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Collection Strategies Librarian

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Position description

Collection Strategies Librarian
Department: Collection Management & Scholarly Communication
Rank and Salary: Assistant Librarian to Librarian ($64,552 to $96,266)
Position Availability: Immediately
Application deadline for first consideration: January 16, 2020

The UCLA Library seeks a collaborative, motivated, and knowledgeable Collection Strategies Librarian to contribute enthusiasm, expertise, and strategic insight to the shared work of building collections that support and advance the research and curricular priorities of a dynamic, world-renowned University.

Position Duties
Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Collection Management & Scholarly Communication, the successful candidate for this new position will contribute to the Implementation and development of policies and practices for collection development, assessment, and management. Working closely with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders the Collection Strategies Librarian will support the alignment of library collections with the broad, deep, and evolving research, teaching, and scholarly communication priorities of UCLA and the UCLA Library.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:
• Leads on-going efforts and new initiatives to evaluate and acquire interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary resources;
• Monitors budget allocations and expenditures for the approximately $15M library acquisitions budget;
• Contributes to the development of budgets for materials in all formats, seeking to ensure appropriate allocations across subject and disciplinary lines, and investments that promote open collections, emerging resource types and means (e.g., datasets; streaming), and efficiencies (e.g., shelf-ready, metadata provision);
• Leads efforts to develop and implement user-focused, evidence-based collection analysis;
• Coordinates and maintains effective relationships with vendors, publishers, and consortia, contributing to selection decisions, cost and license negotiations, subscription renewals, and product trials;
• Supports advocacy with vendors, publishers, and library stakeholders to advance new models for developing library collections that integrate with the UCLA Library's open access goals;
• Oversees consolidated approval plans;
• Collaborates with colleagues at UCLA, the California Digital Library and other UC campuses to negotiate terms and agreements for licensing local and shared resources with vendors, publishers and other UC libraries;
• Supports UCLA's participation in regional, national, and international consortial collaborations (including shared collections and coordinated collection development initiatives), and contributes to decision-making for UC-wide licensed resources;
• Works closely with Library Development to identify and steward donors, collections, and endowed gift funds.

The successful candidate will be committed to promoting and enhancing diversity through engagement with and promotion of the UCLA Principles of Community (http://www.ucla.edu/about/mission-and-values), and have a commitment to building and advancing diversity and inclusion in library collections and services.

• Applicants with any of the following qualifications or professional experiences are strongly encouraged to apply: Additional advanced academic or professional degree; ability to negotiate licensing and other contractual terms for library acquisitions; understanding of budget design and management principles; experience with international and non-English language publishing and vendors; skills and experience in gathering, assessing, interpreting, and presenting quantitative and qualitative data for varied audiences; experience with library collection management standards and tools, such as reporting modules within integrated library systems, digital repositories, COUNTER, SUSHI; proficiency in at least one language other than English; training and/or experience in project management; experience in donor relations and stewardship.

Basic Qualifications
• ALA-accredited Master's Degree in Library or Information Science OR significant graduate-level coursework toward such a degree OR equivalent education and experience (subject expertise combined with professional library education and/or experience).
• Collection development experience in an academic environment.
• Knowledge of current and emerging trends and technologies related to library services.
• Understanding of scholarly communication and the evolving publishing ecosystem, including the open access movement.
• Experience with the core concepts of acquiring, receiving, cataloging, processing, database maintenance, integrated systems, library financial management, and vendor relations.
• Experience with resource licensing concepts and language.
• Experience utilizing and tailoring communication skills—including oral, written and interpersonal skills—to work effectively and collaboratively with various stakeholders (e.g., faculty, staff, students, administrators).
• Experience working both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Experience utilizing organizational, problem-solving, and time-management skills to effectively balance multiple assignments and projects.

General Information

Professional librarians at UCLA are academic appointees. Librarians at UCLA are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This is a represented position. They are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel. The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits. Relocation assistance may be provided.

Appointees to the librarian series at UC shall have professional backgrounds that demonstrate a high degree of creativity, teamwork, and flexibility. Such background will normally include a professional degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science graduate program. In addition to professional competence and quality of service within the library in the primary job, advancement in the librarian series requires professional involvement and contributions outside of the library, and/or university and community service, and/or scholarly activities. Candidates must show evidence or promise of such contributions.

Candidates applying by January 16, 2020 will be given first consideration for this position. UCLA welcomes and encourages diversity and seeks applications and nominations from women and minorities. UCLA seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.

Description of Unit
Collection Management & Scholarly Communication (CM&SC) –comprised of the departments Resource Acquisitions & Metadata Services, Scholarly Communication, Preservation, and the Southern Regional Library Facility -- is responsible for the life cycle of the UCLA Library collections by building, preserving and providing access to a rich, deep collection of physical and digital materials that support UCLA's fundamental mission of teaching, research and public service.

Description of Institution and Library
As one of the world's great public research universities, UCLA integrates education, research, and public service so that each enriches and extends the others. From its beautiful neighborhood campus in a uniquely diverse and vibrant city on the Pacific Rim, teaching and research extend beyond the classroom, office, and lab through active engagement with communities, organizations, projects, and partnerships throughout the region and around the world.

UCLA’s diverse community of scholars encompasses nearly 30,000 undergraduates pursuing 125 majors, 13,000 graduate students in fifty-nine research programs, and 4,000 faculty members including Nobel Laureates; Rhodes Scholars; MacArthur Fellows; winners of the Fields Medal, National Medal of Science, Pritzker Prize, and Pulitzer Prize; and recipients of Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Golden Globes. UCLA ranks tenth in the Times of London Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, twelfth in the Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and fifth in the U.S. by Washington Monthly. The National Research Council ranks forty of its graduate and doctoral research programs among its top ten.

To enable these accomplished students, faculty, and staff to create, disseminate, and apply knowledge for the benefit of global society, the UCLA Library is re-envisioning how it is acquired, synthesized, and shared across academic audiences and with the public. It was among the first academic libraries to develop subject-specialist librarians and to launch a program to enhance students’ research skills. Its Special Collections pioneered the acquisition by public institutions of rare and unique books, children’s literature, pulp and detective fiction, works by or about women and minorities, screenplays, architectural plans, and Los Angeles-related materials and today leads the way in collecting archival resources in digital format such as emails and manuscripts. It has launched innovative data management services and an affordable course materials initiative that have served as models for other libraries.

The Library serves UCLA students, faculty, and staff whenever and wherever they need its resources and expertise. Reconfigured, high-tech spaces and services in its ten campus libraries enable users and librarians to explore and work with print and digital materials collaboratively or individually, pursue new lines of inquiry, and develop new pedagogical approaches as well as novel forms of scholarship. More than 3.5 million people visit annually, while an additional 3.4 million visitors enter online through its virtual front doors.

Whether on campus or online, the Library forms the intellectual heart of UCLA, a hub for cutting-edge discovery, scholarship, and instruction.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the University of California and key components of the University’s commitment to excellence. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California policy on discrimination, harassment, and affirmative action see: University of California – Policy Discrimination, Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace at https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction

Under federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States as established by providing documents specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Employment is contingent upon completion of satisfactory background investigation.

Visit the Jobs @ UCLA Library website at: http://www.library.ucla.edu/about/jobs-ucla-library

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Cover Letter - Describing qualifications and experience.

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. detailing education and relevant experience.

  • References - Names and contact information for three professional references, including current or previous supervisor; contact information only.

Job location

Los Angeles, CA