month, benefits-eligible position that issupervised by the Dean of the Library.

Bowie State University promotes access to and opportunities for allto receive the benefit of and participate in education, research,and service and is especially interested in candidates that cancontribute to the mission of access.

Job Purpose

The Head of Public Services Librarian supervises Thurgood MarshallLibrary’s Public Services Departments (Circulation, Reference andInterlibrary Loan). This position also provides reference serviceto faculty, students, and other library users. This position isalso directly responsible for hiring, training, and supervisingstudent circulation employees, and manages the circulationandreference desk schedules. The Head of Public Services Librarianalso assists with library programming, supports library outreachefforts to Bowie State University and the Bowie community, andmanages stacks maintenance, inventory, and collection developmentwith the support of the Dean of Library.

This position requires a strong commitment to service andproblem-solving skills. The Head of Public Services Librarian isresponsible for insuring consistently high service to library usersby establishing, documenting, and applying library policies andprocedures; training and supervising professional staff and studentemployees; and working with other Colleges and Departments andissues relating to security, facilities, and use of thelibrary.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Thurgood Marshall Library at Bowie State University seeks aninnovative Manager of Public Services to provide leadership for thedaily operational activities of the Library’s Access ServiceDepartment which includes staff management, facilities, equipment,and collections maintenance, resource sharing services, and usersupport services. Under the direction of the Dean of the Library,the incumbent works collaboratively with internal and externalpartners to support users’ needs in a continuously evolvingacademic environment. Essential duties are listed below.

Leadership, Management, and Team Building

• Creates an environment where team members are empowered to workindividually, collaboratively, and collectively towards achievingdepartmental and Library goals.
• Oversees the hiring, support and training of access andcirculation services staff, including facilitating access toappropriate development opportunities.
• Contributes to developing, executing, and evaluating departmentand Library-wide goals
• Develops, recommends and administers policies, procedures andprocesses in support of the Access Services operations.
• Creates and maintains departmental training guides, manuals andonline materials.
• Communicates with the Dean of the Library and Academic ITleadership teams regarding public services operations.
• Prepares narrative and statistical reports.
• Advances diversity, equity, inclusion for all library workersand users.

Public Services Responsibility

• With the Circulation and Reference Service Staff, direct theday-to-day work of the Public Service team and ensure libraryopening and closing, as well as staff coverage at the circulationand reference services desk during the library’s operationalhours.
• Provides guidance to the Bowie State University community inthe use of library resources and services, facilities, equipment,and technology; troubleshoots technical problems and equipmentissues.
• Assists patrons with complaints, concerns, and otherservice-related requests, escalating to Library leadership asappropriate.
• Oversees lending of physical materials and technologicalequipment.
• Serves as fulfillment and user accounts administrator for avariety of library systems
• Manages vendor accounts, billing, and communications forsecurity, library equipment, applications, and other services usedby Access Services.
• Manages and updates content on Public Services-related webpagesand libguides.
• Collects and analyzes statistics, ensuring consistent andaccurate recording.
• Fields reference inquiries via email, text, chat, phone andparticipates in the Thurgood Marshall Library’s Ask-A-Librarianservice.
• Explores emerging technologies and service models and leads thedepartment in evaluating and implementing new services whenappropriate.

Physical Collections, Public Spaces and FacilitiesResponsibility

• Ensures a safe and scholarly research environment for librarystaff, users, and resources.
• Assist with assessing, planning, managing, relocating, andmaintaining the stacks and furnishings.
• Oversees shelving operations, collaborating with the libraryleadership team to analyze physical collections statistics forrelated space considerations, plans and justifications.
• Maintains and updates library wayfinding and operations-relatedsignage.
• Communicates Library operational changes with Library andAcademic IT stakeholders and users.
• Monitors the custodial and maintenance of the public spaces andinitiates appropriate action with Academic IT administration anduniversity facilities regarding any issues with furniture,equipment, classrooms, and public library spaces.
• Collaborates with Academic IT Administration to ensure staffand patron safety issues are proactively prevented and buildingsafety security issues are also addressed.
• Maintains and updates emergency preparedness and disasterrecovery plans for the library collections and public spaces.

Resource Sharing Services Responsibility

• Oversees resource sharing services operations, serves as theadministrator for resource sharing platforms (ILLiad, DOCLINE, OCLCWorldcat, etc.) and implements software updates.
• Oversees accounts, billing and payments for servicesrendered.
• Collects data and prepares usage and other reports for Libraryleadership.
• Organizes and monitors the workload and staffing to provideuser-responsive services.
• Maintains online user guides and coordinates the resourcesharing web presence as part of public services.
• Explores trends in technology and resource sharing;collaborates with internal departments and the resource sharingcommunity to develop, implement, and evaluate continuousimprovement and integration of resource sharing and other Libraryand discovery systems.

Conditions of Employment

On-site position

• This position involves moderate exposure to normal stress andpressures typical of a department head-level managementposition.
• Shift changes and evening/weekend work may be required based onevolving priorities, operational needs, and time-sensitive activities.

Please be advised, COVID -19 vaccinations are strongly encouragedbut not required for eligible faculty and staff employed by BowieState University. This protocol may be subject to change.

Benefits

Benefits include medical, dental, prescription, long-termdisability, accidental death and dismemberment insurance and lifeinsurance; paid time for paid sick leave, annual leave, andpersonal leave; 12 paid holidays per year, tuition remission;employer-funded pension and supplemental retirementaccounts.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in an academic orresearch library.
• Minimum 2 years of experience directly assisting users in apublic, academic, or research library.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing outstanding customerservice.
• Demonstrated high level of comfort and proficiency withtechnology.
• Familiarity with best practices, trends, and assessmentstrategies related to information literacy instruction.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral andwritten).
• Demonstrated commitment to and/or clearly articulatedphilosophy on the role of library services in fostering student success.
• Previous teaching experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with library marketing, outreach and/or advocacypreferred.
• Demonstrated ability to schedule, supervise, train and evaluatestaff.
• Able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, witha diverse population of students, faculty, clinicians, andstaff.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and resolveproblems quickly and effectively, including handling complex andsensitive patron and staff issues with patience, diplomacy,respect, and discretion.
• Demonstrated experience using database or library managementsoftware and applications.
• Proficiency with new technologies and computer applications,including but not limited to office software (MS Office), scanners,project management and communications platforms, web searchingplatforms, team communications platforms, and learning managementsystems/customer relationship management/content managementsystem-type platforms.

Education

• ALA -accredited Master’s in Library Science or theequivalent.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience in circulation services, particularly using ExLibris Alma/Primo software.
• Experience with interlibrary loan services, particularly usingILLiad, Docline, or OCLC Worldcat.
• Experience searching online bibliographic databases such asPubMed/ MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus or Web of Science.
• Experience providing reference or 1-1 instruction in anacademic and/or health sciences library setting.
• Aptitude for project management, organization, prioritization,coordination, and implementation.
• Aptitude for learning and troubleshooting software/hardwaresystems efficiently and thoroughly.
• Familiarity with Springshare LibApps platform (LibGuides,LibAnswers, etc.).

Minimum Qualifications

Posting Detail Information

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
3. Teaching Philosophy
4. Unofficial Transcripts
5. Letter of Reference 1
6. Letter of Reference 2
7. Letter of Reference 3
8. Curriculum Vitae