Assistant Professor in University Libraries - Associate Director, Schusterman Library

University of Oklahoma; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 80,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

The Associate Director at the University Libraries for OU-Tulsa will provide leadership for public services, develop policies, monitor assessment data, and design training to support staff and librarians across campus. They will lead initiatives in reference and information literacy, and collaborate with campus leadership to improve services for students, staff, and faculty.

They will oversee hiring, mentoring, and performance management, model excellence in library services, engage with student

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited program.
• Five or more years of professional experience in an academic or health sciences library setting.
• Two or more years of managerial experience in an academic or health sciences library setting.
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with all levels of staff in the organization.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and management of library public services including all service points, development of policy and procedure.
• Participates in the hiring of librarians and other library staff and coordinates onboarding and ongoing professional development of direct reports.
• Monitors and uses library assessment to develop evidence-driven action plans for the library.
• Assists in the development of strategic and tactical planning for the library.
• Stands in for the Director as deputy whenever needed.
• Teaches instructional sessions within credit-bearing courses and consults with students, staff, residents, and faculty.

Skills

Public service leadership

Staff mentorship

Communication skills

Relationship building

Instruction experience

Education

Master’s degree in library and information science

Job description

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus: University Libraries

Open Date

Sep 17, 2026

Deadline

Oct 09, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Description

The Associate Director will provide leadership and support for all areas of public service; lead the development of policies and procedures in response to the needs of the students, staff, and faculty of OU-Tulsa; monitor library assessment data and collaborate with the librarians and staff to develop appropriate action plans based on findings; and develop training programs for the OU-Tulsa librarians and staff to foster their continuing professional development and growth.

The Associate Director will be a part of a dynamic team of librarians, library staff, and graduate research assistants, and will play a significant role in human resources management for the library, including recruiting and mentoring of new staff, attending to matters of personnel management and training, and providing leadership when the Director is unavailable. As the leader of the public services team, the Associate Director will model and provide support for excellence in reference and research services, information literacy instruction, scholarly communications, and collaboration with campus leadership and faculty. They will also engage with student associations and faculty groups on campus to better understand the needs of our primary users and discover innovative ways to connect with them.

The librarian will have non-tenure-track, renewable faculty status and will be active in campus and university governance. Participation in professional organizations and scholarly research and service to enhance library services is required and will be necessary for promotion in rank.

Target Salary: $80,000 - $89,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications

Position Responsibilities

Teaching & Librarianship

• Serves as the primary health sciences librarian to the Tulsa campus and liaison to the School of Community Medicine.

Relationship Development

• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with OU-Tulsa administrators, faculty, and students, including regular communications with campus stakeholders.
• Ensures substantive employee engagement and positive working relationships with all levels of staff within Schusterman Library.

Research Support

• Manages the Schusterman Library mediated search service to ensure delivery of consistent, high-quality, time-sensitive results to campus stakeholders.
• Manages systematic review support services for the OU-Tulsa campus for faculty and staff, providing guidance on research syntheses methodologies, advice on database selection, assistance in constructing searches, and expert advice in software and tools for facilitating the management and screening of citations.

Instruction

• Teaches instructional sessions within credit-bearing courses.
• Teaches and consults with individuals and work groups, including students, staff, residents, and faculty.
• Develops and maintains educational resource guides and supplements through the University Libraries web site as needed to support education.

Library Management

• Provides leadership and management of library public services including all service points, development of policy and procedure.
• Participates in the hiring of librarians and other library staff and coordinates on-boarding and on-going professional development of direct reports.
• Monitors and uses library assessment to develop evidence-driven action plans for the library.
• Assists in the development of strategic and tactical planning for the library.
• Stands in for the Director as deputy whenever needed.

