Associate Dean for Content and Access

The Ohio State University Libraries aspires to be the model library advancing the educational, research, and engagement missions of a 21st-century public, land grant, urban, community engaged university. We seek a dynamic, growth-oriented, and values-driven leader to provide strategic direction for our Content and Access division in support of this vision. Reporting to the Vice Provost and Dean of University Libraries, the Associate Dean will lead organizational efforts to advance knowledge creation, enable student success, and broaden community engagement through the active use of analog and digital collections in support of the university’s transformational academic plan and ambitious research agenda.

The Associate Dean will partner to create a shared vision for and advance the development and implementation of processes and workflows supporting acquisitions, description, preservation, discovery, and access for collections to ensure robust library support for the research, teaching, and learning needs of the university community. As a senior leader within the Libraries, the Associate Dean will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of trends and emerging solutions in areas relevant to collection development and management and library technical services; engage in appropriate national and consortial dialogs; seek mutually beneficial collaborations with peer institutions; and contribute to the discipline and practice of librarianship through active professional engagement.

A member of the Libraries’ senior administrative group, the Associate Dean will join a team that practices shared leadership, intentional communications, and participatory decision making and models The Ohio State University’s shared values.

Responsibilities:
• Leads the Content and Access division, comprised of approximately 70 library faculty and staff supporting the access services, acquisitions, bibliographic description, collection development, copyright, electronic resources, metadata, preservation, and scholarly communications functions.
• Leads the division in developing strategic directions, implementing efficient and effective operations, and assessing service quality.
• Oversees the Libraries’ materials budget and fiscal controls related to it.
• Partners with the Associate Dean for Research and Education and the Associate Dean for Special Collections and Area Studies in leading the creation and assessment of organizational collection development and management strategies and policies.
• Partners with the Associate Dean for Special Collections and Area Studies and the Assistant Dean for Technology and Digital Programs in advancing the preservation, discovery, and access of digital content.
• Provides leadership within OhioLINK and Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Library Initiatives, among other collaborative efforts.
• Fosters a supportive, collaborative work environment, and encourages cross-divisional partnerships.

$145,000 - $170,000

Required Qualifications:
• Master's degree in Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited graduate program.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in a large academic or research library or comparable experience elsewhere.
• Knowledge and understanding of significant trends and issues in collection development and/or library technical services librarianship.
• Demonstrated success in planning, oversight, and administration, including effective leadership, supervision, coaching, and budgetary skills.
• Ability to inspire, build trust, lead organizational change, empower professional growth, and engage employees and stakeholders in delivering user-centered services.
• Strong commitment to actuating Ohio State’s shared values and promoting an organizational culture of excellence and impact, diversity and innovation, inclusion and equity, care and compassion, and integrity and respect.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, written, and collaboration skills for communicating complex issues and perspectives to a diverse range of constituencies.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Record of research, publication, and scholarly achievement sufficient to warrant appointment with tenure at the Associate Professor level.

Desired Qualifications:
• National or international reputation in collection development and/or library technical services librarianship.
• Significant record of participation in relevant collaborative initiatives and professional associations.

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The Ohio State University is a member of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.