The Brown University Library is a dynamic center of scholarship and community at the heart of a world-class research university. Supporting and collaborating with a broad and diverse academic constituency, the Library is essential for Brown’s mission “to serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry.” Integrating with Brown’s ambitious strategic plans, the Library is a site of innovation that fuels intellectual creativity. Signature Library initiatives include the establishment of the Center for Library Exploration and Research to increase campus and community impact; the Racial Justice Project to assess and counteract the legacies of historical racism in library practice; the Digital Publications Initiative pioneering new approaches to born-digital scholarship; and a revisioned special collections program that is positioning the John Hay Library as a research destination and leader in reparative and community-based collecting. We are seeking outstanding library professionals at all levels of the organization who are excited about advancing academic excellence at the highest level, and who will bring a wide array of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities to a scholarly community that is actively committed to being more diverse and inclusive.

The Brown University Library seeks a creative and forward-thinking library professional to join the Scholarly Resources department’s senior leadership team and build an efficient and highly effective Cataloging and Discovery unit. As part of the Scholarly Resources department, the Director of Cataloging and Discovery directs cataloging, discovery and access, and metadata production operations, and contributes to the strategic vision of making scholarly resources accessible and discoverable by a diversity of users. They lead and manage the highly skilled staff who provide timely access to information resources in all formats to meet the academic needs of a broad and diverse campus community. In collaboration with the senior leadership team in Scholarly Resources, they participate in organizational planning and development initiatives, and regularly review and assess operations to maximize effectiveness and efficiency. This position serves as primary liaison for matters related to cataloging operations and unit priorities. This is an excellent opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues across the Library, the University, and the Library profession who are dedicated to contributing to new cataloging and metadata practices that include describing more diverse collections, creating more inclusive descriptions, and contributing to reparative practices that address historical omissions and harmful language. The position currently supervises four paraprofessional staff and one professional; and reports to the AUL for Scholarly Resources.

Education and Experience

• ALA-accredited master’s degree in library and information science or an equivalent combination of education and education and experience
• 7  years experience in cataloging or metadata services;
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience in a library environment
• Experience leading teams and fostering continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage, motivate and coach staff.
• Demonstrated proficiency with current and emerging cataloging rules and standards.