Acquisitions Supervisor

Charleston County Public Library; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 56,513 - 63,648; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation

401k

Pension Plan

Job summary

Charleston County Public Library is seeking an Acquisitions Supervisor to manage the acquisitions department. This role involves supervising staff, overseeing the order and receipt of library materials, and working closely with vendors to ensure resource availability.

The ideal candidate will have library technical services experience, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to enhancing library resources. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package are included.

Qualifications

• 1 year of supervisory or management experience, preferably in library or information science field.
• Progressive employment in library technical services.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate acquisitions staff.
• Ensure timely, efficient, and equitable ordering of resources.
• Track acquisition team’s statistics.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Library acquisitions

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Bilingual - English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree in Library Science or related field

MLIS preferred

Job description

Department: LCATS (Collection Development, Technical Services, and Systems)

Reports To: Technical Services Manager

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the Technical Services Manager, the Acquisitions Supervisor will review invoices, create and maintain internal budget and receiving worksheets and tracking orders, contact vendors, and respond to internal customer requests for assistance. This position supervises two full‑time acquisitions staff and oversees all day‑to‑day processes of ordering and receiving. Duties include receiving and reviewing title selection lists from the selection team and queuing orders from the appropriate vendors based on priority, price, and availability, as well as reviewing reports and making demand‑based purchases to ensure sufficient supply of popular resources. The Acquisitions Supervisor will serve as the liaison to honorary selectors outside of LCATS (e.g. South Carolina history collection) and will work with the Technical Services Manager on special programming orders. The Acquisitions Supervisor will also be one of the primary p‑card holders of Acquisitions and has the responsibility to place orders with small publishers and other independent vendors following established workflows.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Acquisitions Planning

• Ensure timely, efficient, and equitable ordering of resources
• Assign tasks and responsibilities to maximize efficiency and effectiveness
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate acquisitions staff
• Provide training and guidance to library staff on acquisitions
• Work with internal staff to identify acquisitions workflow needs and solutions

Acquisitions Evaluation & Assessment

• Track acquisition team’s statistics, including time spent, volumes ordered, and error rates
• Review internal tracking documents for accuracy and consistency

Qualifications

Required

• Progressive employment in library technical services or related library or information science field
• 1 year of supervisory or management experience, preferably in library or information science field

Preferred

• MLIS preferred, but not required; combination of education and experience will be considered
• Experience supervising a small team
• Experience with library acquisitions and familiarity with library vendors

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and data‑driven decision making
• Leadership and team development
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Adaptability and innovation

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in an office and public library environment. May require occasional travel to branches, weekend work, attendance at evening meetings (e.g. Library Board), or professional conferences
• Must use tact, courtesy, and good judgment when communicating with coworkers and the public
• Must have stamina for periods of sitting, walking, standing, reaching, twisting, and bending (i.e. desk work, shelving library materials, packing/unpacking boxes and bins)
• Must be able to lift library materials including books, AV equipment, program materials and maneuver loaded book carts weighing approximately fifty (50) to one hundred (100) pounds
• Bilingual - English/Spanish a plus

Benefits and Compensation

Charleston County Public Library offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance, Paid Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Holidays, 401k, and a Pension Plan.

$56,513.60 - $63,648.00 annually commensurate with education and experience.