Head of Technical Services and Collection Development

Department: Antonin Scalia Law School

Classification: Professional Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Arlington, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The mission of the law library is to support the instructional, research, and service missions of the Antonin Scalia Law School. Primarily a teaching and research center, the law library is the foremost means through which students and faculty gain access to organized information and knowledge. By fostering excellence in staff, development of the collection, and services offered to faculty and students, the law library performs a unique and indispensable function in the educational process. The Law Library also serves as a valuable resource for the George Mason University community.

About the Position:

The Head of Technical Services and Collection Development is responsible for all aspects of Technical Services administration, including Acquisitions, Cataloging, e-Resource management, Serials Check-in, Binding, and Deaccession. They manage the library's collection development program and acts as liaison for the Alma integrated library system. They assist the Associate Dean for Library and Technology with general planning, budgeting, and statistical compilation related to library collections and provides liaison services for law faculty and basic legal research support to the law school community. In the absence of both the Associate Dean and the Associate Director, they will be in charge of the law library.

Responsibilities:

Manages the Library's Collection Development Efforts

• Works with other professional librarians in selecting materials for acquisition, assessing library collection needs, and updating the Library's comprehensive collection development policy;
• Serves as principal contact for gift and other material donations;
• Assists the Associate Dean for Library & Technology with general planning and budgeting for the collections and their maintenance;
• Works closely with the Fiscal Services and Acquisitions Manager in the order fulfillment process;
• Responsible for negotiation of contracts with vendors, including coordination with Purchasing and University Counsel's office.; and
• Approves orders for books, databases, equipment, and supplies.

Oversees Daily Operations of the Technical Services Department 

• Works with acquisitions, cataloging, e-resource management, serials check-in, binding, and deaccession;
• Directly supervises and oversees the hiring, training, and evaluation of the Fiscal Services and Acquisitions Manager and the Cataloging and Serials Manager;
• Ensures that the needs of the Technical Services department are communicated to the Associate Dean and that the priorities of the Library are effectively communicated to the Technical Services staff; and
• Responsible for setting and communicating goals for performance and deadlines in ways that comply with the university's plans and vision and organizing workflow and ensuring that employees understand their duties or delegated tasks.

Provides Research Assistance

• Provides research assistance at the reference desk to law faculty, staff, students, and other patrons of the Library; and 
• Participates in instructional activities in Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis; Scholarly Writing; and other programs, as needed and interested.

Compiles Statistics for Assets Management at George Mason University

• Submits completed statistics for ASERL, ACRL, IPEDS, ALLStAR, and US News & World Report;
• Compiles statistics for Assets Management for George Mason University's insurance needs;
• Ensures the timely compilation of acquisition and cancellation data; and
• Oversees and communicates with University Libraries about various modules of the Alma integrated library system. This includes serving as a liaison to relevant personnel at the main University Library (Fenwick) and the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), specifically the WRLC Metadata and e-Resources committees.

Participates in the Law Faculty Liaison Program

• This direct support includes research, assistance with course materials and course management software, instruction of faculty RAs when requested, training faculty in the use of print and electronic resources, facilitation of interlibrary loan and document delivery, and materials ordering.

Other Related Duties as Assigned

• Performs other related duties that help the department achieve its objectives and goals and/or support the mission of the Law School as determined by the employee's supervisor; and
• Other related duties include participating in professional development and contributing to the law librarian profession.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in library and information science, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Some experience in library acquisitions, cataloging, and materials processing;
• Ability to successfully supervise all cataloging and acquisitions functions and provide back-up in those functions when needed;
• Demonstrated understanding of an integrated library system;
• Excellent organization and communication skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with law faculty, students, and staff; and
• Familiarity with current technical services and collection development trends and issues in libraries.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A second advanced degree in a related field, or work toward a second advanced degree in a related field;
• Some experience providing basic research support services;
• Some teaching, training, or instructional experience;
• Some experience resolving e-resource access issues;
• Some supervisory experience;
• Some library materials budgeting experience; 
• Some experience with any of the following: eVA procurement, Ex Libris Alma, WRLC Consortium, or VIVA Consortium; and
• Knowledge of legal materials.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Head of Technical Services and Collection Development at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date: August 29, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  October 11, 2024

Open Until Filled:  Yes