Dean of Libraries

Description

Smith College seeks a Dean of Libraries
Click here to view full position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Smith_Dean_Libraries_Profile.pdf
Location: Northampton, Massachusetts 

The Position:
The Dean of Libraries leads the Libraries' rich learning and research ecosystem, welcoming varied modes of knowledge-making by an increasingly diverse community of users. The Smith College Libraries include Neilson Library, Hillyer Art Library, Josten Performing Arts Library, Alumnae Gym and three Special Collections: the Mortimer Rare Book Room, the College Archives, and the Sophia Smith Collection – the oldest collection of archives devoted to women’s history in the U.S. 

The person in this role oversees the planning, administration, personnel, fundraising and development efforts that advance the Libraries' mission and operations. They are responsible for strategic planning including space planning and utilization, advances in digital information services, teaching & learning programs, collection development & preservation, archives & special collections, evolving technology in libraries, and effective professional and organizational development for staff. The Dean of Libraries directly manages a team of divisional directors who collectively oversee a staff of over 50 people, and is responsible for programs and operations within the main and subject libraries.  

The Dean cultivates and leads a strong culture of collaboration within the Libraries organization and fosters strong partnerships with faculty and collaborations with departments across campus. 

Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership (30%)

• Refine and implement a comprehensive vision for the Library that aligns with the mission and values of a liberal arts education. Lead strategic planning, assessment, and continuous improvement of Library services.
• Align Library collections, spaces, and services with Smith’s core mission of teaching, learning, and research.
• Foreground the College’s distinctive Special Collections and rare books along with robust print and digital resources to lead evidence-based decisions about future services and collections. 

Administration and Management (30%)

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Library, including budget management with the goal of promoting fiscal resilience and institutional sustainability, staff supervision, and space utilization. Ensure that Library resources meet the evolving needs of students, faculty, and staff.
• Preside over the annual operating budget and financial planning process.
• Lead efforts to incorporate emerging technologies, digital tools, and data management services into the Library’s offerings. Oversee the development and implementation of new digital platforms and resources.
• Ensure the continued growth and diversification of physical and digital collections, maintaining a balance between traditional academic resources and innovative technologies that support teaching, learning, and research. 

Campus Collaboration (20%)

• Work closely with faculty, academic departments, and other campus units such as Finance, Human Resources, College Relations, Facilities and other departments to support student learning and faculty scholarship. Promote the integration of information literacy and research skills into the curriculum.
• Foster partnership between faculty and Library staff as teaching & learning collaborators, research instructors and subject-matter experts. Ex-officio member of the Committee on the Library.
• Develop and support partnerships with campus departments and programs – including Information Technology Services, academic programs, the Smith Museum and Botanic Gardens – as key collaborators. 

Community Engagement and External Relations (10%)

• Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for a diverse campus community. Engage with students, faculty, and staff to promote Library services and resources as essential elements of the academic experience.
• Represent Smith College Libraries on the Five College Librarians Council regarding collaborative systems, staffing and committees as well as other consortial and professional organizations in the global educational community.
• Represent the Library in broader academic and professional communities, including consortia, associations, and external partnerships. Advocate for the Library within the College and in national and regional conversations about the future of libraries and higher education.
• Collaborate with the Five College staff on collection storage as a member of the Five College Librarians Council and liaison to the Five College Library Committee.
• Represent Smith College Libraries in national professional associations and consortial memberships including the Oberlin Group of liberal arts colleges, EAST Libraries, HathiTrust, Center for Research Libraries, etc. 

Fundraising and Grants (10%)

• Work with the Committee on the Libraries to devise strategies for Library support and fundraising among alumnae and other interested parties.
• Communicate with benefactors in multiple formats including presentations, travel to visits with donors, tours of the libraries and correspondence.
• Provide stewardship of donors in coordination with the Library development officer and colleagues in Development & Alumnae Affairs. 

