Director of Library Services

Spalding University•Louisville, KY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Library Services leads the library at Spalding University, a small private university in Louisville with health sciences, education, and professional graduate programs offered on campus and online. Reporting to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer, the Director supervises two library staff and serves as both library administrator and working librarian, consulting directly and building resources. The role ensures that the library supports teaching, research, student success, and regional and programmatic accreditation. It calls for a hands-on leader who can manage a lean budget, collaborate closely with faculty, and help the University address emerging issues such as generative AI and course-material affordability. The Director sets library strategy and policies, manages the budget and daily operations, oversees collections, vendor relationships, library systems, and digital accessibility, and evaluates emerging tools. The Director also leads information literacy instruction, provides research support, partners with faculty, advances OER and other affordability efforts, and advises on copyright, fair use, and open access. Additional responsibilities include assessment and accreditation documentation, reporting, and representing the library in campus and professional settings.

Requirements

Master's degree in library and information science (MLS/MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program.
Five or more years of professional academic library experience, including at least two years supervising staff.
Experience managing a budget and negotiating electronic resource licenses.
Experience designing and teaching information literacy instruction.
Working knowledge of library systems, discovery and authentication platforms, and electronic resource management.
Strong communication skills and a record of effective collaboration with faculty.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting health sciences programs or programmatic accreditation reviews.
Experience preparing library documentation for regional accreditation.
Experience with OER or course-material affordability initiatives.
Experience developing guidance or instruction on generative AI in research and learning.
Experience at a small or mid-sized private university, or in a lean staffing model.

Responsibilities

Set strategic direction, goals, and policies for the library in alignment with the University's mission and strategic plan.
Manage the library budget, monitor expenditures, and identify savings through consortia and cooperative purchasing.
Oversee daily operations, the physical library space, and service hours to provide a welcoming, accessible environment for on-campus and online students.
Supervise, train, and evaluate two library staff, and manage student workers in collaboration with Human Resources.
Build and assess print and electronic collections supporting University academic programs, particularly health sciences and graduate programs.
Negotiate and manage vendor contracts and licenses, using usage and cost data to guide renewals and cancellations.
Administer library systems, including discovery, authentication, and electronic resource platforms, in partnership with University IT.
Maintain the library website and research guides in accordance with current digital accessibility standards (WCAG).
Evaluate emerging tools, including AI-enabled discovery and research platforms, for value, cost, privacy, and fit.
Lead an information literacy program grounded in the ACRL Framework, including instruction on evaluating and responsibly using generative AI in research.
Provide research consultations to students and faculty in person and online, with equitable access for distance learners.
Partner with faculty to integrate library resources and instruction into courses and programs.
Advance course-material affordability through open educational resources (OER) and library-licensed alternatives to costly textbooks.
Advise faculty and students on copyright, fair use, and open access publishing.
Assess library services, collections, and instruction and use results for continuous improvement.
Prepare library documentation for institutional effectiveness, regional and programmatic accreditors, including CCNE, ACOTE, CAPTE, ARC-PA, and CACREP.
Submit required statistics and reports to state and national reporting organizations.
Represent the library on University committees and in academic planning.
Maintain relationships with library consortia, peer institutions, and professional organizations.
Perform other duties as assigned.