Job Description

The Collection Development Department at the University of North Texas Library is seeking to hire a Head of the Selection and Acquisitions Unit (HSAU) to work collaboratively with department, division, and other library personnel to provide direction for the life cycle management of traditional and emerging collection materials.

Reporting to the Head of Collection Development, the Head of the Selection and Acquisitions Unit (HSAU) works collaboratively with Collection Development personnel and other library personnel to provide direction for providing access to traditional and emerging collection materials, including research, evaluation, recommendation, negotiation, acquisition, and implementation.  This position is customer-service oriented, and is charged with gathering subjective input, promotion, and assessment of existing and prospective research materials.  The HSAU ensures that the principles of diversity, privacy, and accessibility are considered in all operations.

This position provides leadership for the unit by setting policies for emerging acquisitions models, incorporating emerging technologies into workflows, and determining appropriate evaluation procedures; the HSAU also directly manages the Electronic Resources Librarian and two Acquisitions Assistants.

The HSAU is a member of the Collection Development steering team, and works jointly with others on the implementation of complex acquisitions.   The HSAU serves as a representative of the Collection Development department to other library divisions, university groups, external service providers, and consortium partners.  This position is also responsible for managing strong library relationships with vendors and publishers.  The Librarian serves on university and library committees as appropriate.

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:

• Provides leadership, oversight, and coordination for resource evaluation, negotiation, acquisition, implementation, and documentation.
• Supervises three full-time personnel (one library faculty and two staff) and potentially student workers.
• Works closely with faculty/staff in other library departments in the identification and selection of materials to support the University’s teaching and research objectives.
• Evaluates potential new ERs on a comprehensive set of criteria, including trials; makes recommendations to Collection Development steering committee; and communicates the results to stakeholders. Coordinates with library faculty/staff to conduct evaluations of ERs.
• Fosters strong professional relationships and communications with vendors, publishers and consortia, to obtain product information, preliminary pricing information, and preliminary licensing information. Negotiates with vendors to obtain favorable pricing, terms, and content.
• Develops, documents, and assesses workflows for acquisitions-related tasks.
• Assesses faculty and student requests for materials, keeping within the collection development policies. Resolves issues when items do not meet current guidelines and policies.
• Manages e-book acquisition programs, including DDA selection, e-book platform management, and coordination of library faculty/staff request activities.
• Provides direction on ER usability improvement, including evaluating new and existing resources, usability improvement projects, evaluating and improving accessibility, and troubleshooting patron connection issues with ERs.
• Oversees the acquisition and integration of open-access materials and special acquisitions projects, including collaboration with consortial partners and open-access memberships.
• Provides backup for maintenance of holdings data for ERs in the Sierra database and Serials Solutions knowledgebase.
• Keep abreast of trends and developments in ER management; share information with colleagues as needed; and represent UNT Libraries in appropriate consortia or related initiatives.
• Participate in scholarly, professional, and service activities appropriate to rank. Serve on library and university workgroups and committees.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

The preferred candidate will possess the following minimum qualifications:

• ALA-accredited Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in Library or Information Science.
• 4 years of collection development experience involving electronic resources
• 2 years of management experience, including supervision, coordination, and delegation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work in dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with library acquisitions landscape, including major vendors and emerging acquisition models.
• Ability to build effective work relationships.
• Evidence of scholarly activities and participation in professional service
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, privacy, and accessibility.

Preferred qualifications

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleague develop these preferred skills. We strongly encourage those who are passionate about fostering diverse, inclusive, and equitable libraries to apply.

We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, especially people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans and LGBTQ+ individuals.

The preferred candidate will possess the following additional qualifications:

• Documented success at negotiation.
• Experience with training and documentation involving technical topics.

Special application instructions

Applicants must submit a CV, a cover letter and a list of three professional references with their online application.  Cover letter must include statement on commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Salary and Rank

$51,579 minimum, with rank and hiring salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.  Librarian rank will be determined by the Library Personnel Affairs Committee through review of the selected candidate’s education, experience, scholarly and professional involvement, and service.

EEO Statement

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practices.

University overview 

The University of North Texas is a student-centered public research university with nearly 40,000 students. A Carnegie-ranked Tier One public research university, UNT is one of the nation’s most diverse universities. UNT has been designated as both a Minority Serving Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution and stands committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in its pursuit of academic excellence.  We are big and bold | All About UNT

With 7.5 million people and two international airports, DFW is the fourth-largest metro area in the United States. DFW is racially, ethnically, religiously, and culturally rich and maintains a long-standing commitment to the arts exemplified by local attractions such as the Dallas Arts District and the Fort Worth Cultural District. UNT’s proximity to these major metropolitan centers ensures that our new colleague will be able to access a wide range of activities and cultural experiences. The university also has a generous benefits, leave and perks package.

UNT is located in Denton, Texas, a growing city with a small-town feel and a thriving arts and music scene centered on its downtown Square and is connected by highways and light rail to the major transportation hubs and big-city attractions of Dallas and Fort Worth, about 40 miles away. Want to know more about why you should consider coming to Denton? Check out Discover Denton.

Libraries overview 

A wide range of student- and faculty-centered services are the cornerstone of the Libraries’ integral role in the University of North Texas community. As the most-used service on campus and an essential component of education and research at the University of North Texas, the Libraries offer access to an abundant collection of more than 6 million items (print and digital) along with expert personnel to assist patrons in achieving their academic and scholarly goals. We provide innovative and inclusive programs and support to enhance the intermingling of teaching, learning, and research at UNT.

How to Apply

Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: Not Disclosed.

176 total views, 0 today

Apply for this Job