Collection Development & Acquisitions Librarian

Worcester Polytech; Maryland; On-site; USD 62,500 - 93,700; Full time

Job summary

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute seeks a Collection Development & Acquisitions Librarian to lead assessment, selection, and licensing to shape the Library's collections in support of teaching and research.

Collaborating across library departments, you will manage budgets, negotiate licenses, and implement workflows for efficient acquisitions and deselection in a rapidly changing scholarly resources landscape.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent graduate degree.
• Experience in library collection development and licensing.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills (written and oral).

Responsibilities

• Manage collections assessment and development.
• Analyze data and usage statistics.
• Negotiate licensing for library e-resources.
• Oversee acquisitions workflow and budgeting.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Analytical thinking

Project management

Independent action

Education

Master's degree in Library and Information Science

Tools

FOLIO ILS

Job description

Job Title

Collection Development & Acquisitions Librarian

Location

Worcester

Department

Scholarly Communication & Open Strategies

Division

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

Job Summary

Working collaboratively with colleagues across all library departments, manages the assessment, selection and deselection, and licensing of digital and print resources by formulating, articulating, and managing policies and procedures to develop, shape, and balance the Library's collections to support learning, teaching, and research.

Responsibilities

• Manage collections assessment and development.
• Analyze institutional data, bibliographic data, usage statistics, interlibrary loan data, and other metrics.
• Utilize collection development and assessment tools, such as Greenglass, Gold Rush, etc.
• Establish and monitor title selection plans, such as PDA (Patron Driven Acquisitions), DDA (Demand-Driven Acquisitions), etc.
• Monitor pricing and usage of ejournal packages and databases.
• Respond to requests for information resources made by faculty, students, and staff.
• Oversee collection management and acquisitions procedures and activities.
• Implement and utilize title selection and acquisition tools and software.
• Select and deselect information resources for the general collection, based on current and proposed academic curricula and discipline needs and practices.
• Manage and participate in the library's resource acquisitions workflow, including ordering and receiving items and processing invoices.
• Document and train others as needed in use of vendor and library systems to acquire or deselect information resources.
• Participate in shared print initiatives (e.g., EAST).
• Collaborate with library Research and Instruction team and other library colleagues regularly to ensure the WPI community is receiving an appropriate level of support for their academic work.
• Meet regularly to discuss the library resource needs of faculty, students, and other library users.
• Participate in gathering and analyzing community feedback from surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Develop planning and budgetary recommendations for the library's collections.
• Allocate and expend the budget in the library management system.
• Monitor and ensure efficient expenditure of the budget in consultation with the University Librarian, Associate Library Director, and others.
• Negotiate pricing and licensing terms for library e-resources.
• Maintain working relationships with library vendors, publishers, and consortia to obtain the best possible pricing and terms of use.
• Administer digital licensing procedures and renewals in the library management system.
• Coordinate electronic resource trials.
• Monitor trends in the broader library resources community and scholarly publishing sphere.
• Administer the Library's gift in kind program for materials.
• Identify and pursue potential gift opportunities.
• Select donations for the collection and send unwanted donations to appropriate vendors or organizations for resale, archiving, or recycling.
• Refer archival and special collections gift and donation offers to the University Archivist.
• Support institutional compliance with accreditation and external agencies.
• Provide data for reports and analyses related to collections development and maintenance as required by university offices and external agencies, including ACRL and accreditation bodies.
• Participate in Library, professional, and community engagement.
• Provide direct services to library users and customers or provide informed referrals.
• Participate in collaborative library programs and activities including outreach events, strategic and annual planning, and collaborations with university community offices and student groups.
• Participate in and contribute to WPI committees, initiatives, and goals contributing to WPI and library strategic initiatives.
• Engage in and contribute to the profession through continuing learning, service, research, presentations, or professional communications.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent graduate degree in library and information studies.
• Minimum of two to five years of experience in library collection development.
• Three to five years of professional experience in an academic library.
• Knowledge of current issues and trends in library collections development, information delivery and access, electronic and digital resources, and related copyright and licensing issues.
• Familiarity with current print and electronic acquisitions trends, and academic library metadata practices.
• Demonstrated operational experience with an online integrated library system (ILS), preferably experience or marked familiarity with FOLIO ILS.
• Demonstrated excellent collaboration and communication skills, including written and oral communications.
• Evidence of strong skills in decision making, problem solving, independent action, analytical and critical thinking, project/program or service management, and general office technical skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with research and teaching in the STEM fields through education or prior work experience.
• Familiarity with open access publishing models.

Salary

Salary Grade 7: $62,500 – $78,100 – $93,700 (full range); expected hiring range $73,000 – $78,000 (depending on experience). Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.

Employment Conditions

FLSA Status: United States of America (Exempt)

Equal Opportunity

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.

About WPI

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a vibrant and diverse community of extraordinary students, talented and dedicated staff, and world‑renowned faculty. Along with its state‑of‑the‑art research facilities, WPI offers competitive and comprehensive employee benefit programs, including paid time off, health insurance, life and long‑term disability insurance, retirement savings plans, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, and a working environment that prioritizes mental health and well‑being. It is a community committed to civility and respect—making inclusion and belonging a reality for everyone on its campus.