Head of Acquisitions

South Carolina State Library; Clemson (SC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Clemson University Libraries seeks a collaborative Head of Acquisitions to lead a department that manages subscriptions, monographs, and electronic resources. The role oversees a $9.5 million collections budget and directs procurement, assessment, and management across formats.

The position requires an ALA-accredited degree and demonstrated leadership, budgeting, and negotiation experience in an academic library setting. Collaboration with multiple units is essential.

Qualifications

• ALA-accredited graduate degree in librarianship.
• Minimum 3 years of professional acquisitions or collection development experience in an academic library.
• Previous management/supervisory experience.
• Experience with strategic collection development and budgeting.
• Strong oral and written communication and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to foster collegiality, trust, and teamwork.
• Experience negotiating licenses for electronic resources.
• Experience assessing print/electronic resources (usage reports, cost per use).
• Experience working with publishers/vendors of electronic resources.
• Experience with library services platforms in a consortial environment (Ex Libris Alma/Primo VE).
• Knowledge of open access and scholarly communications.
• Ability to present budget and open access information to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Leads acquisitions operations and processes for materials in all formats.
• Manages the Acquisitions team (≈8 faculty and staff).
• Oversees expenditure of the $9.5 million collections budget.
• Develops fund allocations for collection development areas.
• Chairs the Collections Strategies Cross-Functional Team.
• Collaborates on interdepartmental workflows with Metadata, User Services and Teaching/Learning.
• Leads procurement and management of electronic resources including license negotiations.
• Oversees renewal assessment for individual subscriptions.
• Develops policies for collection development and acquisitions.
• Engages in professional responsibilities serving the Libraries, university, profession, and community.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Vendor negotiations

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

ALA-accredited MLS

Tools

Ex Libris Alma

Primo VE

Job description

Job Description

Clemson Libraries seeks a collaborative, dynamic, and collegial Head of Acquisitions to provide leadership and expertise for a department that manages the acquisition, analysis and maintenance of library subscriptions, and the purchase of library monographs. This position provides oversight for a collections budget of $9.5 million and leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment and management of print and electronic resources, including individual and package subscriptions, e-books, demand driven acquisitions, open access resources, streaming resources, and continuing resources.

• Leads, plans, and oversees acquisitions operations and processes for materials in all formats acquired for University Libraries.


• Manages and coordinates operations for the Acquisitions team, composed of approximately 8 faculty and staff.


• Directs the efficient, appropriate, and timely expenditure of the Libraries' $9.5 million collections budget, which includes both targeted and untargeted gifts and endowments. Supervises day-to-day acquisitions processes.


• Develops fund allocations for collection development areas.


• Chairs the Collections Strategies Cross-Functional Team. Collaborates with colleagues in Metadata Services, User Services and Teaching and Learning to establish and refine interdepartmental workflows.


• In collaboration with the eCollections Access and Licensing Librarian, leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment and management of electronic resources, including contract negotiations, renewals, and e-resource workflows.


• Provides oversight and strategic direction for individual subscription renewal assessment.


• Develops policies and procedures related to collection development and acquisitions.


• Develops a focused program of high-quality research and creative accomplishments, consistent with professional responsibilities and the Libraries' mission and goals.


• Actively participates and demonstrates leadership in professional responsibilities that serve the Libraries, university, profession, and community.

Library System / Company Name

Clemson University Libraries

Qualifications

• An ALA-accredited graduate degree in librarianship or a relevant accredited graduate degree in another scholarly field as deemed appropriate by the Libraries.


• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in acquisitions, electronic resources, or collection development in an academic library or a large, multi-branch public library.


• Previous management/supervisory experience.


• Experience with strategic collection development and/or budgeting.


• Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication and creative problem-solving.


• Demonstrated ability to foster an environment of collegiality, respect, trust, and teamwork.


• Experience with reviewing and negotiating license agreements pertaining to electronic resources.


• Experience with assessment of print and electronic resources (usage reports, overlap reports, cost per use, etc.).


• Experience working with publishers and/or vendors of electronic resources.


• Experience in coordination or management of library services platform functions in a consortial environment, including experience with Ex Libris' Alma and Primo VE.


• Knowledge of current, evolving, and innovative models of collection development, including open access and scholarly communications.


• Ability to present budgetary and open access information to a variety of audiences, including non-library campus partners.