Senior Librarian

Milpark Education; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Milpark Education seeks a Senior Librarian to design, implement, and manage its digital library services for an online learning environment. You will oversee resources, support faculty and students in research, and collaborate with academic leaders to align library services with education goals.

The role requires strong experience in digital libraries, vendor relations, information literacy, and coordinating online training. This is a remote position targeting online education delivery.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent.
• Experience managing digital resources and online library systems.
• Experience negotiating contracts with publishers and content providers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee digital library collections including e-books, journals and databases.
• Draft and monitor annual library budget and track usage statistics.
• Provide research assistance and information literacy guidance to students and faculty.
• Develop and deliver online workshops on library resources and research skills.
• Collaborate to integrate library resources into the curriculum and course development.
• Manage library systems and technologies for seamless access to digital resources.
• Engage with publishers and content providers to expand resources.
• Ensure compliance with copyright and IP laws in digital content management.
• Lead library strategy aligned with academic goals and student needs.
• Stay updated on trends in library science for online education.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies to enhance library services.
• Oversee institutional journal workflow from submission to publication.
• Coordinate with editorial board for timely processing of papers.
• Manage and update the journal platform for visibility and indexing.
• Promote the journal to encourage submissions and readership.
• Maintain the institutional library website with tools, guides, and content.
• Develop a content update plan for resources and policies.
• Ensure easy access to digital resources and repositories for faculty and students.
• Create library analytics dashboards to track engagement.
• Provide insights to academic leadership for resource optimization.
• Develop specialized training for faculty and administrators on library resources.
• Support DBA candidates with tailored research assistance.
• Maintain records of publisher contracts for compliance and cost-effectiveness.
• Assess relevance of subscriptions and advise renewals or alternatives.
• Identify and negotiate new content acquisitions.
• Implement AI-driven search tools and citation management.

Skills

Digital library management

Contract negotiations

Research support

Online teaching/workshops

Information literacy

Project coordination

Education

Master's degree in Library and Information Science

Tools

Library management systems

AI search tools

Citation management software

Job description

The Position

The Senior Librarian will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing Milpark Education 's digital library services. The ideal candidate will manage our digital library resources, support faculty and students in their research needs, and ensure the effective delivery of library services in an online education environment. Initially, the Senior Librarian will operate independently, with administrative support and in collaboration with key colleagues, including the Head of Research, Head of Educational Technology, and Head of Learning Innovation and Development.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the management and development of digital library collections, including e-books, journals, databases, and other online resources.
• This includes the drafting of the annual library budget, monitoring expenditure and assessing effectiveness by tracking library usage statistics.
• Provide expert research assistance and support to students and faculty, including guidance on information literacy and academic integrity.
• Develop and deliver online workshops and tutorials on library resources and research skills to faculty and students.
• Collaborate with faculty and the Learning Innovation and Development team to integrate library resources into the curriculum and support course development.
• Manage library systems and technologies to ensure seamless access to digital resources.
• Liaise with and contract with publishers and other content providers to expand and enhance the library's resources.
• Ensure compliance with copyright law, intellectual property and other relevant legislation, and implement best practices for digital content management.
• Own the strategy around the library for the institution, ensuring alignment with academic goals and student needs.
• Stay current with trends and best practices in library science, particularly in the context of online education.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies and services to enhance the library's offerings.
• Oversee the management of the institutional journal, ensuring a seamless workflow from manuscript submission to peer review and final publication.
• Coordinate with editorial board members and reviewers, ensuring timely and ethical processing of research papers.
• Manage and update the journal's online platform to enhance visibility, accessibility, and academic indexing.
• Promote the journal internally and externally to encourage submissions and readership.
• Maintain and update the institutional library website with the latest research tools, guides, and relevant content.
• Develop a structured content update plan to ensure all resources, policies, and training materials are current.
• Ensure easy access to digital resources and institutional repositories for faculty and students.
• Generate customized reports for each school (undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, DBA) detailing library usage trends and engagement levels.
• Develop a library analytics dashboard to track faculty and student interactions with digital resources.
• Present periodic insights to academic leadership with recommendations to improve resource utilization.
• Provide targeted research support to faculty, helping them integrate high-quality academic resources into their courses.
• Develop specialized training sessions for faculty and administrators on maximizing the use of library resources.
• Offer tailored research assistance for DBA candidates and faculty working on industry-focused research.
• Maintain updated records of all contracts with publishers, ensuring compliance and cost-effectiveness.
• Assess the relevance and impact of current journal and database subscriptions, making strategic recommendations for renewals or alternatives.
• Identify and negotiate new content acquisitions that align with academic program needs.
• Implement and oversee the integration of AI-driven search tools and citation management software.
• Explore and adopt new technologies that improve library accessibility, including data repositories and digital preservation tools.
• Enhance integration between library services and the institution's Learning Management System (LMS).

Requirements

• Minimum of a Master's degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in a library setting, with at least 3 years in a senior or supervisory role, preferably with a focus on supporting postgraduate or online learners.
• Strong expertise in managing digital resources, academic databases, and online library systems.
• Experience with negotiating contracts and building relationships with publishers, content providers, and database vendors.
• Ability to work independently and manage library services for undergraduate and postgraduate students in a remote, online setting.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong knowledge of digital library resources and technologies.
• Excellent research and information literacy skills.
• Experience i