Chair, User Services, James E. Walker Library, Tenure-Track Faculty

Job Number: FAC383
Work Type: Tenure-Track
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Categories: Agriculture, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Fine & Applied Arts, Health, Psychology and Human/Social/Protective Services, Family/Consumer/Human Sciences, Law and Legal Studies, Liberal Arts, Applied Health, Sciences, Vocation & Technical, Library

Job Title

Chair, User Services, James E. Walker Library, Tenure-Track Faculty

Department

Library User Services

University Expectation

MTSU seeks candidates committed to innovative teaching, robust research/creative activity, and meaningful service. We also seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty who value working with diverse students.

Salary

Salary and rank are commensurate with education and experience.

Job Summary/Basic Function

The James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University invites applicants for a 12-month, full-time, tenure-track faculty position (#641005) as Chair of User Services. Applicants must be eligible to meet the criteria for the associate professor or professor rank. Expedited tenure upon appointment is possible. The start date for the position may be as early as August 1, 2023.

This position works collaboratively with the Dean and leads the library’s efforts to provide excellence, advancement, organization, and innovation of User Services in support of teaching, learning, and research needs at MTSU. Primary responsibilities include strategic management of User Services’ operations, programs, faculty, and staff. The Chair will serve as a role model as well as guide and direct the collaborative development and implementation of effective strategies for creating and delivering outstanding user-centered program support for online learning, open educational resources, research, and data services, circulation of and access to materials, interlibrary loan, reserves, stacks management, information literacy, library instruction, and research assistance.

The successful candidate is expected to

• Engage in advancing the library’s liaison program in support of the teaching and research missions of the university.
• Influence and leverage the library’s commitment and support of user-centered learning and scholarship to connect User Services’ programs and service strategies with library and university priorities.
• Apply a user-centered orientation to developing and improving library services and programs.
• Collaborate with colleagues across library departments to continuously improve services and operations based on knowledge of emerging trends in libraries, higher education, distance learning, research activities, and available technologies.
• Foster an environment of collegiality and teamwork for the 22 FTE department faculty and staff, cultivating a respectful, inclusive, and flexible work environment.
• Supervise and evaluate faculty based on librarianship, scholarship, service, and other professional activities.
• Coordinate with direct supervisors or write staff performance evaluations.
• Actively participate in hiring, training, and mentoring all User Services employees.
• Actively monitor university strategic planning initiatives and guide User Services to plan, implement, and assess library services.
• Actively contribute to the library’s leadership team and advise on organizational planning, budgeting, space use, and service and policy development.
• Use strong analytical, interpretive, and time management skills to plan with purpose around user services, staffing, instruction, and other assigned initiatives.
• Skillfully use technology, online resources, and productivity software to accomplish all tasks.
• Adapt communication strategies and messaging for various audiences to promote understanding.

Required Education

A master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program is required by the appointment date.

Required Related Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of professional library experience, with three (3) of the five (5) being progressive leadership or supervisory experience in an academic library setting, is required

Other Desirables

• Proven leadership ability in access, user, or public services academic library department.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing exceptional customer service.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage complex projects successfully.
• Excellent communication skills, including oral, written, interpersonal, and presentation.
• Demonstrated use of technology to accomplish work and improve workflows.
• Experience with budgeting and planning.
• Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to thrive in a complex, changing environment with competing demands.
• Familiarity with human resource policies and practices.
• Experience with a subject liaison program.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in academic libraries related to public services.

Documents Needed to Apply

To successfully apply, applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and research statement or creative activities statement (as appropriate to the discipline) as separate attachments at the time of online application.

Special Instruction to Applicants

If you need help applying, please contact Mitzi Dunkley, Faculty Recruitment Specialist, at (615) 898-5128.

If you have position-specific questions, please contact Karen Reed at Karen.Reed@mtsu.edu.

Application Review Date: 07/15/2023