Head of Electronic Resources & Serials

Santa Clara University Library is seeking a dynamic, motivated, user focused, and collaborative individual to serve as the Head of Electronic Resources & Serials. The Head of Electronic Resources
& Serials supervises two full-time staff members, provides leadership in the procurement, assessment, and management of print and electronic continuing resources, including individual and package subscriptions, ebooks demand driven acquisitions, and streaming services, and oversee the processing of all invoices paid out of the acquisitions budget. The successful candidate will review all subscriptions and licenses, renew subscriptions as needed, set up trials, conduct regular assessments of all subscriptions, and work with publishers/vendors and major consortia such as SCELC (http://scelc.org).

The Head of Electronic Resources & Serials will develop and maintain expert knowledge on issues related to electronic resources and electronic resource management (ERM) and work with staff to ensure all invoices are paid on a timely and accurate basis. Additionally, the Head of Electronic Resources & Serials will work closely and collaboratively with subject librarians and the Head of Instruction & Assessment on the ongoing acquisition, purchase, renewal and assessment of electronic resources and serials.

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Collections & Scholarly Communication, the Head of Electronic Resources & Serials plays a key role in connecting our community to our vast array of electronic resources. This position serves on the Library Management Council, an advisory

administrative body made up of the University Librarian, Associate University Librarians, and unit heads.

Administration and Leadership (90%) Management

1. Supervises and manages workflow of electronic resources and serials, including research, acquisition/subscription, implementation, and assessment

2. Designs cost efficient, effective workflows and documents workflows in procedures

3. Coordinates the acquisition of and subscriptions to electronic resources, reviews and renews licenses, maintains records for consortia (i.e. SCELC) and direct vendor contacts

4. Maintains timely, accurate data about electronic resources in a variety of systems such as the Electronic Resource Management System (ERMS), link resolver, A-Z database list, and discovery tool

5. Leads the efforts to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve access problems related to the library’s licensed electronic resources

6. Partners with vendors/publishers, Learning and Engagements personnel, and other Cataloging/Electronic Resources & Serials staff to solve technical issues that affect user services and to identify strategies for enhancing electronic resource accessibility and findability

7. Monitors vendor services, performs vendor evaluations and facilitates negotiations of vendor services as needed

8. Applies usage statistics and other assessment data to assist in identifying needs and evaluating current and potential licenses to support renewals, alternative access options, and/or withdrawal

9. Works with the University’s General Counsel to review and negotiate license agreements

10. Establishes trials and pilots for prospective purchases and subscriptions

11. Supervises two staff working in electronic resources and serials

Communication and Collaboration

1. Participates in library management team decision-making processes

2. Promotes and ensures a customer-service focus among library staff

3. Establishes and maintains effective communication channels with library staff, including the law library

4. Establishes and maintains professional relationships and communications with vendors, publishers and consortia

5. Researches and assesses products, offers and services and communicates that information to subject librarians

6. Actively communicates licensing and electronic resource best practices with librarians and staff to promote mutual understanding of licensed electronic resources, including interlibrary loan, course reserves, public performance rights, perpetual access, and archival rights

7. Regularly communicates with library managers and staff regarding library issues, initiatives, and activities

8. Keeps the Associate University Librarians and University Librarian informed of current and potential issues, activities, and operational changes

9. Builds a strong network of peers at comparable institutions

10. Represents and advocates to relevant campus, consortia or multi-institutional groups

11. Participates in campus committees and initiatives as appropriate

Financial

1. Provides input and recommendations to the AUL for Collections & Scholarly Communication and subject librarians responsible for managing the electronic materials and serials budget (approximately $3.5 million)

2. Oversees and approves all invoices paid out of the acquisitions budget

Assessment

1. Examines and evaluates current and potential purchases/subscriptions

2. Develops assessment strategies and conducts ongoing assessment using a variety of methods including usage, overlap, and value

3. Shares assessment data with subject librarians

4. Gathers and analyzes both quantitative and qualitative data to inform management decisions on electronic resources and serials and continuously improve library services

Scholarship and Service (10%)

1. Serves on committees and task forces at the department, Library, and University level

2. Participates in local, state, and national/international professional and scholarly societies and organizations

3. Conducts research and/or publishes results; presents research results at conferences or through publication

Other duties as assigned.

GENERAL  GUIDELINES

• Recommends initiatives and implements changes to improve quality and services.

• Identifies and determines cause of problems; develops and presents recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices.

• Maintains contact with customers and solicits feedback for improved services.

• Maximizes productivity through use of appropriate tools; planned training and performance initiatives.

• Researches and develops resources that create timely and efficient workflow.

• Prepares progress reports; informs supervisor of project status and progress on goals. Ensures completeness, accuracy and timeliness of all operational functions.

• Prepares and submits reports as requested and required.

• Develops and implements guidelines to support the functions of the unit.

