Dean of the Library

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Dean of the Library

The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the Library. The ideal candidate for this position will be a visionary, strategic, and collaborative leader who is energized by the possibilities available to the 21st century library.

 

Founded in 1905, UNK is one of four distinct university campuses comprising the University of Nebraska system governed by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and President. UNK is a public, residential university committed to being one of the nation’s premier undergraduate institutions with excellent graduate education, scholarship and public service. The Dean of the Library will join UNK at an important moment in the history of the Library to reinforce its presence as a hub of services and resources to support teaching, learning and research at UNK.

 

The Library provides access to an impressive collection of resources, including of over 250,000 print book titles and over 500,000 print volumes along with more than 230,000 eBook titles. Online access includes approximately 100,000 full-text electronic journals, 250 online databases and other e-resources including Academic Search Premier, JSTOR, LexisNexis, and O’Reilly for Higher Education. Through the University of Nebraska Consortium of Libraries (UNCL) and Lyrasis, all Libraries in the NU System have access to the Big Five journal packages (Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, SpringerNature, and Sage) along with resources like Scopus and Ovid’s VisibleBody. A $25M renovation has been approved for UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library to create an inviting and engaging environment that combines physical collections with new technology while devoting more space to group and individual study.  The renovation is planned as a multiphase project, allowing library operations to continue during the work. Construction is expected to start with the mechanical upgrades in summer 2022 and be completed in summer 2024.

 

Reporting to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean is charged with providing administrative leadership and direction of the Library to help UNK achieve excellence in all areas of the Library including staff development, resource allocation, and planning; support of UNK’s mission and vision through the Library’s services and resources, including helping students become information literate lifelong learners; support of a diverse campus where all are welcome and where faculty, staff and student well-being is a top priority.

 

The Library currently has seven faculty and fifteen support staff members.  Librarians at UNK are tenure-track faculty with 12-month appointments and requirements for research and service as outlined in Board of Regents, University and Library standards procedures.  Librarians are represented by the Faculty Union and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  They elect a representative to the Faculty Senate and are members of other appropriate campus-wide committees, among them Academic Affairs and General Studies.

 

Qualified candidates will possess a master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited program. A second graduate degree is desirable. A record of progressive responsibility in libraries is required, including significant administrative experience. Ability to meet the requirements for a tenured appointment as an Associate Professor or Professor.

 

Additional desired characteristics include: excellent organizational and communication skills along with the ability to work collaboratively and collegially with students, faculty and staff; demonstrated supervisory experience in an academic library setting, including tenure-track faculty; demonstrated commitment to shared governance; demonstrated record of scholarly research; experience with fund raising including working with donors, grants and within a library consortium; creative problem-solving skills; ability to identify and develop state-of-the-art information technology solutions integrated with traditional library collections and services; demonstrated commitment to access, inclusion, and diversity; and deep understanding of the issues facing higher education and academic libraries. Experience with library renovations and/or construction is a plus.

 

Kearney is a vibrant, attractive, progressive and growing community in Nebraska of more than 30,000 people that often makes national “top places to live” listings for numerous reasons. Its bustling economy co-exists with the enviable quality of life that results from safe and quality housing, excellent schools, medical care and other government services, a multitude of recreational and cultural opportunities for adults and children of all ages, and safe, welcoming neighborhoods.

AGB Search is pleased to assist University of Nebraska at Kearney with this important search. To apply for the Dean of the Library position, candidates are requested to submit the following: a resume or curriculum vitae; a letter of interest that addresses the leadership opportunities in the profile; and contact information for four references (to be contacted with candidate’s permission later). Materials (in Word or PDF) should be sent to UNKDeanLibrary@agbsearch.com by March 25, 2022, for best consideration. The search will remain open until an appointment is made.

Nominations and expressions of interest in the dean of the library opportunity are encouraged.

Please direct them to UNKDeanLibrary@agbsearch.com or to the AGB search team listed below:

• Concetta M. Stewart, Ph.D., Principal, concetta.stewart@agbsearch.com C: 908.391.9710
• Anne Hoffman, Executive Search Associate, anne.hoffman@agbsearch.com C: 805.490.9161

 

The University of Nebraska at Kearney is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity employer. UNK does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The University affirms a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities, affirmative action in employment and nondiscrimination in providing services to the public.