University of Georgia Libraries

 

POSITION: Head of Science Collections and Scholarly Communication

DEPARTMENT: Collection Development

PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

The University of Georgia Libraries seeks a Head of Science Collections and Scholarly Communication who will be responsible for articulating a vision for the Libraries’ role in the evolving framework of scientific research and teaching; serving as liaison to appropriate departments and institutes; selecting materials in agricultural, biomedical, and life sciences; monitoring approval plans, standing orders, and subscriptions in the sciences; supervising one librarian bibliographer and one bibliographic searcher; and facilitating collection management at science branch libraries and reading rooms. Additionally, this position is responsible for promoting knowledge in the issues of scholarly communication, open access, institutional repositories, research practices, and publishing patterns in the sciences among the Libraries’ faculty and administration, as well as academic faculty and graduate students. The Head of Science Collections and Scholarly Communication reports to the Director for Collection Development.

With a staff of 6 librarians and 13 support staff the Science Library supports collections for research and instruction in the life, applied and physical sciences. The collection presently has over 750,000 volumes and over 3,000 print journal titles with access to 19,000 full-text electronic journals on all subjects through the Electronic Journal Locator. The Science Library houses a broad range of materials in agriculture, biological and life sciences, human and veterinary medicine, mathematics, computer science, physical sciences, engineering and technology. Science Library facilities also include the reading room of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and library research facilities at the Agricultural Experiment Stations in Griffin and Tifton, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah, Sapelo Island Marine Institute near Darien, and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Tifton.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develops and articulates a strong vision of the Libraries’ role in meeting the evolving information needs of users of scientific information at UGA.

Organizes and maintains a program of regular contact and ongoing engagement with science faculty. Keeps informed of the development of new academic programs in the sciences to ensure that collection management efforts support the university’s research and curriculum needs.

Enhances visibility and impact of UGA’s intellectual product by promoting participation by science faculty and students in the University Libraries institutional repository program and other outlets for open access to scholarly information.

Monitors and reports to Libraries’ staff and administration on local and national trends in scholarly communication, open access, research practices, and publishing patterns in the sciences.

Selects and orders materials in agricultural, biomedical, and life sciences. Coordinates collection management activities in all science disciplines, including identifying the best mix of formats within an evolving landscape of research needs and publishing patterns, supervising the work of one librarian bibliographer and one bibliographic searcher, facilitating collection management at science branch libraries and reading rooms, monitoring approval plans for scientific publications, and evaluating gift collections in the sciences.

Assists the Director for Collection Development and Head of Acquisitions and Serial Services with allocating and managing the science materials budget and achieving optimum agreements for journal packages and other large-scale purchases. Investigates emerging technologies for the discovery and delivery of scientific information and makes recommendations regarding their adoption and use.

Guides library users by participating in a variety of reference services, including staffing the information desk, providing specialized consultations, and leading instruction sessions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications: MLIS from an ALA-accredited library school; Three to five years professional experience relevant to collection development in a research library and/or scholarly communication matters in libraries, academia, or scientific publishing; Demonstrated knowledge of the information needs of scientists and changing models of scholarly communication and publishing in the sciences, and the associated technical and information policy issues; Demonstrated knowledge of library research tools in the sciences, including Web of Knowledge, PubMed, SciFinder Scholar, etc.; Excellent oral and written communication skills; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with library colleagues and productive interactions with science faculty and students.

Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in a life, agricultural, or biomedical science; Experience in scientific publishing or scholarly communication; Supervisory experience.

BENEFITS: UGA offers an attractive benefits program including a choice of health and retirement plans, dental plan, tuition remission and a relocation allowance; 21 days annual leave, 12 paid holidays. Information about Athens: http://www.libs.uga.edu/athens/. Salary: Commensurate with experience.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should send in three separate documents their letters of application, complete résumés, and the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of three references by October 6, 2010, to: Jan D. Hudson (libjobs@uga.edu), Human Resources Department, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia 30602-1641. Electronic applications are preferred.

The University of Georgia Libraries values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented minority candidates. The University of Georgia is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.