North Carolina State University Libraries

HEAD OF ACQUISITIONS

Vacancy Announcement

Between the mountains of the Blue Ridge and the shores of the Outer Banks lies North Carolina's Research Triangle of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.  One of the nation's premier concentrations of academic, corporate, and public research, the area combines moderate year-round temperatures, rolling hills, championship college athletics, and a rich diversity of cultural events.  The Triangle consistently ranks high on lists of desirable American communities, including a recent rating as the number-one place to be in terms of education and standard of living.  The North Carolina State University Libraries has been recognized as the first recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Excellence in Academic Libraries Award for its teamwork, innovation, and continuous interaction with students and faculty to further the educational mission of NC State University.  The NCSU Libraries is ranked 29th by the Association of Research Libraries among North America’s top 113 academic research libraries.

The NCSU Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Head of Acquisitions.  The Acquisitions department comprises a staff of 3 librarians and 15.5 support staff and expends approx $10 million annually for the acquisition of materials in support of the research and teaching programs of the university.

Responsibilities

The Head of Acquisitions provides strategic and effective management of the department responsible for acquiring materials in print, digital, multimedia, and other evolving formats for the library’s collection.  She or he resolves complex acquisitions problems and adjusts work processes to improve outcomes, and oversees the professional development of staff.  Through sound business practices, the Head insures that collections funds are expended in a fiscally responsible manner to meet the objective of providing users with rapid access to materials.  The incumbent manages vendor relations and evaluates vendor performance in a fast-changing environment of digital and print resources and applies knowledge of current issues and trends in scholarly communication and the publishing industry to assess contractual agreements and license terms.  The Head participates in library planning, serving on library-wide committees, task forces, and teams.  NCSU librarians are expected to be active professionally and to contribute to developments in the field.  Reports to the Associate Director for Materials Management.07

Qualifications

Required:  The successful candidate will have a minimum of five years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience, including recent professional experience with acquisitions/serials and financial components of an integrated library system.  Candidates should have a capacity to thrive in an exciting, ambiguous, future-oriented environment and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities.  Demonstrated effectiveness in managing personnel, budgets, and projects as well as evidence of leadership ability are required.  Commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace is expected.  Outstanding written and oral communication skills are essential, as are excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively and promote teamwork among colleagues.  Candidates must hold theALA-accredited MLS or equivalent advanced degree in library or information science, and must demonstrate an ongoing record of professional development and contribution.  Preferred:  Professional supervisory experience.

The University and the Libraries

Recognized as one of the nation’s leading universities in science and technology, with strong programs in the humanities and social sciences, NC State offers degrees through the Colleges of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Design, Education, Engineering, Humanities & Social Sciences, Management, Natural Resources, Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Textiles, and Veterinary Medicine.  As the largest academic institution in the state, NC State enrolls more than 30,000 students and offers doctoral degrees in 61 fields of study.  NC State is ranked 6th among national research universities in industry-funded research, 6th in total research expenditures among public universities without medical schools, 9th in total patent pipeline power, and has received more than 500 patents for beneficial technologies developed by its world-class faculty.  NC State is a national leader in networking technologies and a charter member of the North Carolina Networking Initiative (NCNI), an Internet2 initiative with the most advanced operational networking system infrastructure in the nation.

The library system (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/) consists of a central library and branch libraries for design, natural resources, textiles, and veterinary medicine. With a staff of 280+ FTE, the Libraries has over 3.6 million volumes, acquires more than 54,000 print and electronic serials, and allocates approximately $10 million to collections.  The Libraries organizational structure includes cross-functional teams in conjunction with departments and units.  The NCSU Libraries is the lead server site for NC LIVE (North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education), a multi-type library initiative, making digital resources accessible to the citizens of North Carolina.

The NCSU Libraries is a founding member of SOLINET and a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Digital Library Federation, the Coalition for Networked Information, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, the Council for Library and Information Resources, and the Center for Research Libraries.  Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central University and North Carolina State University form the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN), with combined resources of more than 13 million volumes, and collections budgets totaling more than $29 million.

Salary and Benefits

The Libraries offers highly competitive salaries in recognition of  applicable education and experience, not less than $75,000 for this position.  Relocation allowance provided.  Librarians have non-tenure track faculty status (without levels of rank). Benefits include: 24 days vacation, 12 days sick leave; State of NC comprehensive major medical insurance, and state, TIAA/CREF, or other retirement options.  Additional and optional dental, life, disability, deferred compensation, and legal plans are offered.  Tuition waiver program for all campuses of The University of North Carolina is available.  More benefits information is available at http://www7.acs.ncsu.edu/hr/benefits/

Application process and schedule

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt; applications will be accepted until finalist candidates are selected.  Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to receive full consideration.  The nomination committee may invite candidates for confidential, pre-interview screenings. Appointment requires successful completion of background check. This position is available July 1, 2007.

Applicants must apply through the NC State University online employment website at https://jobs.ncsu.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=76229.  Complete application, and attach cover letter and résumé, with contact information for four current, professional references.  For assistance with this process contact NCSU Libraries Personnel Services Office (919) 515-3522.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

NC State welcomes all persons without regard to sexual orientation

Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (919) 515-3148.