Head, Acquisitions | The Library | University of California, Berkeley

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT May 2007
University of California, Berkeley

Head, Acquisitions
Technical Services
Associate Librarian I / Librarian II (hiring range)
$44,736 - $73,356 per annum, depending upon qualifications
plus administrative stipend

The University of California, Berkeley, seeks a dynamic, experienced, innovative librarian to lead the acquisitions functions of the Technical Services Department through the multifaceted, rapidly changing environment of acquisitions librarianship. The Acquisitions Librarian will position the Technical Services Department’s team of knowledgeable and dedicated staff to meet the challenges of new systems, new technologies, and new ways of envisioning traditional acquisitions functions.

The Environment

The UC Berkeley Library is an internationally renowned research and teaching facility at one of the nation’s premiere public universities, serving 23,000 undergraduates, 9,000 graduate students, and 1,500 faculty. Current collections include approximately 10 million volumes and 56,000 current serial titles. Library facilities on the Berkeley campus include the Doe/Moffitt Libraries, The Bancroft Library, the East Asian Library and more than 20 additional libraries that serve specific subject areas and the professional schools. The Library is a member of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), and the Research Libraries Group (RLG), and is an active participant in the California Digital Library. The Library has a current operations budget of $58 million and a current collections budget of $22 million, and employs about 375 full-time staff and more than 600 part-time students.

The Technical Services Department is responsible for ordering, receiving, and providing access to the Library's collections. The department consists of four major Divisions: Original Cataloging, Copy Cataloging, Collections Core Services, and Gift and Exchange. The Acquisitions Librarian serves as the Head of the Collections Core Services and Gift and Exchange Divisions.

The Collections Core Services Division (19.75 FTE), which provides and maintains the Library’s core acquisition functions, is subdivided into five units. The Ordering Unit places over 20,000 orders annually for monographs and serials via INNOPAC and various electronic vendor interfaces. The Payments Unit processes all payments for collections material in all formats; places orders for electronic resources, handles electronic resource access problems; and manages The Library’s open-URL link resolver for Berkeley resources. The INNOPAC Management Unit provides the majority of collections budgeting support to the AUL for Collections; provides training on The Library’s INNOPAC ordering and reporting modules; and performs INNOPAC system maintenance. The Check-In Unit receives, routes and claims The Library’s serials and standing orders arriving in tangible format. The Documents Processing Unit receives depository material and provides cataloging for both tangible and electronic California, federal, and international document resources.

The Gift and Exchange Division (4 FTE) manages both the Exchange Program, which maintains over 2,900 active exchange agreements with institutions in virtually every country in the world to obtain approximately 8,000 serial titles and 4,500 monographs per year, and the Library's Gifts Program, which evaluates, receives, acknowledges, and reviews donations of publications and withdrawn materials for possible addition to the Library collections, discard, or sale in the Library Book Sale. The Library's Slavic and Eastern European Ordering Program is also located in this Division.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Technical Services, the Acquisitions Librarian will provide expert leadership in developing, implementing, and creating policy and procedures for the acquisition of collections materials in all tangible and electronic formats by depository, gift, shared or collaborative acquisitions programs, by purchase, by exchange, and by access to freely available electronic resources.

With the assistance of two Division Head operations managers, supervises the Collections Core Services and Gift and Exchange Divisions of the Technical Services Department.
Works closely with the AUL for Collections to ensure effective oversight, management and monitoring of collection fund expenditures.
Serves as the technical, procedural, planning and training expert for all acquisitions-related functions of the automated library system software.
Provides leadership and technical skill in adapting and implementing cutting-edge technologies within the UC Berkeley Library and as part of a UC system-wide consortial team.
Works closely with selectors to facilitate the acquisition of collections materials in tangible and electronic formats in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Coordinates and cooperates closely with the Technical Services Department’s cataloging team, with acquisitions staff outside of the Technical Services Department, with the AUL for Collections, with the Electronic Resources Librarian, with Library Systems Office staff, and with a wide range of Public Services staff.
Represents the UC Berkeley Library on the Acquisitions Common Interest Group (ACIG), an advisory group to the UC Heads of Technical Services.
Participates on behalf of the UC Berkeley Library in strategic planning and implementation of California Digital Library shared resource and technology initiatives.
Represents the UC Berkeley Library nationally by participating in acquisition-focused conferences, committees, and research efforts.
Gathers and maintains acquisitions statistics in a broad range of areas and actively explores statistical and metrical advances such as Project Counter and SUSHI.
Serves on the UC Library Collections Council, Digital Acquisitions Group and other bodies as appropriate.

UCB librarians are expected to participate in library-wide planning and governance, to be able to work comfortably in a shared decision-making environment, and to be active professionally. Professional contributions beyond the primary responsibilities, e.g., active participation in university and professional settings, publication or other research and creative activity, are required for advancement in the Librarian series. The successful candidate will show promise or evidence of such contributions.

Qualifications

Required
MLIS from an ALA accredited institution, or equivalent degree. Demonstrated experience and technical expertise in working with an integrated library system, preferably Innovative Interfaces Inc.’s Millennium. Demonstrated experience working with monograph and serial vendors; experience with both domestic and international vendors strongly desired. Demonstrated experience developing, implementing and managing sizeable approval plans. Demonstrated experience in working with a range of technological and licensing issues involved in purchasing and enabling access to electronic resources. Experience monitoring and managing budgets and funds within a complex funding environment and with basic accounting principles. Demonstrated thorough understanding of the interrelationship of acquisitions functions with related areas of technical services including the incorporation of outsourced services. Demonstrated thorough experience with and knowledge of the national and international publishing and vending marketplace for scholarly research materials, and with procuring resources in a consortial as well as an individual environment. Demonstrated understanding of how new technologies are changing methods of resource delivery and scholarly communication. Ability to gather and analyze statistical and bibliographic data using desktop applications including spreadsheets and databases.

Excellent communication, interpersonal and supervisorial skills. Must demonstrate ability to communicate in a highly effective manner both verbally and in writing. Must have demonstrated ability to thrive on the challenges of working both independently and collaboratively in a highly diverse, complex, and changing environment. Ability to serve as an effective trainer in a variety of acquisitions-related areas. Experience developing priorities and achieving consensus among multiple stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to carry out strategic planning and the implementation of new programs or initiatives.

Desirable
Experience migrating data from one Integrated Library System to another. Experience with populating and/or using an Electronic Resource Management System.

In conformance with University of California policy, continued employment will be contingent upon completion of satisfactory background investigation.

Deadline : Consideration will be given to applications received by July 31, 2007.

Professional librarians at UC are academic appointees and are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This position is not in the bargaining unit and is eligible for an administrative stipend.

Librarians are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel. UC has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits. Relocation assistance is provided.

The Library at the University of California, Berkeley is committed to the support and encouragement of a multicultural environment and seeks candidates who can make positive and imaginative contributions in a context of ethnic and cultural diversity.

Applicants should apply in writing, including with their letter a complete statement of qualifications, a full resume of their education and relevant experience, and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references who are knowledgeable about their qualifications for this position. Send applications to:

Barbara Kornstein
Academic Personnel Specialist
Library Human Resources Department
110 The Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Or FAX to: 510-642-8675
Or EMAIL: librec@library.berkeley.edu

Applications received via email preferred.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer

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