Director of Library Technology

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LIBRARIES

Director of Library Technology Assistant Professor, Clinical Faculty 

The University of Alabama seeks a candidate for a leadership role to provide comprehensive and strategic oversight for information technology.  The candidate will supervise a staff of 3 clinical faculty, 8 staff, and several student programmers. They will also lead an evaluation and reorganization of technology units and positions within the University Libraries to bring them together as a stronger team.

In a digital world, maintenance, management, and development of technological resources that support teaching and research are vital to the success of UA. We are seeking a leader who will be able to manage and oversee a broad range of University Libraries technologies in a re-structured unit. Specifically, the candidate will oversee management of servers, app development, cloud-based and back up storage solutions, enterprise level and academic software, hardware management, the University Libraries web site and web-based dependencies, and both academic and administrative computing for each of the University Libraries. This person will also serve as a liaison to OIT for the University Libraries, reinforcing our historically strong partnership. The department also provides internal training for University Libraries faculty, staff, and students on software and technology.

In addition, the candidate will serve as a leader in the development of FOLIO, our new library services platform. The University Libraries is an existing beta partner in the FOLIO project with several faculty and staff across the Libraries involved in development, testing, and implementation, as well as within the larger research library community. In the interim, the current integrated library system (Voyager) must be maintained, and this position collaborates with others across the Libraries on this task.  Additionally, the University Libraries supports, enhances, and collaborates with faculty and staff involved with instruction and research services throughout the Libraries and across campus. The candidate must be able to communicate calmly and proactively with a broad range of constituents to understand and deliver technology needs in a fast-changing environment.

The University of Alabama Libraries seeks applicants who thrive in a learning organization with a strong service orientation and who demonstrate an ability to adapt to changing needs and priorities. This includes assessing best practices and making important decisions about the future of information technology in a rapidly changing research library environment. The successful candidate must have a willingness for continual learning, development, and application of additional expertise through work related experiences and professional development opportunities with a commitment to continuous quality improvement and return on investment.  Candidates with experience setting strategic directions, collaborating across departments, establishing priorities, and managing librarians and staff are encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate must also possess the ability to deal with change, ambiguity, and complex problems that are typical of an academic setting. Responsibilities of the position evolve as the library environment continues to change.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Library & Information Sciences from an ALA-accredited institution or advanced graduate degree in a related field.
• Seven or more years of experience in library related information technology settings with a progression of responsibilities in relevant professional work.
• Five or more years of management experience in a research library setting, supervising staff and/or faculty, including direct involvement with establishing goals, evaluating employees, developing job descriptions, and analyzing workflows.
• Demonstrated engagement in areas associated with the job portfolio and the ability to collaborate across departments.
• Experience setting unit goals, managing projects, meeting deadlines, and analyzing outcomes.
• Experience supporting library systems, including but not limited to servers, cloud-based storage, integrated library systems, websites, web-based applications, discovery services, and academic research software.
• Experience with scheduling and maintaining backups, log analysis, software audits, and security checks, as well as developing and maintaining appropriate documentation.
• Experience managing computer hardware and software and managing replacement and upgrade plans.
• Demonstration of ability to keep up to date on new technologies and trends in research library and academic technologies.
• Experience migrating technology systems and hardware.
• Ability to design and carry out professional development training programs for faculty, staff, and students related to library technologies.
• Ability to facilitate continuous quality improvement.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, along with expert skills associated with listening, negotiating, compromising, and adapting. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Five or more years of management experience in an Association of Research Libraries institution.
• Corporate sector IT experience with a library vendor.
• Experience with budgeting and procurement for IT.
• Experience negotiating with vendors for software and hardware needs.

ENVIRONMENT:

The University of Alabama, The Capstone University, is the State of Alabama’s flagship public university and the senior comprehensive doctoral level institution in Alabama. UA enrolls over 38,000 students, is ranked in the top 50 public universities in the United States. The University is a leader among public universities nationwide for enrollment of National Merit Scholars, with more than 600 currently enrolled. Under the leadership of President Stuart Bell, UA launched a strategic planning process that includes an aggressive research agenda and expansion of graduate education. The University has achieved Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity status in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The University of Alabama Libraries is essential in advancing the educational mission of the University. We provide innovative instruction, services, and resources to facilitate teaching, research, and learning. The University of Alabama Libraries is committed to be student-centered and research-focused in order to support discovery, learning, and creativity at The Capstone.

The University Libraries maintains memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Coalition for Networked Information, centerNet, LYRASIS, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, the HathiTrust, Scholars Trust, the Rosemont Alliance, the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network. We are the oldest academic library serving as a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository. In this role we serve the academic community and the public. The University Libraries is an EBSCO FOLIO beta partner. The University Libraries homepage may be accessed at http://www.libraries.ua.edu .

The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, a metropolitan area of 100,000, with a vibrant economy, a moderate climate, and a reputation across the South as an innovative, progressive community with an excellent quality of life. Tuscaloosa provides easy access to mountains, several large cities, and the beautiful Gulf Coast. Prior to employment the successful candidate must pass a pre-employment background investigation.

SALARY/BENEFITS:

12-month clinical faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor rank. Salary range is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and advanced degrees. Strong benefits, including professional development support, tuition fee waiver, and matching retirement contributions.

TO APPLY:

Applications are accepted online only at https://facultyjobs.ua.edu . Click Search Positions. University Libraries in Organization drop down box. Please include your application, Curriculum Vitae, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e- mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor. Position open until filled. Applications received by October 18, 2021 are assured of receiving full consideration. Position will remain open until filled. The University of Alabama is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and is strongly committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. Applicants from a broad spectrum of people, including women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled persons, are especially encouraged to apply. For questions regarding the search, contact Dr. Millie Jackson, Senior Associate Dean, at mljackson@ua.edu . 

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