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Dean of the UAB Libraries

Dean of the UAB Libraries

University of Alabama at Birmingham Job Location: Alabama Date Created: 12-18-2013

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, a vibrant and diverse academic community focused on discovering, teaching and applying knowledge for the intellectual, cultural, social and economic benefit of Birmingham, the state and beyond, seeks an accomplished and creative leader to serve as the first Dean of the UAB Libraries. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced, visionary leader to advance a critical resource in a rising research university with an ambitious agenda of growth and development. UAB has created this new role in an effort to further increase the quality of service the Libraries provide to the UAB community. By combining the resources of its Mervyn H. Sterne Library and Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, UAB will be better able to provide seamless service to faculty and students, manage the libraries’ resources more effectively, and recognize efficiencies in operations that will allow the libraries to shift more resources toward its collections and new user services. Founded in 1969, the University of Alabama at Birmingham has quickly grown into a world-renowned research university and academic medical center. The University has seen record enrollments over the last five years, reaching a total enrollment of 18,568 for Fall semester, 2013. Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, UAB is Alabama’s largest single-site employer, with an economic impact exceeding $5 billion annually in the state. UAB attracted more than $454 million in research funding in FY2012 and currently ranks 31st nationally in federal research funding and 21st in funding from the National Institutes of Health. In the latest U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools” issue UAB has 11 programs ranked in the top 25 and five in the top 10, including its master’s program in health administration that ranks fifth in the nation. U.S. News and World Report also ranks UAB’s Medical School # 10 among primary care programs, #35 in research. The Princeton Review has ranked UAB among the top 10 universities nationally as having the most diverse student body for the last five consecutive years. The most exciting challenge for the new Dean of the UAB Libraries will be to seamlessly merge the two major libraries at UAB, Sterne and Lister Hill. The Dean will provide visionary leadership to the Libraries; inspire enriched and expanded scholarship, research and teaching; enhance undergraduate and graduate academic programs; develop, recruit, retain and lead excellent staff; plan creatively for the use of library space; and energetically promote and find support for the mission of the Libraries. In addition to a Master of Library Science (MLS) degree from an ALA-accredited library school or academic credentials appropriate to the leadership of a modern research-intensive library, successful candidates will bring to the role proven managerial ability in a complex organizational setting, including the capable management of fiscal, human, and physical resources; essential academic library management skills, including knowledge of the acquisition and licensing of electronic resources, of contemporary library operations and services, collections management, the development of consortial relationships and the management and development of physical space; a successful history of staff development and team building, including a demonstrated commitment to building and supporting a diverse staff; the ability to collaborate and communicate with constituencies of faculty, students, staff, and alumni; the capacity to understand and support scholarly research and an awareness of current trends in scholarly publication; knowledge of emerging digital technologies and their potential within the domains of scholarship and scholarly communication; and the ability and willingness to seek out and obtain appropriate resources for the development of the libraries. Review of nominations and applications will begin immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. All inquiries, nominations/referrals, and resumes with cover letters should be sent electronically and in confidence to: Beverly Brady, Senior Associate Isaacson, Miller 263 Summer Street Boston, Massachusetts 02210 E-mail: UABLibraries@imsearch.com UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of ethnicity, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans. For more information about the UAB Libraries, see http://www.uab.edu/libraries/

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