Dean, Library Services

Central Washington University (CWU) invites expressions of interest, nominations and applications for the position of Dean, Library Services.

University Libraries

CWU’s Brooks Library serves as the campus hub for academic and creative life. It is also the largest publicly funded library in the region and the center for informational and educational resources and community support to approximately 118,000 community members in the Columbia Basin, specifically the City of Ellensburg, the CWU students, and the neighboring communities of Roslyn, Thorp Mill, Kittitas, Cle Elum, and Yakima.

Built in 1973, the third library in the University's history, the Brooks Library serves the institution's constituencies through quality service, access to resources, instructional support, undergraduate courses in the library and information science program, department connections through embedded librarianship, and a variety of innovative programs. Operated by a capable staff, library personnel is comprised of ten tenured or tenure-earning faculty members, three non-tenured faculty, 27 professional staff and 38 student employees supported by a budget of nearly $5 million.

Providing access to 1.3 million physical materials, in addition to electronic holdings, the main library and University Centers’ branch libraries at Des Moines and Lynnwood maintain subscriptions to over 20,000 newspapers, magazines, and journals, as well as audio recordings in a variety of formats. Participating in resource-sharing through the Orbis Cascade Alliance, the library provides students access to more than 25 million information items.

The library continues to grow and serve its community in a variety of ways and has been recognized both regionally and nationally:   

  • 2016 Finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service
  • 2016 Recipient of NEA Big Read Grant
  • 2017 Recipient of NEH Common Heritage Grant
  • 2017 Recipient of the ACRL-Washington Award for Excellence
  • 2018 Recipient of NEA Big Read Grant

For more information about CWU’s University Libraries, please visit http://www.lib.cwu.edu/.

The University

Founded in 1891, Central Washington University is a public institution located in Ellensburg, just 100 miles southeast of Seattle. CWU is one of three state-supported comprehensive universities in Washington State. The University enrolls approximately 12,000 students and employs about 1,300 faculty and staff. Average class size is 25, with a faculty-student ratio of 18:1. With its robust focus on inclusivity and diversity, more than a third of first-year students were people of color in fall 2017. CWU enrolls and graduates the largest percentage of Hispanic/Latino/a students of any public baccalaureate institution in the state. The University holds regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

CWU plays a key role in the economic, educational and cultural vitality of the community and region, and is the largest employer in the county. The $91-million payroll for this educated workforce supports retail, food, housing, and entertainment businesses. CWU camps, conferences, and events draw more than 50,000 people to restaurants, hotels, and retail businesses each year. In addition, the University provides instructional and library resources for the community and partners with other educational service providers to enrich access and opportunity to education for citizens of the region. Each year more than 350 dramatic and musical performances, art and museum exhibitions, lectures, and athletic events are open to campus and community members. For more information about CWU, please visit http://www.cwu.edu/.

Position Summary

The Dean of Library Services leads in defining and communicating the role of the library within the larger academic context and as advocate, both inside and outside the university, for gaining the resources necessary to achieve the Library’s mission and goals. The Dean is responsible for all areas of library administration including policy and program development, strategic and long-range planning, fiscal management, personnel supervision, integration of emerging technologies, and development of collaborative relationships.

The Dean reports to the Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Life and maintains close working relationships with administrative and other personnel of the University, faculty, students, the local and statewide business communities, public agencies, and the general public. The Dean supervises an Associate Dean, administrative specialist, a paraprofessional at the CWU-Des Moines center, and a paraprofessional at the CWU-Lynnwood center. In addition, the Dean supervises the activities of the Department Chair. The Dean works within a participatory faculty governance structure, and fosters close working relationships with and among all constituents of the library, the University, as well as public agencies and the general public. The Dean provides innovative leadership in fund-raising and in positioning the library to respond successfully to the challenges and opportunities facing contemporary higher education.

Required Qualifications

The successful candidate will possess:

  • An ALA accredited MLIS degree or its equivalent.
  • Five years or more professional experience in increasingly responsible positions in academic libraries, including administrative responsibilities.
  • A record of professional and scholarly activity sufficient for appointment at the rank of full professor of librarianship, in accordance with CWU's policies and faculty collective bargaining agreement.
  • Proven fiscal management experience for operations, facilities, and personnel budgets; and experience developing a long-range plan for financial sustainability.
  • A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive work and learning environment.

For a full position description and list of qualifications, please visit https://www.storbeckpimentel.com/pd/CWU/LibraryServices.pdf.

Application Process

The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and continue to accept applications and nominations until the position is filled. Applicants must submit: a current resume or curriculum vitae and a cover letter describing relevant experience and interest in the position. Nomination letters should include the name, position, address and telephone number of the nominee. All applications and nominations will be handled in confidence.

Applications and letters of nomination should be submitted by email to:

Alberto Pimentel, Managing Partner

Email: apsearch@storbeckpimentel.com

Refer to code “CWU-Library” in the subject line

Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates

6512 Painter Avenue

Whittier, CA 90601

Central Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer