OVERVIEW
The Head provides and strategic leadership for the Asia Library in support of its role as a premier resource for East Asian Studies at the University of Michigan. The Head is responsible for ensuring that excellent user-centered services meet the constantly evolving needs of the University’s large and diverse user community. In addition, the Head informs the campus and broader community of the Asia Library’s resources and services. Providing executive oversight of substantial collections, endowments, gifts, and various budgets is critical to this position, as is fostering a collegial and productive environment for library staff. The Head manages a staff of 11 FTE, including 3 professional librarians, and manages services and programs of the Asia Library in partnership with library-wide services and programs. This position reports to the Associate University Librarian for Research.
CONTEXT
The University of Michigan’s Asia Library has a long and distinguished tradition of building and providing access to comprehensive collections relevant to East Asian Studies. The Asia Library holds approximately one million physical volumes of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean monographs, serials, microforms, and other media. The Library also provides access to thousands of electronic databases, books, and serials in East Asian languages. The collection of East Asia materials in western languages is also quite strong. The Head directs the work of the librarians who are responsible for collection development budgets totaling more than $1,000,000 annually.
These collections are particularly strong in the humanities and social sciences and support doctoral level studies. The Asia Library has a strong history of successful partnerships with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, the International Institute, the Center for Chinese Studies, the Center for Japanese Studies, and the Korean Studies Program. The long-standing partnerships are essential for sustaining the entire range of research needs of faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and staff; fostering and innovating scholarly communication; effectively using instructional technologies; embracing new research resources while supporting traditional research methods; and encouraging interdisciplinary research and collaboration across campus and beyond. This collection not only serves the faculty and students of the university but also scholars throughout North America. The Asia library belongs to a number of cooperative programs such as the Council on East Asia Libraries, the North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources, and the Korean Collections Consortium of North America. The Asia Library is considered to be among the top five libraries of its kind in the United States.
The incumbent has a unique opportunity to lead and to participate in the creation of visionary Library programs and initiatives that promote collections, user services, scholarly communication, publishing, data management, and the University’s research enterprise.
RESPONSIBILITIES
* Position the Asia Library as a recognized leader in the delivery of scholarly content through an appropriate array of services, programs, and creative applications of technology.
* Foster productive and collaborative relationships with directors, chairs, faculty, and administrators in the relevant Centers and programs and within the College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts, as well as across campus.
* Provide leadership for the Asia Library and within the University Library by guiding, inspiring and supporting the Asia Library staff.
* Serves as the Collection Coordinator for Asia Library by managing acquisitions budgets, gifts, and endowments, as well as by managing electronic resources.
* Develops innovative long-range efforts, and assessment of programs and services in carrying out the library’s objectives.
* Represents the Asia Library and the University Library through professional service and affiliations, including: engagement in scholarly activities; professional affiliations and involvement at national and international levels; developing and maintaining collegial relationships with East Asian librarians from peer institutions.
* Ensures that the Asia Library builds and maintains a dynamic online presence, promoting and enhancing the collections and services of the Library.
* Encourages and cultivates close relations with donors of funds and materials relating to Asia Library collections; collaborates with Director of Library Development and the AUL for Collections, as appropriate, on fundraising activities.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
1. ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Science or an advanced degree in East Asian studies or related field of study.
2. Proficiency (speaking, writing, and reading) in one of the following languages (Chinese, Korean, Japanese) in support of East Asian scholarly programs.
3. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students of culturally diverse backgrounds.
4. Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication (oral and written) skills.
5. Strong user-centered commitment to outreach and service excellence.
6. Record of scholarly and professional achievement, e.g. scholarly publications, presentations, service, or teaching experience.
7. Familiarity with scholarly communication and academic publishing practices throughout East Asia.
Desired:
1. Ph.D. in East Asian Studies or related field, or equivalent knowledge in a related field of study combined with library experience
2. Minimum three years of management experience in an academic library or the broader scholarly community.
3. Experience in successfully leading collaborative efforts to enhance user services and to develop innovative initiatives and programs.
4. Proficiency with two or more of the following languages: Chinese, Korean, Japanese.
ENVIRONMENT
The University of Michigan, a leader in undergraduate and graduate education and one of the world’s premier research universities, hosts renowned faculty, rigorous academic programs, and diverse cultural and social opportunities in a stimulating intellectual environment. Collaboration among the various centers and programs engaged in international studies is considered “one of the nation's broadest assemblies of interdisciplinary centers and programs organized around area studies.” MLibrary is a top research library that enjoys a reputation for being a leader and innovator. Recent leadership examples include the launch of HathiTrust, an unparalleled opportunity for the creation of new services in support of the teaching, learning, and research mission of the University.
Situated in the heart of Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan is in a unique urban area with a small-town atmosphere and a vibrant cultural and intellectual sensibility.
BENEFITS, RANK, and SALARY
Rank and salary are dependent on qualifications and experience. As a professional appointment in the University of Michigan University Library, this position offers full benefits and opportunities for professional development and travel, and participates fully in faculty governance.
Further information regarding benefits can be found at http://benefits.umich.edu/benefitgroups/faculty.html.
RETIREMENT OPTIONS: TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments options available.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Email a cover letter and CV as attachments to libhumres@umich.edu, addressed to:
Andrea Tekac Lubetkin
Director, Library Human Resources
3026 Shapiro Undergraduate Library
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-118
For further information, call 734-764-2546 between 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday-Friday.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Review of applications will begin 2/25/2013 and continue until the position is filled.
The Head of Asia Library position description is available at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/library-human-resources/librarian-positions
The University of Michigan is a non-discriminatory, affirmative action employer.
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Yunah Sung (성윤아)
Korean Studies Librarian / Coordinator, Technical Services
Asia Library, University of Michigan
414 Hatcher Graduate Library North
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1190
Tel: 734-936-2408
Korean Collection:http://guides.lib.umich.edu/koreanstudies
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