DEAN OF LIBRARY SERVICES
WCU invites applications and nominations for the Dean of Library Services. The dean is the chief administrative and academic officer of WCU's university
library. The position offers tenure and faculty rank of full professor. Reporting to the provost, the dean will provide visionary leadership and energetically promote and find support for the mission of the university library. The successful candidate will
be an active academic leader and play a vital role in fulfilling the university's mission in teaching, scholarship, and service. The dean serves on the Board of Directors of the Western North Carolina Library Network, a regional library consortium, and on
the University Library Advisory Council of the University of North Carolina system.
SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Support the university's strategic vision to adopt an educational model of engaged learning with service to the region
2. Provide leadership in the management of the library including resource development and the recruitment, supervision, and appointment of staff and faculty
3. Promote and advocate for the library, both within the university and at a state and regional level
4. Coordinate collaborative efforts in strategic planning
5. Plan and oversee library facilities to maintain an integral library presence within the university community
6. Develop, allocate, and manage the library budget
7. Initiate development and facilitate grants to further support the library's programs
8. Oversee the assessment of library services and collections
9. Facilitate active staff development
10. Advise and lead the library faculty in the tenure, promotion, and reappointment processes
11. Supervise the library’s leadership team comprised of the associate dean and three department chairs
The University
Western Carolina University (WCU) is an enrollment growth campus within the University of North Carolina system and is situated in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains,
west of Asheville and near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While in a rural setting, the university is one hour from Asheville, and only three hours from Atlanta and Charlotte.
WCU’s mission is “to improve individual lives and enhance economic and community development in our region, state, and nation through engaged learning opportunities in our
academic programs, educational outreach, research, and creative and cultural activities.” The university library is at the core of this mission and the university’s strategic plan (adopted in 2012).
The university serves more than 10,000 students from almost every state in the United States and over 30 countries via its 600-acre main campus in Cullowhee, NC; its instructional
sites in Asheville and Cherokee; and the Internet. WCU offers over 120 areas of study for undergraduates and more than 50 graduate-level programs. The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits WCU to award baccalaureate,
masters, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. The university also holds 30 program accreditations and is a member of more than 50 state and national associations and organizations to which its professional programs are related. WCU has 483 full-time
faculty members; 75 percent hold doctoral or terminal degrees. More than 82 percent of the classes have fewer than 40 students and the student-faculty ratio is 16-to-1; the institution continues its historical, primary dedication to educating students.
A “Carnegie Engaged” university, WCU has important educational and service connections to the Western North Carolina region. This region of the Southern Appalachians is
famous for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee reservation (the largest east of the Mississippi), the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (one of the most popular parks in the US), the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Asheville, a tourist-destination city known for such
attractions as the Biltmore House, Thomas Wolfe's Old Kentucky Home, the Grove Park Inn, and for its excellence in Arts and Crafts (and craft beer!).
The Library
The university library is housed in Hunter Library on the WCU campus and extends services to distance education and instructional sites in Asheville and Cherokee. WCU’s
library has a long, respected record of providing excellent service to the university community. Library staff are dedicated to the thoughtful integration of print and digital resources and to supporting the information literacy development of students and
the teaching and research needs of faculty.
The library has three departments comprised of 19 faculty and 30 staff members. The annual budget is approximately $4 million. The collection includes approximately 610,000 print and 455,000 e-books and provides access to more than 62,000 journals; the library
has 11 digital collections. The library provides support across the university for open access, data management, and work in the digital humanities.
Required Qualifications:
·
M.L.S. or equivalent terminal degree from an A.L.A.- accredited program with a record of professional and scholarly experience to qualify for tenure at the rank
of professor
·
History of progressively more responsible leadership positions in academic libraries
·
Experience as a strong advocate of a university library as the core of the academic enterprise
·
Experience with budgeting and financial management
·
Experience pursuing external funding through grants and/or private fundraising
·
Commitment to an active staff development program, including support of tenure-track faculty
·
Experience building consensus, engaging in transparent decision-making, fostering a collegial working environment, and working effectively with a variety of constituencies
·
Dedication to service and the library’s role in teaching and learning
·
Well-developed interpersonal skills, including a clear and open communication style
·
Understanding of information technology as it relates to library services and instructional support
Preferred Qualifications:
·
Strong record of success in developing and implementing flexible approaches or innovations amid changes in scholarly communication
·
Experience with the operations and goals of a regional comprehensive university
·
Experience with tenure processes, especially mentoring tenured and tenure-track faculty
Applications Procedures:
Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications. The position is available upon completion of the search, with a desired start date
of June 1, 2015. Review of applications will begin on February 23.
Nominations of potential candidates are welcome. Please send nominations to Dr. Brian Railsback, Dean of the Honors College, brailsba@wcu.edu,
or 828-227-2101.
Candidates are asked to apply online at:
https://jobs.wcu.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=53736. Please
attach: 1) CV, 2) list of at least 3 references (include names and telephone numbers). For more information, contact Dr. Brian Railsback, Dean of the Honors College,brailsba@wcu.edu,
or 828-227-2101.
An Equal Opportunity/Access/Affirmative Action/Pro Disabled & Veteran Employer.
Katy Ginanni, Collection Development Librarian & Asst Professor
Hunter Library
Western Carolina University
176 Central Drive
Cullowhee, NC 28723
828-227-3729 office
library.wcu.edu
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