Head, Interlibrary Loan

University of Iowa; Iowa City (IA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Iowa Libraries is seeking a Head, Interlibrary Loan (Library Specialist PLC3/4A) in the Unified Access Services department. This role provides leadership and oversight for the Main Library’s Interlibrary Loan and Article Delivery Services, supporting timely access to resources locally, nationally, and internationally.

You will supervise workflows, policies, and service standards, manage lending/borrowing, document delivery, and shipping, and collaborate with vendors and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent education/experience.
• Minimum of two years in a lead or supervisory role.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with colleagues, library users, and campus partners.
• Experience using library software products (Alma, ILLiad, Tipasa, RapidILL).
• Supervisory experience including hiring, training, scheduling, coaching, and performance management.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve operational and service issues.

Responsibilities

• Manage the interlibrary loan unit, including borrowing, lending, article delivery, and shipping services.
• Lead and develop the Interlibrary Loan team, fostering accountability, collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and effective stewardship of human resources.
• Develop and recommend unit and department policies and procedures and set priorities; ensure manuals and training documents are updated.
• Coordinate workflows, policies, and procedures; implement sustainable service models for efficient access to library collections.
• Collaborate with Acquisitions on Article Galaxy Scholar for journals and purchase on demand for books.
• Interpret policy and make exceptions as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal communication

Supervisory experience

Troubleshooting

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Alma

ILLiad

Tipasa

RapidILL

Job description

The University of Iowa Libraries is seeking to hire a Head, Interlibrary Loan (Library Specialist PLC3/4A) in the Unified Access Services department. Under the direction of the Director of Unified Access Services, this position provides leadership and operational oversight for the Main Library’s Interlibrary Loan and Article Delivery Services. The role supports efficient, reliable access to information resources for users locally, nationally, and internationally by overseeing borrowing, lending, document delivery, and related shipping and receiving activities.

This position ensures that workflows, service standards, and problem-resolution practices support timely and effective service delivery, while providing leadership for interlibrary loan operations that connect users with resources across the globe.

Key Areas Of Responsibilities And Specific Job Tasks

Acquire, Organize, Digitize, Preserve, and Provide Information Resources and Services

• Manage the development of workflows for interlibrary loan, document delivery, and shipping services.
• Process requests and manage the document delivery service, ensuring PDFs provided meet the appropriate standards.
• Process requests and manage scanning requests submitted via Leganto for course reserve, working closely with course reserve staff to ensure prompt delivery and problem resolution.
• Serve as HathiTrust’s Accessible Text Request Service provider, utilizing PDFs from this resource to provide accessible PDFs to campus.

Instruction, Consultation, and Public Services

• Manage interlibrary loan services and solve complex problems related to systems and workflows within and across library resource sharing units worldwide.
• Process complex interlibrary loan borrowing requests.
• Communicate and interpret ILL service policies and procedures to students, faculty, and staff as well as to customers & colleagues outside of the University.

Leadership/Staff and Resource Management/ Financial Responsibility

• Manage the interlibrary loan unit, including borrowing, lending, article delivery, and shipping services.
• Lead and develop the Interlibrary Loan team, fostering accountability, collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and effective stewardship of human resources while empowering team members to advance their areas of responsibility.
• Develop and recommend library unit and department-wide policies/procedures and set priorities. Ensure procedure manuals and training documents, largely found on sharepoint are regularly reviewed and updated.
• Manage interlibrary loan overdues, fines, billing, user follow-up, lending library communication, invoices, and payment records.
• Coordinate workflows, policies, procedures, and implement sustainable service models that ensure efficient access to library collections. Collaborate with Acquisitions on Article Galaxy Scholar for journals and purchase on demand for books.
• Interpret Interlibrary Loan and Library policies and procedures, making exceptions as needed.
• Assist with strategic planning for interlibrary loan, document delivery, and shipping services.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with vendors, interlibrary loan borrowing libraries, and access services staff across the Libraries.

Continuous Learning & Skills Development

• Stay informed about innovations, trends, and developments in interlibrary loan.
• Acquire and maintain up-to-date job skills and professional standards related to copyright, interlibrary loan software, and consortia agreements.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
• Minimum of two-years related experience in a lead or supervisory role.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively and professionally with colleagues, library users, and campus partners.
• Experience using library software products (Alma, ILLiad, Tipasa, RapidILL, etc).
• Supervisory experience, including hiring, training, scheduling, coaching, and performance management of staff and/or student employees.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve operational and service issues, exercising sound judgement and decision making.

Desired Qualifications

• Ability to efficiently learn and perform technical and complex tasks with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work effectively.
• Experience working in an academic or research library environment.
• Experience coordinating day-to-day operations, workflows, or service delivery in a complex service environment.

The hiring salary range for this Library Specialist position is $55,000 - $70,000 based on experience.

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.

This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.

Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success. Enjoy exceptional health coverage, University-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance. Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world-class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top-ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation. Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.

Additional Information

• Classification Title: Library Specialist
• Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
• Schedule: Full-time
• Work Modality Options: On Campus

Compensation

• Pay Level: 4A
• Starting Salary Minimum: 55,000
• Starting Salary Maximum: 70,000

Contact Information

• Organization: Libraries
• Contact Name: Andrea Rost
• Contact Email: [e-mail]