The George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, seeks applications and nominations for the position of Chair for Cataloging and Discovery Services. The department provides descriptions for and access to materials and resources held at the University of Florida in all formats and subjects, including unique and cultural heritage collections, both tangible and electronic, batch and individually described. The department actively supports the digital publishing and data curation programs of the Smathers Libraries and leads the libraries in exploration of linked open data applications such as BIBFRAME.
Reporting to the Associate Dean for Discovery, Digital Services and Shared Collections, the Chair for Cataloging and Discovery Services is a tenure track library faculty position which provides leadership, strategic vision and direction for optimizing description and access to all library resources for all users. This includes bringing emerging metadata standards and linked data technologies into academic library cataloging practices. The Chair leads the department in implementing best practices and coordinates ongoing development of departmental staff by encouraging a commitment to continual improvement. The Chair collaborates with departmental staff to achieve the department’s goals, establish policies and procedures to escalate discoverability of collections in all formats in accordance with library-wide priorities, and support the Smathers Libraries’ commitment to cooperative cataloging programs. These initiatives require wide consultation and delegation throughout the department and the Libraries. Additionally, this position is a key member of the Libraries’ management team, ensuring organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and development of policies for library operations that are attentive to users’ experience.
The successful candidate will be an experienced and forward-thinking leader who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the progressive nature of librarianship and the role of cataloging and metadata in enhancing discovery for library users. The Cataloging and Discovery Services department is active in national and international cooperative cataloging initiatives of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) — BIBCO, NACO, SACO, and CONSER. Strong participation in these programs is expected to transform and advance the functions and impact of cataloging and discovery.
The Chair will include individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientation, and perspectives in work activities to support the UF community and foster excellence in our diverse and global society. The successful candidate will engage in professional development opportunities, including research, publication, and professional service activities in order to meet library-wide criteria for tenure and promotion.
The search will remain open until October 3, 2016. For a full description of the position and instructions on how to apply, please refer to the George A. Smathers Libraries faculty recruitment webpage at http://library.ufl.edu/pers/FacultyPositions.html. Failure to submit the required documents may result in the application not being considered. If you have any questions or concerns about this process please contact: Bonnie Smith, George A. Smathers Libraries Human Resources Office, at bonniesmith@ufl.edu.
The University of Florida is an equal opportunity employer and is strongly committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. Applicants from a broad spectrum of people, including members of ethnic minorities and disabled persons, are especially encouraged to apply.