Reporting to the Dean of the University Library, the Associate University Librarian will play an important role in shaping the internal and external direction of the division and the library at large. The ideal candidate will have at least ten years of experience supervising mid-management level professional staff, building and maintaining campus partnerships at the local, regional, and national levels, and engaging in strategic planning and budgeting. This role will work to inspire, build trust, empower professional growth, and engage staff in delivering user-centered services. This position will require communicating and managing change, fostering innovation, implementing solutions and programs, development of high-trust and high-performing collaborative teams, and commitment to the land-grant mission that welcomes all individuals.

The Associate University Librarian (AUL) for Collections Strategy and Access will chart the vision and strategic direction for the Collections Strategy and Access (CSA) division. Providing leadership for approximately thirty (30) staff across six (6) departments/units, this role will shape the division, which combines the operations of collections strategy, access services, metadata, e-resources, acquisitions, and research data services. This position will create a unified vision, collaborate with library administration on strategic planning, and build campus-wide relationships that drive momentum across the divisions and the University Library.

Why Join Us?

Impactful Leadership and Innovation

• Lead strategic planning and change management efforts that will define collections, research support, and open access at Iowa State University for years to come.
• Join a collaborative and forward-thinking executive team, reporting directly to the Dean of the University Library and contributing to university-wide initiatives.

A University That Inspires

• Ranked among the top public research universities, Iowa State fosters an environment of innovation and discovery.
•  The University Library serves over 30,000 students and 6,000 faculty/staff, supporting cutting-edge research and open-access initiatives true to the land grant mission.

The University Library is in the midst of an exciting and critical transformation, implementing innovative changes throughout its operations, structure, and culture. Together, we are not only redefining ourselves but expanding how people see and engage with a 21st-century, land-grant academic library. We are focusing on expanding experiential learning opportunities that deepen research outcomes, affordable education, and holistic support of students, establishing on- and off-campus partnerships that broaden reach and impact, and enhancing our support for student and faculty success.

Major Duties

• Serves as a member of the University Library’s administrative cabinet, and shares responsibility for leading strategic planning and other library‐wide initiatives.

• Guides organizational change, engages in collaborative decision-making, and builds consensus around a strategic vision for Collections Strategy and Access.

• Empowers professional growth and engages staff in delivering user-centered services.

• Promotes an organizational culture that questions conventional approaches, experiments with new ideas, and approaches failure as a learning experience.

• Develops a fundamental understanding of Collections Strategy and Access to effectively plan, manage, advocate, and assess their progress toward divisional and departmental goals.

• Facilitates interdepartmental communication to encourage innovation, flexibility, and creativity, and to manage change.

• Builds and maintains relationships with stakeholders and partners across campus and beyond seeking feedback, input, and innovative opportunities.

• Stays up to date on new and emerging developments and technologies and how these developments may impact and/or influence department and divisional efficiencies, goals, and outputs.
• Advances the libraries’ priorities and strategic directions through participation on library and university committees, task forces, and project teams.
• Maintains broad understanding of Iowa State University's teaching, learning, and research programs and initiatives, ensuring that services meet faculty and student needs.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree and 10 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in library and information science (MLIS) or a related field.
Experience building and maintaining campus partnerships, and partnerships at the local, regional, and national level.
Proven ability to lead and manage a team, with experience in strategic planning.
Familiarity with emerging technologies and best practices in library science, including access services, metadata management, e-resources, and research data.
Experience managing library collections budgets, supporting the needs of a research university, and strategizing open initiatives.