Job Description
Position
Western Colorado University seeks an innovative, versatile, and collaborative Director for the Leslie J. Savage Library. With a collection of over 153,000 titles and access to over 300,000 e-books and 110 electronic journal databases, the library provides information, resources, and services, advances the intellectual and personal development of members of the University community. Western is a residential, public university with an enrollment of 3000 students who come from across Colorado and all fifty states. Faculty and staff share a strong commitment to personalized education across the liberal arts, sciences, graduate, and professional programs. They are student-oriented, collegial, energetic, and engaged in the campus and community. The curriculum provides flexibility where experiential learning and interdisciplinary approaches are central.
Duties
The Director of Library Services provides inspiring and collaborative leadership, working with library staff, instructional designers, campus administrators, faculty, and students to advance the library's role as a vibrant hub of University life. The director is responsible for the overall administration of library operations, including the online education program, facility and resource management, budget, supervision and evaluation of staff. The Director leads planning for updating, reimagining, and implementing a vision for future library resources, services, and operations based on best practices, student, faculty, staff, and community needs, and University priorities. The Director oversees the selection and curation of information resources, including print, media, digital, in support of the university's present and evolving curricular and research needs. In addition, the Director works collegially and openly with faculty committees, administrators, and IT to integrate library services across the University. The Director of Library Services reports to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Required Qualifications: MLS Degree from an ALA accredited school; minimum three years of leadership experience reasonably related to the position, including the following:
- management and supervision of personnel;
- demonstrated experience in team-building and developing a culture of creative problem-solving and innovation;
- commitment to liberal education, graduate and professional programs, and the integral role of the library on a university campus;
- excellent interpersonal, written, technical, and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with constituents, including students, faculty, and various administrative teams;
- leadership in library operations including collection and facility development, online instruction and research;
- ability to work with library staff to provide superior and inclusive service to university faculty, staff, students, and community members;
- strong organizational, analytical, and project management skills;
- demonstrated experience administering library resources, including budgets;
- demonstrated experience in organizational planning, managing implementation, assessment, and quality assurance of library operations, instructional programs, and leading ongoing efforts to improve;
- demonstrated commitment to and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusivity as well as leadership in creating a collaborative, open, respectful, and positive work environment and space for all.
- appropriate certification or demonstrated experience in online teaching and learning.
Preferred Qualifications: At least three years of professional academic library experience, including the following:
- ability to establish, develop, and maintain cooperative relationships with local, state, and regional library organizations;
- demonstrated commitment to organizational sustainability efforts;
- experience with Canvas, Microsoft Office, and emerging technologies;
- experience in library development efforts and collaborative projects, including successful grant acquisition and fundraising;
- ability to lead in a shared governance context through cross-campus consensus building, including the ability to listen to, understand, and reconcile diverse viewpoints.
Additional Application Information
Compensation: $75,000 - $82,000 per year depending on qualifications; excellent shared contribution insurance and retirement plans, paid time off and access to other University benefits.
Targeted start date: 1 January 2023
To Apply: visit www.western.edu/jobs and use our online application. Required attachments to your online application include a cover letter addressing the required qualifications, vitae, transcripts, a one-page philosophy statement on your leadership style, experience with and commitment to diversity in the work environment, as well as a list of names and contact information for three current professional references. Application review begins August 10, 2022 and continues until the position is filled.
Please direct questions to Dr. Kelsey Bennett, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs kbennett@western.edu; (970) 943-2055
Western supports diversity, equity, and inclusivity of all types including ability (physical, mental), social class, racial/ethnic, linguistic, religion, sexual orientation, age, experience, gender, and cultural. Please see our diversity statement, and our DEII Committee Charge. The University is located in Gunnison, Colorado, a rural community 200 miles southwest of Denver. At an elevation of 7,700 feet in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Gunnison Valley provides exceptional year-round outdoor recreational as well as cultural opportunities. Professionals choose Western because of the quality of life combined with rewarding careers. Visit http://western.edu to learn more about the university.
An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets
Benefits & Additional Compensation Info
Western Colorado University offers a complete employee benefits package to our faculty, and administrators.
Insurance:
We offer a shared contribution, comprehensive health insurance plan. Employees can choose from health plans with rich benefits including a plan with zero deductibles, low co-pays, and low annual maximum out-of-pocket expenses. Prefer a high deductible health plan that qualifies for an HSA? We've got that too. Shared contribution dental insurance and voluntary vision insurance are also available. Free life insurance with options for additional voluntary life insurance. Long term disability insurance at no cost to employees.
Retirement plans:
Faculty and administrators are required to participate in either the 401(a) defined contribution retirement plan or (if eligible) the PERA defined benefit pension plan. Employees do not contribute to the Social Security program, or earn quarters for Social Security eligibility.
Paid time off:
Administrators (i.e. executives, managers, coaches, and other professionals) enjoy generous paid time off, accruing four weeks of paid vacation a year and ten paid state holidays (pro-rated amounts, if part time). Faculty employed on 9 month teaching contracts are paid over 12 months.
Wellness:
The campus has a state of the art fitness center, indoor track, pool and climbing wall available for a nominal fee. Healthy meals can be obtained during the work day with our discounted employee meal programs at the Rare Air Cafe. On-campus mental health services are available through Western's employee assistance program.
Our location:
Located in Gunnison, we are minutes from great snow sports, both at commercial areas like Crested Butte Mountain Resort or Monarch Mountain, and in the back country. Surrounded by wilderness areas, our employees enjoy world class mountain biking, climbing, and hiking terrain. Rafting your thing? Check out the Taylor River and the Gunnison water park. We live in a fly fishing paradise! Let's not forget that Currecanti National Recreation Area is immediately west of Gunnison; it includes Colorado's largest reservoir, Blue Mesa. At Blue Mesa, boating, fishing, and other water sport opportunities abound. Even if your idea of outdoor fun is a simple picnic in the mountains, you don't have to leave our "back yard" to vacation.
The Community
The University is located in Gunnison, Colorado, a welcoming rural community 200 miles southwest of Denver. At an elevation of 7,700 feet in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Gunnison Valley provides exceptional year-round outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities. Professionals choose Western because of the quality of life combined with rewarding careers. Visit http://western.edu to learn more about the university. Western is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.
HR Info
lease direct questions to Dr. Kelsey Bennett, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs kbennett@western.edu; (970) 943-2055