Qualifications:

• Education: A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program or equivalent is required.
• Experience: A minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience in an academic, library and/or academic library setting with at least 8 years of progressive leadership responsibilities. Prior experience in a liberal arts college and/or university is highly desirable.
• Skills:
  • A lively intellect and comfort working in a fast paced environment; a record of innovation and creativity achieved by working collaboratively with others.
  • Proven leadership, organizational, and management skills.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication abilities to work effectively with a diverse community.
  • Familiarity with emerging trends in academic libraries, including digital scholarship, open access, and information technology.
  • Demonstrated success in collaborative leadership and partnership building.
  • Commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in Library services and programs.
  • An engaging and thoughtful spokesperson for the future of libraries and Smith College’s key role in shaping this future with national and international partners.
  • Resilience and stamina for the tasks at hand, a bias for action and high tolerance for change; personal equanimity in dealing with a broad spectrum of personalities; a positive outlook and a good sense of humor.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven operational leadership in a complex organizational setting, including the effective management of fiscal, human, and physical resources; ability to continually assess Library programming to enhance Library support for teaching and learning at the College.
• Experience with fundraising, grant writing, and securing external funding for Library initiatives.
• Experience in library consortia and collaborative initiatives at the regional or national level.
• A successful history of staff recruitment, development, and team building, including a demonstrated commitment to building and supporting a diverse staff.
• An ability to write and communicate elegantly for a variety of audiences, in person, print, and on social media.  

About the Smith College Libraries:
Mission
The Smith College Libraries advance teaching, learning, research and discovery for Smith students, faculty, and staff by offering collections in multiple formats, providing access to information worldwide and establishing services and learning environments responsive to users' needs. The Libraries further support women's education through an internationally recognized repository of archives and manuscripts documenting the history of women. 

Vision
The Smith College Libraries are the intellectual crossroads for the Smith College community. We promote research and discourse by leading the campus in acquiring, organizing and making scholarly resources accessible. We create inspiring spaces for study, collaboration and discovery. We engage the communities we serve through our diverse collections, services, and staff. 

About Smith College:
Knowledge. Community. Generosity. These three concepts capture Smith’s identity as an institution. Since its founding in 1871, Smith has remained at the forefront of higher education. A leader in service, sustainability, and scholarship, the college fosters the creativity and determination of its students with first-class facilities, dedicated faculty, and endless scholarly resources. Smith educates students of promise for lives of distinction and purpose. A college of and for the world, Smith develops global citizens and leaders to address society's challenges. 

As part of the Five College consortium, today the College continues to benefit from a dynamic relationship between innovation and tradition. While Smith’s basic curriculum of the humanities, arts and sciences still flourishes, the College continues to respond to the new intellectual needs of today’s students — offering majors or interdepartmental programs in engineering, the study of women and gender, neuroscience, film and media studies, Middle East studies, statistical and data sciences and other cutting-edge fields. Under their guidance, a world-class faculty of scholars are fully engaged with students’ intellectual development, and an open curriculum encourages them to explore many fields of knowledge. Mentors for scholarship, leadership and service help students observe different models of achievement so they can set their own course with conviction and confidence. To learn more about Smith College, visit http://smith.edu. 

To Apply:
Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled; parties are encouraged to apply by February 21, 2025. Please submit a PDF version of your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest in and suitability for this position. 

To apply online, go to https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su441 

For more information or to offer recommendations or nominations:
Lyndi Hewitt, PhD
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
615-423-0525
[email protected] 

Smith College is an equal-opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Please review the EEO Policy Statement. If you’d like more information on your EEO rights under the law, you can review the details on the EEO is the Law poster, as well as the supplemental EEO is the Law document. The successful candidate must have a driver’s license and the ability to obtain a U.S. passport and must be immunized against COVID-19 on or before their first day of employment. Proof of vaccination status will be required. Individuals may seek medical or religious exemption with HR but must do so prior to their arrival. 

Smith College is an EO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer. Women, underrepresented racial groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.