Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development

12-Sep-2024

Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development

Harvard Library

66808BR

Job Summary

Although this position will remain posted until filled, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the end of the day on Friday, October 25, 2024.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Libraries seek an innovative, knowledgeable, and agile professional to lead Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development, the largest collection development unit in the FAS Libraries’ flagship repository, Widener Library. The FAS Libraries are world renowned for the depth and scope of their global collections. Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development is a new department created by the merger of the Americas, Europe, Oceania Division and the Middle East, Africa, Asia Division.

Reporting to the Assistant University Librarian for Content Strategies and Associate Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development will consider a wealth of strategies to anticipate and meet the intense information needs of Harvard’s academic community. The incumbent will appreciatively lead a staff of well-respected collection development librarians in furthering the growth and management of a collection that is inclusive of global voices and global frameworks of knowledge.

The Library is committed to elevating historically excluded and dissenting voices from around the world, including immigrant and diaspora populations, in support of research, teaching, and learning at Harvard University. Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development collaborates in the development of the collective collections at Harvard and in the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation (IPLC) and the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP), and staff work closely with colleagues in partner libraries and institutions. Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development supports a complex and changing academic environment marked by ever increasing inter- and trans-disciplinarity and intense interest in digital approaches to scholarship. The Head will develop creative strategies to meet the considerable breadth and depth of Harvard’s research and teaching needs; analyze user requirements; understand contemporary trends in scholarship and learning; and deploy a range of options, privileging open access, and including purchase, licensing, and partnerships, to create a successful model of 21st century library information access. The department collects all intellectually relevant formats, including electronic resources, print, data, media, images, and primary sources.

Position Description

• Lead in the development of outstanding collections and access to information for the Harvard community
• Allocate and manage collections funds exceeding $10 million annually by the collections department
• Appreciatively lead and manage 11 staff who build the collections in a wide range of disciplines, languages and formats, building consensus and fostering innovation in acquisition, access, and management of collections through collaboration with others
• Work with collection development librarians, collection managers, and assessment staff to devise metrics and criteria, and to create a data-driven approach to inform collection management decisions
• Collaborate with other collecting areas of Harvard Library to ensure seamless acquisition and use of resources and to avoid unnecessary duplication
• Collaborate with Harvard Library departments (Access Services, Information and Technical Services, Imaging Services, Preservation Services) to create and manage workflows and procedures among the departments
• Establish and maintain excellent relationships with faculty and students and align collecting policies and practices with academic priorities
• Collaborate with research, teaching, and learning librarians in the use of collections in teaching and in building student research experiences
• Collaborate with the Associate Librarian for Research, Teaching, and Learning Services for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to ensure that collection development librarians’ RTL responsibilities are consistent with all FAS libraries
• Collaborate with peers across the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation (IPLC) and Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP) member libraries in the development of collective collections 
• Lead prioritization of collections digitization for collections under the purview of Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development
• Serve on Harvard and external committees and task forces as appropriate

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITIES 

• This position has supervisory responsibilities (i.e. full/part time staff).

Basic Qualifications

• Advanced degree in library and information science, or international equivalent
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience with increasing management responsibilities
• Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience
• Experience with traditional and emerging collection development and management strategies
• Experience in international collections and area studies

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging and antiracism
• Demonstrated experience with supervising employees and supporting their efforts in order to build and foster a diverse, productive, and engaging workplace and professional community
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills to work effectively with culturally diverse library users and colleagues
• Experience working across organizational boundaries in a dynamic and highly collaborative working environment
• Ability to work collaboratively, initiate and adapt to change, and to be flexible
• Demonstrated successful management of large budgets in a complex fund structure
• Experience negotiating with vendors and publishers
• Demonstrated knowledge of research trends and the scholarly process
• Demonstrated experience implementing innovative approaches to provide access to collections and to facilitate their use in research and teaching
• An active record of professional engagement in collection development
• Reading knowledge of multiple languages

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Must be able to move about inside the library to access books, office machinery, files, etc.
• Must be able to regularly position self to maintain files in file cabinets.

Working Conditions

• The position is based on site in Cambridge, MA. There may be the opportunity for a hybrid work model compliant with Harvard University policies.
• Work location is responsive and subject to change based on business needs. Requests for flexibility will be considered consistent with Harvard University flexwork policies.
• May interact with collections that may contain dust, mold, or other contaminants.
• The work associated with this position is performed in a library/office setting.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning. 
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Library

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

386059 Library Manager

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Sub-Unit

------------

Salary Grade

059

Department

Humanities and Social Sciences Collection Development

Annual Salary Range

$ 102,300- $ 179,100

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Time Status

Full-time

Pre-Employment Screening

Criminal, Education, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Across the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success. 
 
We invite individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members. Our work with faculty, students and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world’s most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society. 
 
Harvard Library inspires collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and discovery connecting users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. The Library engages users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support.  Today, Harvard Library’s holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding access to digital resources. Harvard Library provides the University's faculty, students, and researchers—now and in the future—with exceptional experiences and comprehensive access to these materials. 
 
Learn more about our contributions to the academic enterprise by visiting us at http://library.harvard.edu and about the Harvard University community at http://hr.harvard.edu/why-harvard. 
 

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)

#LI-MG1