Head Librarian, Abington

Penn State University • Abington Township, PA

112d

About The Position

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries seek an innovative and service-oriented Head Librarian for a tenure-line faculty position at the Penn State Abington campus. We seek an experienced library professional to serve as a leader and advocate for the Abington library and campus community. The Head Librarian is a member of the University Libraries faculty and is expected to support the mission of the University Libraries. The Head Librarian is responsible for overall administration and services at Penn State Abington library, including management of faculty and staff, collection development, research and instruction services, and collaborating with colleagues at Penn State Abington and across the University Libraries in planning, developing, and evaluating library services, policies and procedures. Management of the library facility itself is a major part of this role. The Head Librarian is also responsible for collaborating with campus administrators to meet strategic goals, coordination of development activities with campus development officers and University Libraries, advocating for library needs to campus administration, and oversight of the library budget. The Head Librarian is expected to support the evolving mission of the campus which includes regional and inter-campus programs, and a greater variety of online and hybrid courses. The successful candidate should demonstrate creativity, possess leadership skills, and reflect a student-centered perspective. In addition, a commitment to open communication and a collaborative work environment are essential. The goal is to hire a successful candidate at the rank of Associate Librarian or higher. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellence in librarianship, show evidence of an established reputation in research, and have a strong record of service to the University and the profession.

Requirements

• A Master of Library Science degree from an ALA-accredited institution (or equivalent)
• Demonstrated excellence in librarianship
• Demonstrated experience supervising employees
• Ability to work effectively in a rapidly changing environment and to tolerate ambiguity
• Strong collaborative and empathetic leadership skills
• Experience with space planning, library renovations, and building operations
• Ability to lead the library in meeting its strategic goals
• Research and professional accomplishments and record of service in appropriate professional or disciplinary associations

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with academic library trends and emerging technologies
• Demonstrated experience in managing budgets
• Collection development experience
• Experience with archival materials
• Evidence of an established reputation in research
• Strong record of service to the profession
• Experience with open educational resources

Responsibilities

• Overall administration and services at Penn State Abington library
• Management of faculty and staff
• Collection development
• Research and instruction services
• Collaborating with colleagues at Penn State Abington and across the University Libraries
• Planning, developing, and evaluating library services, policies, and procedures
• Management of the library facility
• Collaborating with campus administrators to meet strategic goals
• Coordination of development activities with campus development officers and University Libraries
• Advocating for library needs to campus administration
• Oversight of the library budget

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits program
• Generous paid time off
• Tuition discount for employees and eligible family members
• Funds for professional development travel annually

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Master's degree