PROVIDES WORK  DIRECTION

• Directly supervises 2 staff

• Indirectly supervises student workers

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The items below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred.

This position requires the ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.

Required

1. Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited (or equivalent) library science or information science program 

2. Minimum of two years of professional experience

3. One to two years of supervisory experience

4. Experience working in acquisitions, serials, or e-resources in an academic or large public library

5. Ability to perform workflow analyses and document procedures

6. Familiarity with reviewing and negotiating license agreements pertaining to electronic resources and the academic environment

7. Experience serving as a point of contact for maintenance and troubleshooting of electronic resources

8. Experience implementing or using an electronic resources management system, link resolver, and/or knowledge base

9. Experience working with publishers and/or vendors of electronic resources

10. Evidence of maintaining current awareness of trends and standards in electronic resources and serials

11. Commitment to maintain awareness of trends and ongoing developments in areas related to the entire cycle of electronic resources and serials

12. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a team member in a complex library environment

13. Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills

14. Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills

15. Record of activities and achievement for appointment at the rank of Senior Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, or Librarian

B. Preferred Qualifications

1. Ability to thrive amidst organizational change including the capacity to respond effectively to change (including changing technologies, needs, and priorities)

2. Experience with Innovative’s ERM 

3. Experience with cataloging, acquisitions, interlibrary loan or other service areas within the library

4. Experience with assessment of electronic resources (usage reports, overlap reports, cost per use, etc)

5. Experience with instruction and training staff on technical topics

6. Commitment to using new technology to advance work goals and to enhance service

7. Ability to build successful partnerships at the local, regional, and national level

8. Demonstrated commitment to and support for diversity and inclusion

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person who meets skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal.

• May be required to travel to other buildings on the campus.

• May be required to attend conference and training sessions within Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.

• May be required to occasionally travel to outside customers, venders or suppliers.

The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Typical office environment.
• Mostly indoor office environment with windows.
• Offices with equipment noise.
• Offices with frequent interruptions.

• Knowledge of the entire life cycle of electronic resources and serials

• Knowledge of electronic resource licensing

• Knowledge of standards, protocols and structures, such as OpenURL, EDI, OAl-PMH

• Knowledge of cataloging standards, such as those established by CONSER and awareness of best practices related to RDA

• Knowledge of electronic resources management software, discovery services, and bibliographic utilities

• Knowledge of emerging trends and ongoing developments in higher education, electronic resources, and serials

• Knowledge of assessment methods and practices for electronic resources & serials

• Understanding of collection management principles and budgetary management best practices

• Knowledge of ethics and best practices in working with vendors

• Strong leadership skills, including keen analytical and conceptual abilities; Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

• Demonstrated competency in managing electronic resources & serials, preferably in an academic library

• Demonstrated ability to collect, analyze, manipulate, and provide meaningful interpretation of data using relational databases, spreadsheet and word processing programs, and/or other online tools

• Demonstrated ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively, both as a team member and independently

• Strong commitment to serving the needs of library users and willingness to advocate for their needs

• Excellent organizational and time management skills

• Excellent interpersonal, oral, written, collaboration, and presentation skills for communicating in multiple formats with a wide range of constituencies

• Ability to manage budgets, assess services, and manage human resources (supervision, staff development, mentoring, etc.)

• Ability to lead organizational change, inspire innovation, and delegate responsibility appropriately

• Ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively and to play a leadership role in promoting teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness

• Ability to provide exceptional service to a diverse community

• Demonstrated ability to working collaboratively; ability to lead in a shared decision­ making environment

• Active involvement in professional development activities with a record of scholarly contributions and achievements in the profession

Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited (or equivalent) library science or information science program required.

Minimum two years of increasingly responsible, professional, relevant work experience, preferably in an academic library

Appointment Level:

This position is included in the Academic Staff Librarian category. The specific level at which an appointment is made is determined by the successful candidate’s level of experience and professional accomplishment. The successful candidate for this position will be appointed at the Senior Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian or Librarian level. Minimum qualifications for those ranks are:

Senior Assistant Librarian (salary grade 10): at least two years professional experience after receiving the MLS; evidence of scholarly ability (e.g., additional coursework, conference presentations, publications) and professional or community service (e.g., active participation in professional society activities, involvement in committee or other service work at previous employers or community organizations) appropriate for an early-career librarian.

Associate Librarian (salary grade 11): at least five years professional experience after receiving the MLS; evidence of scholarship (e.g. conference presentations, publications) and professional or community service (e.g., active participation in professional society activities, involvement in committee or other service work at previous employers or community organizations) appropriate for a mid-career librarian.

Librarian (salary grade 12): at least seven years professional experience after receiving the MLS; evidence of scholarship (e.g. conference presentations, publications) and professional or community service (e.g., active participation in professional society activities, involvement in committee or other service work at previous employers or community organizations) appropriate for a senior librarian.