[LIBJOBS] Head, Cataloging and Metadata Services, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania

Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services
The Pennsylvania State University Libraries

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries seeks an innovative, creative, collaborative, and service-oriented leader for the position of Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services. This administrative position is responsible for establishing priorities, setting directions, managing workflows, and supervising an accomplished department of 33 faculty and staff members. 

The Cataloging and Metadata Services Department is active nationally in all the initiatives of the Library of Congress Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC)—BIBCO, NACO, SACO, and CONSER—and in the OCLC Enhance Program.  The Department actively supports the digital publishing and data curation programs of the University Libraries, including ScholarSphere, a Penn State repository service for digital scholarly materials.  The Department provides description for and access to materials and resources held at Penn State in all formats and subjects, including our unique and cultural heritage collections.  The faculty in the department are actively engaged in standards development at the national level.

The Head of the Cataloging and Metadata Services Department reports to the Associate Dean for Collections, Information, and Access Services.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Leadership within the department.  The Head sets goals and priorities for the Department; assesses the effectiveness of the Department’s services; fosters excellent communication and teamwork; and supports diversity initiatives to create a welcoming and inclusive climate.
• Leadership in cataloging and metadata standards and services.  The Head promotes emerging digital information environments and metadata standards, leads the Department in system implementations, and works with other departments throughout the Libraries to ensure that Cataloging and Metadata Services is meeting the demonstrated needs of our users. 
• Advocacy and leadership within the University Libraries community.  The Head promotes the Department and its services within the University Libraries and throughout the University; represents the Department on Libraries-wide management groups; and communicates the importance of metadata and metadata standards to the Penn State community.
• Research and active service.  As a member of the Libraries’ faculty, the Head is expected to maintain a national presence through service on relevant professional committees, to assume leadership roles in appropriate organizations, and to contribute to scholarly activity and research.  The Head serves as a role model and mentor to the faculty and staff within the Department.
  

Required Qualifications:

• MLS from an ALA-accredited program (or equivalent)
• Demonstrated expertise and proven leadership in cataloging and metadata services; minimum of five years of experience in an academic library showing progressive levels of responsibility; supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of the continuously-changing bibliographic environment; ability to position the Department to plan and implement an aggressive program of metadata services in support of the institution’s priorities.
• Commitment to service; excellent communication skills; ability to work cooperatively.
• Demonstrated contributions in librarianship, research, and service; capacity for leadership within the profession; ability to achieve tenure or to be appointed with tenure.
  

Environment: Penn State, a land-grant institution, is a member of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), a consortium of the Big Ten universities plus the University of Chicago. Based on current Association for Research Libraries investment rankings, The Pennsylvania State University Libraries are ranked among the top ten research libraries in North America.  A student survey completed in 2010 found overall student satisfaction with the University Libraries to be at the top of its category.  Collections exceed 5.8 million volumes and include more than 102,000 current serial subscriptions. The University Libraries are located at University Park and 22 other locations throughout Pennsylvania, and they serve approximately 6,000 faculty and 44,000 students at University Park, and more than 92,000 students system-wide. 

The University Park campus is set in the State College area, a university town located in central Pennsylvania. State College offers a vibrant community with outstanding recreational facilities, a low crime rate, and excellent public schools. The campus is within a half-day drive to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, or Pittsburgh. The University Park Airport is served by three major carriers with flights to Washington, Philadelphia, and Detroit. For more information, please visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu and http://www.cbicc.org.

Compensation: Salary and rank commensurate with experience. Excellent fringe benefits include liberal vacation, excellent insurance, state or TIAA/CREF retirement options, and educational privileges.

To Apply: Send a letter of application or nomination, resumé, and the names and contact information of three professional references to Search Committee, The Pennsylvania State University, Box HDCM-LIBJ, 511 Paterno Library, University Park, PA 16802. Applications and nominations may also be sent to lap225@psu.edu.  Please reference Box HDCM-LIBJ in the email subject line.  Review of candidates will begin on May 15, 2013 and continue until the position is filled.  Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity of its workforce.