Library - Associate Dean for Research and User Services – Tenure/Tenure Track - 526787

Department/Organization
219101 - University Libraries

Rank
Associate/Full Professor

Position Summary
The University of Alabama seeks an experienced strategic thinker to join the University Libraries administrative team. The candidate will report to the Dean of University Libraries and will be a critical member of the University Libraries Executive Committee. The ideal candidate will be an innovative leader with a sense of evolving trends in research libraries, particularly in instruction, library liaison programs, access services, media production, outreach efforts, and user services in general. Developing opportunities to create and promote student success and support faculty teaching and research are vital components of this position’s leadership portfolio. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services will work closely with librarians to facilitate a shared vision and commitment to the strategic plan for the University Libraries and The University of Alabama. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services will lead and coordinate programmatic services for undergraduate and graduate education, instruction, and research support. This position will work collaboratively with librarians and stakeholders across the institution to address and support scholarship, research, and teaching needs while advancing the University Libraries Strategic Plan.

Detailed Position Information
The Associate Dean for Research and User Services has programmatic, strategic, budgetary, managerial, and operational responsibilities for Information Services, the Sanford Media Center, and Access Services. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services will lead and oversee the University Libraries Liaison Program and will ensure continuity of customer service, collaborating with staff who support all service points. The candidate will lead a group of dedicated faculty and staff who provide excellent services and learning experiences, provide access to comprehensive scholarly information resources that support curricula and the research lifecycle, and provide training and technology to support innovation and entrepreneurial endeavors. The chosen candidate will collaborate with other areas of the University Libraries, including Research Data Services and Research Computing, to design and integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) across all aspects of the Library Instruction Program. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services will enable a culture of assessment, continuous improvement, and accountability and will also mentor tenured, tenure-track, and clinical faculty on scholarly research output and on preparing grant applications.

The University Libraries are a beta development partner with EBSCO for the FOLIO Library Services Platform. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services will lead public services in the migration to FOLIO, evaluate and hire faculty and staff in their assigned areas, and must have the ability to foster collaboration and inspire innovation among librarians and staff. This candidate may assume additional and changing leadership portfolio responsibilities as the research library environment continues to evolve. The Associate Dean for Research and User Services represents the University Libraries on university, regional, and national level committees as assigned by the Dean of University Libraries and regularly contributes to the profession through active participation, national presentations, and other scholarly activities, while maintaining an active and robust portfolio of published peer-reviewed research.

The chosen candidate will have experience hiring, training, and working with colleagues in a research library setting, effectively implementing workflows and procedures that positively impact progress toward completion of organizational goals based on continuous improvement. The University of Alabama Libraries is committed to data-driven decision-making, and this position is responsible for acquiring, analyzing, and reporting statistical information on key performance indicators on a regular basis.

The Associate Dean for Research and User Services collaborates with a broad range of stakeholders internally and externally. The candidate must have the ability to cooperate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and administrators and is expected to maintain and build relationships in the University Libraries and with colleges and universities in the region, state, and nationally. The candidate must have the ability to foster collaboration and to mentor librarians and staff. The successful candidate must possess the ability to approach change, ambiguity, and complex problems in a research university setting with a positive attitude focused on problem solving.

Minimum Qualifications