Director of the Library

Illinois College seeks candidates for the position of Library Director to start summer 2024.

The Library Director provides strategic direction for serving the evolving information needs of the College community.  The Director articulates and implements a vision which supports student learning, collaboration with faculty, and meaningful engagement with diverse constituencies.  The Director works closely with faculty and librarian colleagues on information literacy instruction, both through a focused one-credit course and through research support for both students and faculty. This Director position is a 12-month administrative appointment with faculty status.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of the evolving environment of the small college library and will be able to share a compelling vision for the role of the library in the overall educational experience, especially in helping students to access, evaluate, and accurately use information.  In addition, the new Director will bring enthusiasm for and strategic approaches to the development of library personnel and innovative uses of the physical space in support of student learning. 

Essential Functions:
The following list of duties is meant to be representative of the work performed in this position. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical extension of position responsibilities.

• Provide leadership and administration for Schewe library.
• Supervise library personnel and support their ongoing professional development.
• Build and manage the library budget, with emphasis on strategic investment in resources.
• Oversee and provide leadership for innovative information literacy instruction.
• Oversee strategic collection development.
• Collaborate with academic departments, Campus Facilities, Information Technology, and other constituencies on innovative uses of the library spaces.
• Engage in service, scholarship/creative work, and/or professional development activities consistent with an administrative appointment with faculty status.

Review of applications will be ongoing.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program.
• Minimum of three years’ experience as a professional librarian in higher education.
• Demonstrated skill in a leadership role and the capacity to manage staff effectively.
• Familiarity with and enthusiasm for technological innovation in academic libraries.
• Experience and proficiency with budget management.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion in librarianship.
• Intercultural competency; ability to work with individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Applicants should provide the following:

• Letter of application 
• Statement of educational librarianship philosophy in the service of a diverse student body (may be included in the letter of application) 
• Curriculum Vita 
• Contact information for three references 

Additional Job Details:
Job Title: Library Director
Rank Appointment: Assistant or Associate Professor of Library and Information Science
Department: Schewe Library
Reports to: Dean of Faculty
Status: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt, Non-tenure Track
Date Last Revised: February 2024

About Illinois College:
Illinois College is a residential, private liberal arts college located in the heart of Illinois, 70 miles northeast of Saint Louis, Missouri, and 30 miles west of Springfield, the capital of Illinois. True to its founding vision in 1829, Illinois College is a community committed to the highest standards of scholarship and integrity in the liberal arts. The College develops in its students qualities of mind and character needed for fulfilling lives of leadership and service, fostering academic excellence rooted in opportunities for experiential learning while preparing students for lifelong success.