Head of Acquisitions

Clemson Libraries seeks a collaborative, dynamic, and collegial Head of Acquisitions to provide leadership and expertise for a department that manages the acquisition, analysis, and maintenance of library subscriptions, and the purchase of library monographs. This position provides oversight for a collections budget of $9.5 million and leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment, and management of print and electronic resources, including individual and package subscriptions, e-books, demand-driven acquisitions, open access resources, streaming resources, and continuing resources.

Clemson Libraries migrated to Alma/Primo VE in June 2020 and is part of a statewide Network Zone that includes 54 other institutions in the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL) consortium. The Head of Acquisitions will be actively involved in shared collection development decisions and licensing negotiations facilitated by PASCAL, as well as other consortia such as the Carolina Consortium and the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL). Clemson Libraries faculty are members of the academic community, with responsibilities in the areas of librarianship, research, and service. This is a 12-month tenure-track faculty position and works under the direction of the Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery.

Responsibilities

• Leads, plans, and oversees acquisitions operations and processes for materials in all formats acquired for University Libraries.
• Manages and coordinates operations for the Acquisitions team, composed of approximately 8 faculty and staff.
• Directs the efficient, appropriate, and timely expenditure of the Libraries’ $9.5 million collections budget, which includes both targeted and untargeted gifts and endowments.
• Supervises day-to-day acquisitions processes.
• Develops fund allocations for collection development areas.
• Chairs the Collections Strategies Cross-Functional Team.
• Collaborates with colleagues in Metadata Services, User Services, and Teaching and Learning to establish and refine interdepartmental workflows.
• In collaboration with the eCollections Access and Licensing Librarian, leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment, and management of electronic resources, including contract negotiations, renewals, and e-resource workflows.
• Provides oversight and strategic direction for individual subscription renewal assessment.
• Develops policies and procedures related to collection development and acquisitions.
• Develops a focused program of high-quality research and creative accomplishments, consistent with professional responsibilities and the Libraries’ mission and goals.
• Actively participates and demonstrates leadership in professional responsibilities that serve the Libraries, university, profession, and community.

Requirements

• An ALA-accredited graduate degree in librarianship or a relevant accredited graduate degree in another scholarly field as deemed appropriate by the Libraries.
• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in acquisitions, electronic resources, or collection development in an academic library or a large, multi-branch public library.
• Previous management/supervisory experience.
• Experience with strategic collection development and/or budgeting.
• Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication and creative problem-solving.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to foster an environment of collegiality, respect, trust, and teamwork.
• Experience with reviewing and negotiating license agreements pertaining to electronic resources.
• Experience with assessment of print and electronic resources (usage reports, overlap reports, cost per use, etc.).
• Experience working with publishers and/or vendors of electronic resources.
• Experience in coordination or management of library services platform functions in a consortial environment, including experience with Ex Libris’ Alma and Primo VE.
• Knowledge of current, evolving, and innovative models of collection development, including open access and scholarly communications.
• Ability to present budgetary and open access information to a variety of audiences, including non-library campus partners.

Benefits

• Various medical plans, dental plans, and retirement plans are available.
• 18 days annual leave, 15 days sick leave, 13 paid holidays, and liberal professional development leave are provided.
• Library faculty receive an individual stipend for travel or other professional development activity.

Pay

Salary is dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate’s experience, knowledge, skills, and rank at appointment in accordance with Clemson’s compensation guides.

Location

Clemson University is a major, land-grant, science and engineering-oriented Carnegie Research One university in a college town setting along a dynamic Southeastern corridor. Clemson is an inclusive, student-centered community characterized by high academic standards, a culture of collaboration, school spirit, and a competitive drive to excel. Centrally located in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Clemson is in one of the fastest-growing areas of South Carolina, and a two-hour drive from Charlotte and Atlanta.