Acquisitions Department, Technical Services
Sterling Memorial Library
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Rank: Librarian 2-3
Schedule: Full time (37.5 hours per week); Standard Work Week (M-F, 8:30-5:00)
Yale University offers exciting opportunities for achievement and growth in New Haven, Connecticut. Conveniently located between Boston and New York, New Haven is the creative capital of Connecticut with cultural resources that include two major art museums, a critically-acclaimed repertory theater, state-of-the-art concert hall, and world-renowned schools of Architecture, Art, Drama, and Music.
THE UNIVERSITY AND THE LIBRARY
The Yale University Library, as one of the world's leading research libraries, collects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to and services for a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. It fosters intellectual growth and is a highly valued partner in the teaching and research missions of Yale University and scholarly communities worldwide. A distinctive strength is its rich spectrum of resources, including more than 12.5 million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. The Library is engaged in numerous digital initiatives designed to provide access to a full array of scholarly information. Housed in the Sterling Memorial Library and sixteen school and departmental libraries, it employs a dynamic, diverse, and innovative staff of over 500 who have the opportunity to work with the highest caliber of faculty and students, participate on committees, and are involved in other areas of staff development. For additional information on the Yale University Library, please visit the Library's web site at http://www.library.yale.edu/.
Within the University Library, Technical Services departments pursue a course of continual change and innovation in building integrated, university-wide information access systems. These systems are designed to provide readers timely access to new materials in all formats as well as a high-quality bibliographic record of Yale's extraordinary library collections, which have developed over the last three centuries. Our collections continue to grow at more than 200,000 volumes per year, including an increasing number of materials in digital form. The Library’s serials collection consists of over 90,000 currently received print titles and over 63,000 titles in electronic format. Yale is a member of the NERL Consortium and the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC), contributing to the NACO and BIBCO programs.
Job Summary
Yale University librarians work in libraries across the Central, West, Medical, and Science campuses, to build, manage, and provide access to a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. They demonstrate flexibility, creativity, and imagination in their work and adapt to and help shape a continuously evolving work environment. Yale librarians provide consistently high quality service to the University, and help meet the needs of the local, national, and international teaching and research communities.
Departmental Focus
Reporting to the Chief Acquisitions Librarian and Head of the Acquisitions Department under the Library’s Technical Services Division, the Collections Procurement Librarian provides professional, technical, and fiscal expertise in the overall management of orders and approvals, including management of gifts and exchanges. Manages the work of the Order Support unit and supervises (hires, trains, evaluates) staff who perform a variety of activities related to ordering of materials in all formats. Works collaboratively and collegially Library-wide with all acquisitions units, selectors, catalogers, and Information Technology Office to develop best practices to support the management of orders and approval plans for all formats of library collections. Keeps abreast of trends in publishing, and pricing practices and of vendor technologies and software developments as they relate to library fund accounting, budget analysis, and ordering technologies.
Primary Responsibilities
Manages Order Support unit
- Hires, trains and evaluates clerical & technical staff in the Order Support Unit within the Acquisitions Department.
- Manages process change and workflow shifts based on organizational and departmental changes.
- Assesses ordering activity throughout the Library. In collaboration with the Chief Acquisitions Librarian, develops best practices, policies and procedures for managing and ensuring accountability for procurement of collections materials.
- Makes recommendations for staffing needs and level of expertise needed for ordering units.
Manages Approval Plans
- Serves as the Library’s point of contact with approval plan vendors. Coordinates with subject specialists (selectors, curators, et al) on development of approval plan profiles. Communicates with selectors and vendors about desired changes to approval plans.
- Ensures that vendors adhere to profiles. Works closely with subject specialists and the Team Leader of the Monograph Support Team to monitor approval plan activity. Identifies reasons for duplication against other plans and orders and make appropriate adjustments to avoid further duplication. Monitors and evaluates all approval rejections.
- Works closely with the Chief Acquisitions Librarian and the Director of Collection Development to develop best practices, policies and procedures related to approval plans and approval plan materials. Works closely with the Acquisitions Technology, Training & Documentation Librarian to document said best practices, policies and procedures.
Manages processing of Gifts
- Oversees processing for accession of selected gift material and processing for disposition of unwanted gift material. Serves as the Library’s point of contact with Better World Books.
Manages the Exchange Program
- Develops a system for tracking the Library’s Exchange Program.
- Oversees and monitors Exchange activity.
- May be required to assist in disaster recovery efforts. May be assigned to work at West Campus location in West Haven, CT.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program for library and information science and a minimum of two years of professional experience and demonstrated professional accomplishments appropriate to the rank. Appointment to the Librarian III rank requires at least five years of professional experience and demonstrated professional accomplishments appropriate to the rank.
- Experience managing library technical services with an emphasis on acquisitions, particularly management of procurement of collections materials in all formats (print and electronic), and vendor relations. Two or more years of demonstrated supervisory experience, including training and staff development.
- Experience with use of integrated library systems (preferably Voyager). Knowledge of the complex, ever-changing electronic publishing environment and scholarly communications issues.
- Ability to plan, initiate, and implement effective programs, projects, and services. Excellent organizational skills; demonstrated ability to solve problems and manage complex workflows; a high level of numeracy and ability to deal effectively with complex budgets.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including public presentations. Excellent interpersonal and team collaboration skills; and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, rapidly changing and ambiguous environment. Must be able to work with faculty, staff and students in a culturally diverse environment.
Preferred:
Demonstrated knowledge of one or more Western European languages. Experience managing acquisition of materials from non-Western countries. Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to a conclusion in a timely fashion.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
We invite you to discover the excitement, diversity, rewards and excellence of a career at Yale University. One of the country's great workplaces, Yale University offers exciting opportunities for meaningful accomplishment and true growth. Our benefits package is among the best anywhere, with a wide variety of insurance choices, liberal paid time off, fantastic family and educational benefits, a variety of retirement benefits, extensive recreational facilities, and much more.
Applications consisting of a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information ofthree professional references should be sent by creating an account and applying online at www.yale.edu/jobs for immediate consideration - the STARS req ID for this position is 16196BR. Please be sure to reference #16196BR in your cover letter.
BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS
All external candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent on successful completion of a background check. Please visitwww.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.htmlfor additional information on the background check requirements and process.
Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, staff, and students and strongly encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented minority groups.
