Head of Acquisitions

Nelib; Clemson (SC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Clemson Libraries seeks a collaborative, dynamic Head of Acquisitions to provide leadership for a department that manages acquisitions, analysis and maintenance of library subscriptions, and the purchase of monographs.

Overseeing a $9.5 million collections budget, you will direct electronic resources procurement, license negotiations, and broad workflows across metadata, teaching and learning, and user services to support research and teaching.

Qualifications

• ALA-accredited graduate degree in librarianship or a relevant accredited graduate degree in another scholarly field as deemed appropriate by the Libraries.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in acquisitions, electronic resources, or collection development in an academic library or large multi-branch library.
• Previous management/supervisory experience.
• Experience with strategic collection development and/or budgeting.
• Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication and creative problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• 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, including 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 Metadata Services, User Services and Teaching and Learning to refine workflows.
• In collaboration with the eCollections Access and Licensing Librarian, leads procurement, assessment, and management of electronic resources, including contract negotiations, renewals, and workflows.
• Provides oversight and strategic direction for individual subscription renewal assessment.
• Develops policies and procedures related to collection development and acquisitions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Collection development

Education

ALA-accredited MLIS or equivalent

Tools

Alma

Primo VE

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.

Responsibilities include:

• 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.

Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities

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

Service

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

Qualifications

Required 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• 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.