Job Titles Position May Supervise

• Librarians
• Staff
• Graduate research assistants
• Participates in research and scholarly activity through presentations, publications, and research and creative activities

Professional, University & Administrative Services

• Participates in library and university committees and task forces as appropriate or assigned
• Serves and participates in local, state, regional, national and/or international professional and scholarly associations as appropriate
• Participates in professional development to maintain and update professional knowledge and expert skills as appropriate

About University Libraries

University Libraries seeks to create an atmosphere in which diverse thought and experiences are valued and that promises opportunities to succeed and thrive. Named an “Education Futurist” and recipient of a Campus Technology Innovators Award, the University of Oklahoma Libraries’ award-winning facilities and resources create opportunities for faculty and students to excel. We invest in our organization by recruiting individuals committed to superior user experience and actively strengthening and expanding our skills and capabilities.

The University of Oklahoma Libraries’ team consists of 135 library faculty, professional staff, and classified staff, as well as graduate and undergraduate assistants. Facilities include the Bizzell Memorial Library located in the heart of campus, the Donald E. Pray Law Library on the Norman campus, the Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library on the Oklahoma City campus, the Schusterman Library on the Tulsa campus, and three branch libraries: the National Weather Center Library, Youngblood Energy Library, and Fine Arts Library.

The Schusterman Library is the home library for all students, staff, and faculty of Tulsa-based programs from both the Norman and OU Health Campus. The Library is an active partner in accomplishing the educational, research, and community service goals of the University, connecting members of the OU-Tulsa community to outstanding information services, collections, and technology. The 22,000-square-foot library was completed in 2011 and includes a digital exhibit space, an information commons with 24 workstations, and three group study rooms. The second floor features an archives, a quiet reading room, twenty study carrels, and the print collection of books and journals. Collections include more than 19,000 books and audiovisual materials, along with current subscriptions to about 300 print journals. In addition, we coordinate with the Norman Campus and Health Sciences Center to provide access to thousands of electronic journals, e-books, databases, and images. Materials not immediately available on-campus may be obtained from libraries nationwide.

About the University

The University of Oklahoma serves the educational, cultural, economic, and healthcare needs of the state, region, and nation from three campuses: Norman, Health Campus in Oklahoma City, and Tulsa Schusterman Center. The university is home to over 31,000 students, more than 3,500 faculty and 8,000 staff across all three campuses and is supported by a $2 billion budget and an endowment of $1.52 billion. In 2014, OU became the first public institution ever to rank #1 nationally in the recruitment of National Merit Scholars. The 277-acre Research Campus in Norman was named the No. 1 research campus in the nation by the Association of Research Parks in 2013.

OU-Tulsa is a beautiful midtown campus crowned by the Schusterman Center and includes new state-of-the-art classrooms and research facilities. Tulsa was recently voted as one of the top 10 places to live by Relocate America and is an economically sound and inviting community located in the Green Country of Northeastern Oklahoma. A burgeoning art scene, including four art museums, and a revitalized downtown area add to the sense of activity and culture that are available in Tulsa. Visit tulsa.ou.edu and soonerway.ou.edu for more information.

The University, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, gender identity/expression (consistent with applicable law), age (40 or older), religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, housing, financial aid, and educational services.

Why You Belong at the University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma values our community's unique talents, perspectives, and experiences. At OU, we aspire to harness our innovation, creativity, and collaboration for the advancement of people everywhere. You Belong Here!

Mission of the University of Oklahoma

The Mission of the University of Oklahoma is to provide the best possible educational experience for our students through excellence in teaching, research and creative activity, and service to the state and society.

Qualifications

Required Education

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited program or a terminal degree in a relevant discipline
• Five or more years of professional experience in an academic or health sciences library setting.
• Two or more years of managerial experience in an academic or health sciences library setting.
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with all levels of staff in the organization.

Preferred Skills and Proficiencies

• Advanced degree in a medical or health-related discipline.
• Demonstrated record of success in working with students and faculty in a college or university setting, particularly in public services roles including providing instruction and research assistance.
• Experience in providing mediated search services for faculty, residents, staff, and students.
• Experience in providing systematic review library services in support of evidence-based research projects.
• Strong organizational, project, and time management skills to lead and/or coordinate multiple projects.
• Experience in developing strategic and tactical plans in a library setting.
• Demonstrated record of excellence in communication, including oral, written, and interpersonal.
• Demonstrated record of excellence in professional development, including scholarship, publication, service, and grants.
• Proficiency with technologies in support of library operations.