Associate Library Director, Access, Instruction, & Research Services

Macalester College; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 87,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan (10% employer contrib)

Generous vacation and holidays

Health, dental, vision, life insurance

Tuition assistance for employee depend

Health Savings Account contribution

Wellness and fitness facilities access

Job summary

Macalester College's DeWitt Wallace Library seeks a forward‑looking leader to join the leadership team as Associate Library Director for Access, Instruction, & Research Services. This role guides Access Services, Research & Instruction, and Digital Liberal Arts, mentoring 11 staff and ~40 student employees while partnering with faculty to advance information literacy and digital scholarship.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years of leadership experience in an academic library, with a strong record of

Qualifications

• 3+ years of relevant experience with growth in responsibility and leadership.
• Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program.
• Demonstrated leadership in an academic library or related organization.
• Ability to think strategically, lead change and manage day-to-day operations.
• Experience with information literacy instruction, curriculum partnerships, or teaching in higher education.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, and partners.
• Experience using assessment, data, and user feedback to improve programs or services.
• Knowledge of current trends in higher education, libraries, scholarly communication, digital scholarship.
• Commitment to inclusive, welcoming, accessible services and workplaces.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Access Services, Research & Instruction Services, and Digital Liberal Arts.
• Lead a team of 11 staff (8 direct reports) and ~40 student employees.
• Foster collaboration, professional growth, and a positive workplace culture.
• Partner with faculty and staff to strengthen information literacy, research support, and digital scholarship.
• Guide development of library services, spaces, and technologies for teaching, learning, and research.
• Use assessment, user feedback, and data to demonstrate library impact.
• Help shape the library’s strategic direction as a leadership team member.
• Stay engaged with evolving trends in higher education and librarianship.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Collaboration

Education

MLS degree (ALA-accredited)

Job description

Overview The DeWitt Wallace Library at Macalester College seeks a collaborative, thoughtful, and forward-looking leader to join our leadership team as Associate Library Director for Access, Instruction, & Research Services. This position is ideal for someone who is inspired by our mission to “strive to create an equitable ecosystem of knowledge, ideas, experiences, and expertise that immerses our community in opportunities for inquiry, discovery, delight, and innovation,” and eager to help bring it to life. The Associate Library Director leads a team of colleagues who support information navigation and fulfillment, research, teaching, learning, and digital scholarship while helping shape how the library evolves to meet the changing needs of students, faculty, and the broader campus community. The position oversees Access Services, Research & Instruction Services, and Digital Liberal Arts, and works with a dedicated team to support our community’s information needs and continuous learning. From strengthening information literacy programs and supporting digital scholarship to improving library services and spaces, the Associate Library Director helps further the library as an essential partner in the college's academic life. As a member of the library's leadership team, this individual contributes to strategic planning and organizational decision-making while building strong relationships across campus. The role works closely with a faculty, students, staff, and campus partners to develop services that are responsive, welcoming, and aligned with the college's mission. The ideal candidate enjoys both thinking strategically and solving practical problems. The work ranges from mentoring staff and improving workflows to navigating the impact of emerging technologies, responding to changes in the information landscape, and identifying opportunities to strengthen library services. Success in this role requires sound judgment, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to helping others do their best work. Candidates who are energized by developing and supporting staff, building partnerships, improving services, and helping an academic library adapt to a changing world are encouraged to apply.

About the Department: Macalester's DeWitt Wallace Library staff create a learning environment that supports inquiry, discovery, creativity, and innovation. Committed to inclusive access, lifelong learning, user-centered services and collections, and meaningful campus partnerships, we foster curiosity, information literacy, and research skills in a welcoming environment. We value diverse ways of knowing, clear and honest communication, equity, collaboration, professional growth, staff wellbeing, and the shared goal of supporting a liberal arts education.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Provide strategic leadership for Access Services, Research & Instruction Services, and Digital Liberal Arts.
• Lead and support a team of 11 staff (8 direct reports) and approximately 40 student employees (supervised by 3 Access Services staff).
• Foster collaboration, professional growth, and a positive workplace culture.
• Partner with faculty and staff colleagues to strengthen information literacy, research support, and digital scholarship.
• Guide the continued development of library services, spaces, and technologies that support teaching, learning, and research.
• Use assessment, user feedback, and data to improve services and demonstrate the library's impact.
• Help shape the library's strategic direction as a member of the leadership team.
• Stay engaged with developments in higher education, librarianship, technology, and the evolving information landscape.

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• 3+ years of relevant experience, with demonstrated growth in responsibility and leadership and clear potential to lead, manage, and supervise staff.
• Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from a program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) or from a program in a country with a formal accreditation process as identified by ALA.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in an academic library or a related educational, cultural, or research organization.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, lead organizational change and service improvement initiatives, and effectively manage day-to-day operations and competing priorities.
• Experience with information literacy instruction, curriculum partnerships, or teaching in higher education.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, and organizational partners.
• Experience using assessment, data, and user feedback to improve programs, services, or operations.
• Knowledge of current issues and trends in higher education, academic libraries, scholarly communication, digital scholarship, and the evolving information landscape.
• Demonstrated commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive, and accessible services and workplaces.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• 5+ years of relevant experience, with demonstrated growth in responsibility and leadership.
• Demonstrated record of managing individuals and teams, providing programmatic and personnel oversight, and supervising, mentoring, and developing employees while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing work environment.
• Experience working in an academic library in areas such as access services, research and instruction, digital scholarship, or public services.
• Experience contributing to library-wide strategic planning or assessment initiatives.
• Record of professional service, scholarship, presentations, or other contributions to the profession.

Compensation

Compensation: $86,551.00-$90,485.00 Annually

Benefits

• 10% employer contributions to the retirement plan
• Outstanding vacation and sick time packages, plus an additional 10 holidays
• Competitive health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance
• Generous employer contribution to Health Savings Account
• Tuition assistance which pays between 75% - 90% of eligible tuition for employee dependents at select institutions
• Free primary care for most services through Nice Healthcare when enrolled in a Macalester health plan
• Access to the athletics fitness facility, wellness coaching, and activities

Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check is a condition of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Macalester College does not discriminate on the grounds of sex, gender identity, race, color, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, genetic information, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, veteran status, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, or other categories protected by law. For additional information, see Macalester College's full Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Jaclyn Howard Talent Acquisition Manager [e-mail]

Founded in 1874, Macalester College provides students with the inspiration, insight, and experience to become successful and ethical leaders. Located in flourishing St. Paul, Minnesota, Macalester enrolls over 2,000 students from across the country and around the world. Macalester is a preeminent liberal arts college recognized for its student service and celebration of internationalism. At Macalester, we look at our employees through a whole-person, holistic lens. With comprehensive benefits and well-being programs, we provide and enable our community members to grow and care for themselves, their families, and one another. Our whole-hearted fidelity to community-building and social justice exemplify these ideals. Macalester College continuously prioritizes a culturally diverse and pluralistic community. We value individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences. Our rich blend of people holding varied identities enhances our strong commitment to multiculturalism and global citizenship. We seek candidates who reflect and strengthen our campus environment. Macalester invites and encourages everyone to apply who would add depth to our community including those from all sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, religions, abilities, and ages.